17 Perfect Texas Perennials (North and South Texas)

Best Texas perennials

Growing plants in Texas is not the easiest, and because of the dry heat, only the toughest, hardy plants will survive.

Thankfully, there are a lot of drought-tolerant plants to consider for your garden in Texas.

In this guide, we’re going to take a look at some options to plant if you live in Texas. Let’s start with Northern Texas, and then we’ll move on to Southern Texas.

North Texas

Bee Balm

Bee-Balm

Bee balm is a plant that can grow to be up to 3 feet in height. Its bright pink blooms are an excellent way to attract pollinators to your garden space during the summer when the blooms are in full swing. Bee balm will do well in full-sun conditions, but it may be best to provide it with a little shade during the hot afternoon heat.

Black-eyed Susan

Black-eyed-Susans

If you like the way a daisy looks in your garden, then a Black-Eyed Susan will have the same type of blooms, but they will vary in color. The blooms are golden with a black center that will stand out. It grows best in full sun, but some shade will be beneficial during the hottest part of the day in Texas.

Coral Bells

Coral bells

Coral Bells will look great in a rock garden as the red, pink, coral, and white blooms attract butterflies and hummingbirds to the space. This plant will grow best in loamy soil and full sun, but it will also be able to tolerate partial shade. The plant will only grow to be about 12 to 18 inches in height.

Hibiscus, Marshmallow

Hibiscus, Marshmallow

The Marshmallow Hibiscus can either be pink in color or white with a maroon center that looks like an eye. Its blooms are about 6 to 10 inches in diameter, but the plant itself can grow to be 8 feet tall. It can adapt to grow in most soils, and it can do well in both full and partial sunlight.

Mexican Bush Sage

Mexican-Bush-Sage

This is a large bush that requires minimal care, which makes it ideal for the hot temperatures of Texas. It’s a hardy plant that can tolerate full-sun conditions as well as some afternoon shade. It’s drought-tolerant, so it does not require a lot of water, even in intense heat. It does grow best with good air circulation and well-drained soil.

Purple Fountain Grass

Purple-Fountain-Grass

Purple Fountain Grass has spiked, spider-like foliage that is burgundy to purple. This is a plant that prefers to grow in acidic to neutral soil that drains well. It also will grow in full sun or a little bit of shade. It blooms in July, and when it is mature, the plant can easily be 5 feet tall.

Lenten Rose

This plant is known to bloom during Lent, hence the name. It produces rose-like blooms that are purple, red, lavender, pink, yellow, or blue. The plant does best in soil that is rich in nutrients, but also well-draining. It grows in partial shade and requires an average amount of water to thrive.

Bird of Paradise

The Bird of Paradise is a large plant with banana-shaped leaves that will look great in any garden. It’s a hardy plant that tolerates most amounts of sun and types of soil. It can grow in full, direct sunlight to full shade. It needs moist soil, but it will not tolerate wet roots. It thrives in humid environments with temperatures between 65 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

South Texas

Yarrow

Yarrow

Yarrow is a plant that produces very tinny blooms that are red, pink, yellow, or white. The flowers are great for attracting butterflies, and since these small plants can range from two to four feet in height, they make an excellent ground cover. They grow well in full sun and sandy soil, so a state like Texas is perfect for the plant.

Oxblood Lily

Oxblood-Lily

The Oxblood Lily is a hardy option that has bright red and pink blooms that will brighten your garden during the fall. It’s native to Uruguay and Argentina, so the plant is used to the heat and the lack of water that it may see being planted in Texas. It grows best with ample sunlight during the day or a little afternoon shade.

Carnation (Dianthus)

Carnation-(Dianthus)

A carnation will grow in full to partial sun and well-drained soil with very little care. Known as the “flowers of the God,” carnation blooms come in a variety of colors that range from pink and red to white and yellow. Sandy, loamy soil is best for the plant, and make sure to avoid overwatering the plant, especially if it’s growing in intense heat.

Phlox

Phlox

Phlox is an easy to manage plant that can easily attract birds and butterflies to your outdoor space. It grows well in loamy soil that drains well, and it will grow in full sun, partial sun, partial shade, and full shade. The blooming season occurs during the spring and summer, and blooms will be pink, purple, red, blue, and white.

Mexican Heather

Mexican-Heather

This plant has small dainty-looking flowers that are pink or white, but it is one of the hardiest plants that you can find for Texas gardens. It grows to be a height of about 10 to 18 inches tall, and it can withstand hot summers as well as some frost during the cold month of the year. Partial shade and sandy soil are best for this plant.

New Gold Lantana

New-Gold-Lantana

New Gold Lantana’s golden blooms are a magnet for butterflies and other pollinators. The plant only grows to be about 18 to 24 inches in height, so it will make an excellent edging in your garden. Full to partial sun and well-drained soil is best for the plant. It doesn’t manage the cold well, which is why it’s perfect for a Texas garden.

Firebush (Hamelia patens)

Firebush

The firebush is a shrub that has bright orange to red flowers that bloom from the spring until the fall of the year. It is seen mostly in hardiness zones eight to 11 because it does not tolerate the cold well. It grows to be 4 to 5 feet in height, and it needs full sun to grow. High winds can damage the foliage as well.

Mexican Honeysuckle

Mexican-Honeysuckle

The Mexican Honeysuckle produces orange to red flowers. The bush can grow to be 3 to 6 feet in height, and it needs to be planted in an area where it gets full to partial sun, average water, and well-drained soil. Portions of the plant that are not growing well may need to be pruned to promote growth.

Mexican Petunia

Mexican-Petunia

Mexican Petunias are a plant that can tolerate high amounts of heat as well as shade. The blooms are purple, and the more heat they get, the more the stem changes to be purple as well. In the shade, the stem stays green. This drought-tolerant plant does not require a lot of water, and it will grow in any soil.