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Native Plant Society of Texas

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BOOKS ABOUT NATIVE TEXAS PLANTS

  • Atlas of the Vascular Plants of Texas by Billie Lee Turner, Holly Nichols, Geoffrey C. Denny, and Oded Doron
  • Cacti of Texas and Neighboring State by Del Weniger
  • Common Texas Grasses: An Illustrated Guide by Frank W. Gould
  • Explorers’ Texas: The Lands and Waters by Del Weniger
  • Gardening with Prairie Plants: How to Create Beautiful Native Landscapes by Sally and Andy Wasowski
  • How to Grow Native Plants of Texas and the Southwest Revised and Updated Edition by Jill Nokes
  • Landscaping Revolution: Garden With Mother Nature, Not Against Her by Andy and Sally Wasowski
  • Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas by Correll and Johnston
  • Native Texas Gardens: Maximum Beauty Minimum Upkeep by Sally and Andy Wasowski
  • Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region by Sally and Andy Wasowski
  • Remarkable Plants of Texas by Matt Warnock Turner
  • Shinners & Mahler’s Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas by Diggs, Lipscomb, and O’Kennon
  • Texas Mushrooms: A Field Guide by By Susan and Van Metzler
  • Texas Wildflowers: A Field Guide by Campbell & Lynn Loughmiller, Lynn Sherrod
  • Texas Wildscapes; Gardening for Wildlife by Noreen Damude, Kelly Bender, Diana Foss, and Judit Gowen
  • The Tallgrass Restoration Handbook: For Prairies, Savannas, and Woodlands by Stephen Packard and Cornelia F. Mutel
  • The Texas Native Plant Primer: 255 Plants for an Earth-Friendly Garden (LINK) by Andrea DeLong-Amaya
  • Useful Wild Plants of Texas by Scooter Cheatham and Marshall Johnston, with Lynn Marshall
  • Wild Orchids of Texas by Joe Liggio and Ann Orto Liggio
  • Wildflowers Across America by Lady Bird Johnson, Carlton B. Lees, Les Line
  • Wildflowers of Texas by Geyata Ajilvsgi
  • Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country by Marshall Enquist

About the Region

2026 Fall Symposium Logo

This low-elevations region of Texas extends inland from the barrier islands, about 60 or so miles, and stretches from Brownsville to Louisiana. In total, it covers about 9.5 million acres, with a high point of 150 feet in elevation. More than 1000 species of plants can be found in this region. On the southern end, species more common in Mexico (such as Sabal mexicana) and Central America occur.

The barrier islands provide us with dune systems, and clay flats to the inland side, which have species found in these areas alone. Many plants here, such as Ipomoea pes-caprae (beach morning glory), can be found throughout tropical regions of the globe. I’ve encountered the same species on the beaches of Guam.

Once inland, vast marshes and wet prairies occur. Occasionally, oak (Quercus fusiformis) groves can be found. Common grasses include species of Bothriochloa, Paspalum, and Sporobolus; eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides); and switchgrass (Panicum species). Many rivers and creeks cut through the Gulf Prairies, and along these riparian areas various species of trees, Sabal minor, and other plants adapted to clay soils can be found. Due to overgrazing, farming, and fire suppression, woody species such as mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) and huisache (Acacia farnesiana), and invasive species such as chinaberry (Melia azedarach), Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), and Chinese tallow (Sapium sebiferum) have increased and displaced our native flora.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason