NLCP Plant Lists

Native Landscape Certification Program (NLCP) Plant Lists

Select the desired plant list from the filters below. The menus adapt to the classes that are currently available from the chapters. After you select a class you can download it with just the information you want.

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Name

Growth Form

Height

Spread

Sun

Leaf Retention

Wildlife Interest

Seasonal Interest

Water Use

Soil Type

Wildlife Benefit

White Wand Penstemon

Penstemon tubiﬂorus

Herbaceous

1 –

3 ft

1 –

1.5 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Nectar, Pollen

Pink, White

Low, Medium

Moist, Well Drained

Bees, Butterflies

Red Bay

Persea borbonia

Tree

12 –

40 ft

25 –

30 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Evergreen

Fruit, Larval Host

Yellow

Medium

Clay, Loam, Moist, Sand

Birds, Small Mammals

Blue Curls

Phacelia congesta

Herbaceous

1 –

3 ft

1 –

3 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Nectar, Pollen

Blue, Purple

Medium

Clay, Dry, Limestone, Loam, Rocky, Sand

Bees, Butterflies, Nectar Insects

Snake-eyes

Phaulothamnus spinescens

Shrub

5 –

6 ft

5 –

6 ft

Part Shade

Evergreen

Fruit

Green, Yellow

Medium

Clay, Loam, Moist, Sand

Birds, Small Mammals

Largeflower Flameflower

Phemeranthus calycinus

Subshrub

.5 –

.75 ft

.75 –

1 ft

Sun

Pollen

Pink, Purple, Red

Low, Medium

Dry, Rocky, Sand, Shallow

Bees

Canyon Mock Orange

Philadelphus ernestii

Shrub

3 –

5 ft

3 –

5 ft

Part Shade, Shade

Semi Evergreen

Flowers, Forage, Nectar, Pollen

White

Medium

Calcareous, Caliche, Clay, Limestone, Rocky, Well Drained

Bees, Browsers

Blue Woodland Phlox

Phlox divaricata

Herbaceous

1 –

1.5 ft

1 –

1.5 ft

Part Shade, Shade

Evergreen

Forage, Nectar

Blue, Purple, White

Medium

Calcareous, Clay, Loam, Moist, Rich, Well Drained

Butterflies, Nectar Insects, Small Mammals

Drummond’s Phlox

Phlox drummondii

Herbaceous

0.5 –

1.5 ft

.25 –

.5 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Nectar, Pollen, Seeds

Pink, Purple, Red, White

Low, Medium

Dry, Sand, Well Drained

Bees, Birds, Butterflies

Fragrant Phlox

Phlox pilosa

Herbaceous

1 –

2 ft

1 –

1.5 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Larval Host, Nectar, Pollen

Pink

Low

Dry, Rocky, Sand, Well Drained

Bees, Butterflies, Moths

Frogfruit

Phyla nodiflora

Groundcover, Herbaceous

0.25 –

0.5 ft

2 –

4 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Semi Evergreen

Larval Host, Nectar

White

Low, Medium

Caliche, Clay, Dry, Limestone, Loam, Moist, Poor Drainage, Saline, Sand

Butterflies, Hummingbirds, Nectar Insects

Finger False Dragonhead

Physostegia digitalis

Herbaceous

3 –

6 ft

1 –

2 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Nectar, Pollen

Pink, Purple, White

Medium

Clay, Loam, Moist, Sand

Butterflies, Hummingbirds

Marsh Obedient Plant

Physostegia intermedia

Herbaceous, Wetland

1 –

5 ft

1 –

5 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Nectar, Pollen

Pink, Purple, White

High

Clay, Loam, Moist, Sand

Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds, Nectar Insects

Showy False Dragonhead

Physostegia pulchella

Herbaceous

2 –

3 ft

.5 –

1 ft

Part Shade

Deciduous

Nectar

Purple, Red

Medium

Clay, Moist, Sand

Bees, Nectar Insects

Obedient Plant

Physostegia virginiana

Herbaceous

2 –

4 ft

0.5 –

1 ft

Sun, Part Shade, Shade

Deciduous

Nectar

Pink, Purple

Medium, High

Clay, Limestone, Moist, Poor Drainage, Sand

Butterflies, Hummingbirds

American Pokeweed

Phytolacca americana

Herbaceous

3 –

5 ft

2 –

3 ft

Part Shade

Deciduous

Berry, Larval Host, Nectar

Pink, White

Medium

Clay, Loam, Moist, Sand, Well Drained

Birds, Moths, Small Mammals

Pink Dandelion

Pinaropappus roseus

Herbaceous

1 –

1.25 ft

.5 –

1 ft

Sun

Flowers

Pink, White, Yellow

Low

Limestone

Mexican Pinyon

Pinus cembroides

Tree

20 –

30 ft

15 –

20 ft

Sun

Evergreen

Forage, Seeds

Yellow

Low

Caliche, Clay, Dry, Limestone, Loam, Rocky, Sand

Birds, Browsers, Small Mammals

Shortleaf Pine

Pinus echinata

Tree

50 –

100 ft

20 –

30 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Evergreen

Larval Host, Nesting Material, Pollen, Seeds

Yellow

Very Low, Low

Dry, Loam, Rocky, Sand, Well Drained

Birds, Butterflies, Small Mammals

Longleaf Pine

Pinus palustris

Tree

80 –

100 ft

30 –

40 ft

Sun

Evergreen

Forage, Nesting Material, Seeds

Brown

Medium

Deep, Dry, Loam, Moist, Sand

Birds, Browsers, Small Mammals

Ponderosa Pine

Pinus ponderosa

Tree

60 –

100 ft

25 –

30 ft

Sun, Part Shade, Shade

Evergreen

Larval Host, Nectar, Seeds

Red, Yellow

Medium

Clay, Deep, Dry, Gravelly, Moist, Rocky, Sand

Birds, Butterflies, Small Mammals

Loblolly Pine

Pinus taeda

Tree

60 –

100 ft

12 –

15 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Evergreen

Larval Host, Nectar, Nesting Material, Seeds

Brown, Yellow

Medium

Dry, Loam, Sand, Well Drained

Birds, Butterflies, Small Mammals

Narrowleaf Silkgrass

Pityopsis graminifolia

Herbaceous

1 –

2 ft

1 –

2 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Semi Evergreen

Nectar, Pollen, Seeds

Yellow

Low, Medium

Dry, Moist, Sand, Well Drained

Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Small Mammals

Sycamore

Platanus occidentalis

Tree

75 –

100 ft

30 –

50 ft

Sun, Part Shade, Shade

Deciduous

Fall Color, Larval Host, Nesting Material, Seeds

Brown, Green, Red, Yellow

High

Clay, Loam, Moist, Sand

Birds, Butterflies, Small Mammals

American Basketflower

Plectocephalus americanus

Herbaceous

1.5 –

5 ft

.5 –

1 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Nectar, Pollen, Seeds

Pink

Low

Clay, Dry, Loam, Sand

Bees, Birds, Butterflies

Saltmarsh Fleabane

Pluchea odorata

Herbaceous, Wetland

1 –

6 ft

1 –

3 ft

Sun, Part Shade, Shade

Deciduous

Nectar, Pollen

Pink

Medium, High

Brackish, Clay, Moist, Saline

Butterflies, Nectar Insects

White Pumbago

Plumbago zeylanica

Shrub, Vine

1 –

3 ft

3 –

10 ft

Part Shade

Deciduous

Nectar

White

Medium

Clay, Dry, Loam, Sand, Well Drained

Butterflies

Texas Bluegrass

Poa arachnifera

Grass & Sedge

2 –

3 ft

1 –

2 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Forage, Nectar, Nesting Material, Seeds

Brown, Green, White

Medium

Clay, Loam, Moist, Sand, Well Drained

Birds, Browsers, Butterflies, Small Mammals

Mayapple

Podophyllum peltatum

Herbaceous

1 –

1.5 ft

0.5 –

1 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Fruit, Pollen

Pink, White

Medium

Loam, Moist, Rich, Sand

Bees, Birds, Butterflies

Clammyweed

Polanisia dodecandra

Herbaceous

2 –

3 ft

1 –

2 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Larval Host, Nectar, Pollen

Pink, Purple, White

Low, Medium

Dry, Gravelly, Moist, Sand

Bees, Butterflies

White Milkwort

Polygala alba

Herbaceous

0.5 –

1 ft

1 –

2 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Nectar, Pollen

White

Low

Calcareous, Clay, Dry, Loam, Sand

Bees, Nectar Insects

Christmas Fern

Polystichum acrostichoides

Ferns & Allies

1 –

2 ft

0.5 –

1 ft

Part Shade, Shade

Evergreen

Nesting Material

No Bloom

Medium

Loam, Moist, Rocky, Sand

Birds

Texas Prairie Parsley

Polytaenia texana

Herbaceous

2 –

4 ft

0.5 –

1 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Larval Host, Nectar, Pollen

Green, Yellow

Very Low, Low

Clay, Dry, Loam, Sand, Well Drained

Bees, Butterflies, Nectar Insects

Pickerelweed

Pontederia cordata

Herbaceous, Wetland

1 –

3 ft

1 –

3 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Flowers, Forage, Fruit, Nectar, Seeds

Blue, Purple, White

High

Clay, Loam, Moist, Mud, Rich, Sand

Aquatic Wildlife, Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Deer

Eastern Cottonwood

Populus deltoides

Tree

12 –

36 ft

35 –

60 ft

Sun, Part Shade, Shade

Deciduous

Fall Color, Larval Host, Seeds

Yellow

High

Clay, Loam, Moist, Sand, Well Drained

Birds, Butterflies

Chisme

Portulaca pilosa

Herbaceous

.25 –

.5 ft

.5 –

1 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Nectar, Pollen

Purple

Low, Medium

Caliche, Clay, Dry, Granitic, Gravelly, Limestone, Loam, Saline, Sand

Bees, Butterflies, Nectar Insects

Devil’s Claw

Proboscidea louisianica

Herbaceous

1 –

2 ft

1 –

2 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Flowers, Nectar

Pink, White, Yellow

Low

Loam, Moist, Sand, Well Drained

Nectar Insects

Honey Mesquite

Prosopis glandulosa

Tree

25 –

30 ft

25 –

30 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Fruit, Larval Host, Nectar, Seeds

White

Very Low, Low

Caliche, Clay, Dry, Loam, Sand, Well Drained

Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Nectar Insects, Small Mammals

Screwbean Mesquite

Prosopis pubescens

Tree

10 –

15 ft

10 –

15 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Forage, Fruit, Nectar, Pollen, Seeds

White, Yellow

Medium

Caliche, Clay, Loam, Moist, Sand, Well Drained

Bees, Birds, Browsers, Nectar Insects, Small Mammals

Dwarf Screwbean

Prosopis reptans var. cinerascens

Subshrub, Vine

.5 –

1.5 ft

.5 –

1.5 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Evergreen

Forage, Nectar, Nesting Material, Seeds

Orange, Yellow

Low

Caliche, Clay, Loam, Saline, Sand, Well Drained

Birds, Browsers, Nectar Insects, Small Mammals

Common Self-heal

Prunella vulgaris

Herbaceous

.5 –

2 ft

1 –

2 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Larval Host, Nectar, Pollen

Purple, White

Low, Medium, High

Clay, Dry, Loam, Moist, Sand

Bees, Butterflies, Beetles, Nectar Insects

Chickasaw Plum

Prunus angustifolia

Tree

12 –

15 ft

12 –

15 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Fruit, Nectar, Nesting Material, Pollen

White

Low, Medium

Dry, Sand

Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Small Mammals

Cherry Laurel

Prunus caroliniana

Tree

12 –

15 ft

10 –

15 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Evergreen

Flowers, Fruit, Larval Host, Nectar, Pollen

Yellow

Medium

Clay, Deep, Loam, Moist, Rich, Sand, Well Drained

Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Small Mammals

Mexican Plum

Prunus mexicana

Tree

15 –

35 ft

15 –

20 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Fall Color, Fruit, Larval Host, Nectar, Pollen

Pink, White

Low

Clay, Dry, Loam, Moist, Rocky, Sand, Well Drained

Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Nectar Insects, Small Mammals

Texas Almond

Prunus minutiflora

Shrub

2 –

3 ft

2 –

3 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Flowers, Fruit, Nectar, Pollen

White

Low

Calcareous, Dry, Limestone, Sand, Shallow

Bees, Birds, Hummingbirds, Small Mammals

Creek Plum

Prunus rivularis

Shrub

3 –

8 ft

4 –

5 ft

Sun, Part Shade, Shade

Deciduous

Fall Color, Fruit, Larval Host, Nectar, Nesting Material, Pollen

White

Medium

Dry, Limestone, Moist

Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Small Mammals

Escarpment Black Cherry

Prunus serotina var. eximia

Tree

40 –

50 ft

30 –

40 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Fall Color, Fruit, Larval Host, Nectar, Pollen

White

Low, Medium

Calcareous, Limestone, Moist, Well Drained

Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Moths, Nectar Insects, Small Mammals

Eastern Black Cherry

Prunus serotina var. serotina

Tree

70 –

110 ft

30 –

40 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Fall Color, Flowers, Fruit, Larval Host, Nectar, Pollen

White

Medium

Loam, Moist, Rich, Sand, Well Drained

Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Moths, Small Mammals

Rabbit-tobacco

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium

Herbaceous

1 –

2 ft

0.5 –

1 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Forage, Larval Host, Nectar, Pollen, Seeds

White, Yellow

Very Low

Dry, Loam, Sand, Well Drained

Bees, Birds, Browsers, Butterflies, Nectar Insects

Woolly Paperflower

Psilostrophe tagetina

Herbaceous, Subshrub

1 –

1.5 ft

1 –

1.5 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Nectar, Pollen

Yellow

Very Low, Low

Dry, Limestone, Loam, Rocky, Saline, Sand, Well Drained

Bees, Butterflies, Nectar Insects

Scurfy Pea

Psoralidium tenuiflorum

Herbaceous

1 –

2 ft

1 –

2 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Flowers, Larval Host, Nectar, Pollen

Purple, Violet

Very Low, Low

Calcareous, Caliche, Clay, Dry, Limestone, Loam, Moist, Rocky, Sand, Well Drained

Bees, Caterpillars, Beetles, Moths

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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

About the Native Plant Society of Texas

Membership

News

Events

2024 Fall Symposium

2026 Spring Symposium

CHapter Information

Chapters

Native Plant Information

Native Plant Database

Top Plant Searches

Native Landscape Certification Program (NLCP)

Monarch Conservation

Additional Programs

Publications

Invasive Plants

Speakers Bureau

Landscaping

Reading and Reference

Native Plant Society of Texas

NLCP Plant Lists

Level 1 List

Level 2 List

Level 3 List

Birds List

Name

Growth Form

Height

Spread

Sun

Leaf Retention

Wildlife Interest

Seasonal Interest

Water Use

Soil Type

Wildlife Benefit

About the Native Plant Society of Texas

Membership

News

Events

2024 Fall Symposium

2026 Spring Symposium

CHapter Information

Chapters

Native Plant Information

Native Plant Database

Top Plant Searches

Native Landscape Certification Program (NLCP)

Monarch Conservation

Additional Programs

Publications

Invasive Plants

Speakers Bureau

Landscaping

Reading and Reference

NLCP Plant Lists

Level 1 List

Level 2 List

Level 3 List

Birds List

Name

Growth Form

Height

Spread

Sun

Leaf Retention

Wildlife Interest

Seasonal Interest

Water Use

Soil Type

Wildlife Benefit

About the Region