NLCP Plant Lists

Name

Growth Form

Height

Spread

Sun

Leaf Retention

Wildlife Interest

Seasonal Interest

Water Use

Soil Type

Wildlife Benefit

Purple Prairie Clover

Dalea purpurea

Herbaceous

1 –

2 ft

1 –

2 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Forage, Nectar, Pollen, Larval Host

Purple

Low

Sand, Loam, Clay, Dry

Browsers, Butterflies, Nectar Insects, Bees

Green Sotol

Dasylirion leiophyllum

Cactus & Succulent

3 –

6 ft

2 –

6 ft

Sun

Evergreen

Fruit, Seeds, Flowers

Yellow

Low

Sand, Gravelly, Limestone, Caliche, Dry

Birds, Small Mammals

Texas Sotol

Dasylirion texanum

Cactus & Succulent

2 –

3 ft

3 –

4 ft

Sun

Evergreen

Seeds, Nectar, Pollen

Yellow

Low

Sand, Limestone, Caliche, Well Drained, Dry

Birds, Hummingbirds, Bees

Common Sotol

Dasylirion wheeleri

Cactus & Succulent

4 –

6 ft

3 –

5 ft

Sun

Evergreen

Seeds, Nectar, Pollen

Yellow

Low

Sand, Limestone, Caliche, Well Drained, Dry

Butterflies, Birds, Hummingbirds, Bees

Angel Trumpet

Datura wrightii

Herbaceous

3 –

6 ft

3 –

3 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Nectar, Larval Host

White

Medium

Sand, Loam, Clay, Well Drained, Dry

Nectar Insects, Moths

Prairie Larkspur

Delphinium carolinianum

Herbaceous

1 –

3 ft

0.25 –

0.5 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Nectar, Pollen

White, Blue, Purple

Low

Calcareous, Dry

Butterflies, Nectar Insects, Moths

Texas Mountain Laurel

Dermatophyllum secundiflorum

Shrub

12 –

20 ft

8 –

12 ft

Sun

Evergreen

Nectar, Larval Host

Purple

Very Low, Low

Rocky, Limestone, Caliche, Calcareous, Well Drained, Moist, Dry

Butterflies, Nectar Insects, Hummingbirds, Moths

Illinois Bundleflower

Desmanthus illinoensis

Shrub

1 –

3 ft

1 –

3 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Seeds, Forage, Nectar, Pollen

White

Medium

Sand, Loam, Clay, Moist

Browsers, Butterflies, Birds, Small Mammals

Silver Ponyfoot

Dichondra argentea

Groundcover, Herbaceous

0.25 –

0.5 ft

2 –

2.5 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Semi Evergreen

Nesting Material

White

Low

Well Drained, Dry

Birds

Carolina Ponyfoot

Dichondra carolinensis

Herbaceous

.10 –

.25 ft

.5 –

1 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Nectar, Pollen, Larval Host

White, Green

Low, Medium

Sand, Loam, Limestone, Dry

Butterflies, Nectar Insects, Bees

Sixangle Foldwing

Dicliptera sexangularis

Herbaceous

2 –

4 ft

1 –

3 ft

Part Shade, Shade

Deciduous

Nectar

Red

Low, Medium

Sand, Limestone, Well Drained, Moist

Hummingbirds

Arizona Cottontop

Digitaria californica

Grass & Sedge

2 –

4 ft

1 –

2 ft

Part Shade

Deciduous

Seeds, Forage

White

Low

Sand, Loam, Clay, Well Drained, Dry

Browsers, Birds, Small Mammals

Texas Persimmon

Diospyros texana

Tree

8 –

20 ft

4 –

5 ft

Sun

Semi Evergreen

Fruit, Nectar, Larval Host

White

Very Low, Low

Rocky, Limestone, Shallow, Dry

Butterflies, Birds, Small Mammals, Nectar Insects

Common Persimmon

Diospyros virginiana

Tree

15 –

80 ft

20 –

35 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Fruit, Fall Color, Forage, Larval Host

Yellow, Green

Medium

Sand, Loam, Clay, Calcareous, Rich, Moist

Birds, Small Mammals, Moths, Bees

Saltgrass

Distichlis spicata

Grass & Sedge

2 –

3 ft

1 –

2 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Seeds, Larval Host

Yellow

Medium, High

Moist, Saline

Butterflies, Birds

Snakeherb

Dyschoriste linearis

Groundcover, Herbaceous

1 –

2 ft

1 –

2 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Nectar, Pollen

Purple

Low

Sand, Rocky, Limestone, Caliche, Well Drained, Dry

Butterflies

Texas Ebony

Ebenopsis ebano

Tree

20 –

25 ft

15 –

20 ft

Part Shade

Semi Evergreen

Seeds, Nectar, Larval Host, Nesting Material

White

Very Low, Low

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

Butterflies, Birds, Small Mammals

Chandler’s Craglily

Echeandia chandleri

Herbaceous

1 –

2 ft

1 –

2 ft

Part Shade

Semi Evergreen

Nectar, Pollen

Orange, Yellow

Low

Sand, Loam, Clay, Dry

Butterflies, Nectar Insects, Hummingbirds

Texas Craglily

Echeandia texensis

Herbaceous

1 –

3 ft

0 –

1 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Fall Color, Nectar, Flowers

Orange, Yellow

Low, Medium

Sand, Loam, Clay, Rocky, Dry

Nectar Insects

Black Samson

Echinacea angustifolia

Herbaceous

1.5 –

2 ft

.76 –

1.5 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Nectar, Pollen

Pink, Purple

Low

Sand, Loam, Clay, Well Drained, Dry

Butterflies, Bees

Pale Purple Coneflower

Echinacea pallida

Herbaceous

2 –

4 ft

1 –

2 ft

Sun

Semi Evergreen

Seeds, Nectar, Pollen

Pink, Purple

Medium

Sand, Clay, Well Drained, Moist, Dry

Butterflies, Birds, Small Mammals, Moths, Bees

Purple Coneflower

Echinacea purpurea

Herbaceous

1.5 –

2 ft

0.5 –

1 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Seeds, Nectar, Pollen

Pink, Purple

Low, Medium

Sand, Loam, Clay, Limestone, Well Drained, Dry

Butterflies, Birds, Hummingbirds, Bees

Sanguine Purple Coneflower

Echinacea sanguinea

Herbaceous

1 –

2 ft

1 –

1.5 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Nectar, Pollen

Pink, Purple, Brown

Low

Sand, Loam, Clay, Well Drained, Moist

Butterflies, Nectar Insects, Bees

Horsecrippler Cactus

Echinocactus texensis

Cactus & Succulent

.33 ft

.75 ft

Sun

Evergreen

Fruit, Seeds, Nectar, Pollen

Pink, Violet

Low

Dry

Butterflies, Birds, Small Mammals, Moths, Bees

Lace Cactus

Echinocereus reichenbachii

Cactus & Succulent

.25 –

.75 ft

.5 –

3 ft

Sun

Evergreen

Fruit, Seeds, Pollen

Pink

Very Low, Low

Sand, Clay, Gravelly, Rocky, Granitic, Caliche, Well Drained, Dry

Small Mammals, Bees

Claret Cup Cactus

Echinocereus triglochidiatus

Cactus & Succulent

.5 –

1 ft

1 –

3 ft

Sun

Evergreen

Fruit, Nectar, Pollen

Red, Orange

Low

Sand, Gravelly, Rocky, Granitic, Calcareous, Well Drained, Dry

Butterflies, Birds, Small Mammals, Hummingbirds, Bees

Upright Burhead

Echinodorus berteroi

Wetland

1 –

3 ft

1 –

3 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Seeds

White, Yellow

Medium, High

Sand, Moist, Mud

Birds, Aquatic Wildlife

Creeping Burhead

Echinodorus cordifolius

Wetland

1 –

4 ft

1 –

2 ft

Shade

Deciduous

Flowers

White

High

Poor Drainage, Moist, Mud

Aquatic Wildlife

Sandpaper Tree

Ehretia anacua

Tree

20 –

50 ft

15 –

30 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Semi Evergreen

Fruit, Nectar, Pollen, Larval Host, Nesting Material

White

Low

Sand, Loam, Clay, Well Drained, Dry

Beetles, Birds, Small Mammals, Nectar Insects, Bees

Carolina Elephantsfoot

Elephantopus carolinianus

Herbaceous

1 –

3 ft

2 –

4 ft

Part Shade

Semi Evergreen

Forage, Nectar, Pollen

White, Pink, Purple

Low, Medium

Sand, Well Drained, Dry

Butterflies, Deer, Bees

Elephant’s Foot

Elephantopus tomentosus

Herbaceous

.25 –

2 ft

.25 –

2 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Forage, Nectar, Pollen

Pink, Purple

Low, Medium, High

Sand, Well Drained, Dry

Browsers, Butterflies, Bees

Prairie Wildrye

Elymus canadensis

Grass & Sedge

2 –

4 ft

1 –

2 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Seeds, Forage, Larval Host, Nesting Material

Yellow, Green, Brown

Medium

Sand, Loam, Limestone, Calcareous, Well Drained, Moist, Dry

Browsers, Butterflies, Birds, Small Mammals

Texas Wildrye

Elymus interruptus

Grass & Sedge

3 –

4 ft

1 –

1.5 ft

Deciduous

Rocky, Moist, Dry

Virginia Wildrye

Elymus virginicus

Grass & Sedge

3 –

4 ft

1 –

2 ft

Part Shade

Deciduous

Seeds, Forage, Pollen, Larval Host, Nesting Material

Yellow

Medium

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

Butterflies, Birds, Small Mammals, Moths

Engelmann’s Daisy

Engelmannia peristenia

Herbaceous

1.5 –

3.5 ft

1 –

2 ft

Sun

Semi Evergreen

Seeds, Nectar, Pollen

Yellow

Medium

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

Butterflies, Birds, Small Mammals, Bees

Horsetail

Equisetum hyemale spp. affine

Wetland

2 –

3 ft

2 –

3 ft

Sun, Part Shade, Shade

Evergreen

Forage

No Bloom

Medium

Sand, Loam, Clay, Limestone, Poor Drainage, Moist

Beetles, Birds, Aquatic Wildlife

Big Top Lovegrass

Eragrostis hirsuta

Grass & Sedge

1.5 –

3 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Nesting Material

Green, Purple, Brown

Medium

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

Bees

Plains Lovegrass

Eragrostis intermedia

Grass & Sedge

1 –

3 ft

1 –

2 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Nesting Material, Flowers

Pink, Purple

Low

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

Bees

Red Lovegrass

Eragrostis secundiflora

Grass & Sedge

1 –

1.5 ft

1 –

1.5 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Larval Host, Nesting Material

Green, Purple, Brown

Low

Sand, Loam, Well Drained

Birds, Moths

Purple Lovegrass

Eragrostis spectabilis

Grass & Sedge

.5 –

1.5 ft

.5 –

1 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Fall Color, Larval Host

Red, Purple

Low

Sand, Gravelly, Well Drained, Dry

Butterflies

Sand Lovegrass

Eragrostis trichodes

Grass & Sedge

1 –

4 ft

3 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Fall Color, Forage, Larval Host, Nesting Material

Yellow

Medium

Sand, Deep

Browsers, Birds, Small Mammals, Bees

Prairie Fleabane

Erigeron modestus

Herbaceous

0.5 –

1 ft

0.5 –

1 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Nectar, Pollen

White, Yellow

Low

Rocky, Limestone, Calcareous, Dry

Butterflies, Bees

Philadelphia Fleabane

Erigeron philadelphicus

Herbaceous

1 –

3 ft

1 –

2 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Pollen, Larval Host

White, Yellow, Purple

Medium

Loam, Clay, Rocky, Moist

Butterflies, Bees

Longleaf Buckwheat

Eriogonum longifolium var. longifolium

Herbaceous

1 –

6 ft

1 –

2 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Forage, Pollen, Flowers

White, Yellow

Very Low, Low

Sand, Clay, Rocky, Limestone, Calcareous, Well Drained, Dry

Browsers, Deer, Bees

Wright’s Buckwheat

Eriogonum wrightii

Herbaceous

1 –

3 ft

2 –

3 ft

Part Shade

Evergreen

Forage, Nectar

White, Pink, Yellow

Low

Rocky, Limestone, Caliche, Well Drained, Dry

Browsers, Deer, Bees

Hooker’s Eryngo

Eryngium hookeri

Herbaceous

1 –

2 ft

1 –

2 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Pollen

Purple

Low, Medium

Sand, Loam, Clay, Rocky, Dry

Butterflies, Bees

Leavenworth Eryngo

Eryngium leavenworthii

Herbaceous

1 –

3 ft

1 –

2 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Seeds, Nectar, Pollen

Purple

Low

Sand, Loam, Clay, Caliche, Calcareous, Moist, Dry

Butterflies, Birds, Nectar Insects, Bees

Rattlesnake Master

Eryngium yuccifolium

Herbaceous

3 –

6 ft

0.5 –

1 ft

Sun

Semi Evergreen

Nectar, Pollen

White

Low, Medium

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

Beetles, Butterflies, Bees

Coralbean

Erythrina herbacea

Shrub

6 –

12 ft

6 –

8 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Nectar

Red

Medium

Sand, Loam, Clay, Well Drained, Dry

Hummingbirds

Limoncillo

Esenbeckia berlandieri

Tree

15 –

35 ft

5 –

35 ft

Sun, Part Shade, Shade

Evergreen

Nectar, Nesting Material

White

Low, Medium

Sand, Loam, Well Drained, Moist

Birds, Nectar Insects

[elg_csv_export grid_id="my-loop-grid"]

Salado, the location of our Fall 2025 Symposium, lies at the intersection of two ecoregions: the Edwards Plateau (Limestone Cut Plain) and Blackland Prairie (Northern Blackland Prairie).

The Edwards Plateau area is also called the Hill Country; however, this general term covers a much larger area extending farther north. Spring-fed creeks are found throughout the region; deep limestone canyons, rivers, and lakes (reservoirs) are common. Ashe juniper is perhaps the most common woody species found throughout the region. Additional woody species include various species of oak, with live oak (Quercus fusiformis) being the most common. Sycamores (Platanus occidentalis) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) border waterways. This area is well known for its spring wildflower displays, though they may be viewed in spring, late summer, and fall, as well. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, average annual rainfall in the Edwards Plateau ranges from 15 to 34 inches.

The Blackland Prairie extends from the Red River south to San Antonio, bordered on the west by the Edwards Plateau and the Cross Timbers, and on the east by the Post Oak Savannah. Annual rainfall averages 30 to 40 inches, with higher averages to the east. This region is dominated by prairie species. The most common grass species include little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) in the uplands and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the riparian areas and drainages. Common herbaceous flowering plants include salvias, penstemons, and silphiums. This area has suffered greatly from overgrazing and agricultural use. Few intact areas remain, though many of the plants can be found along county roadsides throughout the region.

Our fall Symposium host chapter, the Tonkawa Chapter, includes both of these ecoregions.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason

About the Native Plant Society of Texas

Membership

News

Events

2024 Fall Symposium

CHapter Information

Chapters

Native Plant Information

Native Plant Database

Top Plant Searches

Native Landscape Certification Program (NLCP)

Monarch Conservation

2024 Fall Symposium

Additional Programs

Publications

Invasive Plants

Speakers Bureau

Landscaping

Reading and Reference

Native Plant Society of Texas

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

CHapter Information

Chapters

Native Plant Information

Native Plant Database

Top Plant Searches

Native Landscape Certification Program (NLCP)

Monarch Conservation

2024 Fall Symposium

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