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

Horsecrippler Cactus

Echinocactus texensis

Cactus & Succulent

.25 –

.5 ft

.75 –

1 ft

Sun

Evergreen

Fruit, Nectar, Pollen, Seeds

Pink, Violet

Low

Dry, Limestone, Sand

Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Moths, Small Mammals

Strawberry Hedgehog Cactus

Echinocereus enneacanthus

Cactus & Succulent

.5 –

.75 ft

5 –

2 ft

Sun

Evergreen

Flowers

Pink, Purple, Red

Low

Dry, Sand, Well Drained

Lace Cactus

Echinocereus reichenbachii

Cactus & Succulent

.25 –

.75 ft

.5 –

3 ft

Sun

Evergreen

Fruit, Pollen, Seeds

Pink

Very Low, Low

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

Bees, Small Mammals

Claret Cup Cactus

Echinocereus triglochidiatus

Cactus & Succulent

.5 –

1 ft

1 –

3 ft

Sun

Evergreen

Fruit, Nectar, Pollen

Orange, Red

Low

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

Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds, Small Mammals

Upright Burhead

Echinodorus berteroi

Herbaceous, Wetland

1 –

3 ft

1 –

3 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Seeds

White, Yellow

Medium, High

Mud, Sand, Wet

Aquatic Wildlife, Birds

Creeping Burhead

Echinodorus cordifolius

Herbaceous, Wetland

1 –

4 ft

1 –

2 ft

Shade

Deciduous

Flowers

White

High

Moist, Mud, Poor Drainage

Aquatic Wildlife

Sandpaper Tree

Ehretia anacua

Tree

20 –

50 ft

15 –

30 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Semi Evergreen

Fruit, Larval Host, Nectar, Nesting Material, Pollen

White

Low

Clay, Dry, Loam, Sand, Well Drained

Bees, Birds, Beetles, Nectar Insects, Small Mammals

Carolina Elephantsfoot

Elephantopus carolinianus

Herbaceous

1 –

3 ft

2 –

4 ft

Part Shade

Semi Evergreen

Forage, Nectar, Pollen

Pink, Purple, White

Low, Medium

Dry, Sand, Well Drained

Bees, Butterflies, Deer

Elephant’s Foot

Elephantopus tomentosus

Herbaceous

.25 –

2 ft

.25 –

2 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Forage, Nectar, Pollen

Pink, Purple

Low, Medium, High

Dry, Sand, Well Drained

Bees, Browsers, Butterflies

Prairie Wildrye

Elymus canadensis

Grass & Sedge

2 –

4 ft

1 –

2 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Forage, Larval Host, Nesting Material, Seeds

Brown, Green, Yellow

Medium

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

Birds, Browsers, Butterflies, Small Mammals

Texas Wildrye

Elymus interruptus

Grass & Sedge

3 –

4 ft

1 –

1.5 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Forage, Larval Host, Seeds

Brown, Green

Low, Medium

Rocky, Sand, Well Drained

Birds, Browsers, Butterflies, Caterpillars, Small Mammals

Virginia Wildrye

Elymus virginicus

Grass & Sedge

3 –

4 ft

1 –

2 ft

Part Shade

Deciduous

Forage, Larval Host, Nesting Material, Pollen, Seeds

Yellow

Medium

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

Birds, Butterflies, Moths, Small Mammals

Engelmann’s Daisy

Engelmannia peristenia

Herbaceous

1.5 –

3.5 ft

1 –

2 ft

Sun

Semi Evergreen

Nectar, Pollen, Seeds

Yellow

Medium

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

Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Small Mammals

Mormon Tea

Ephedra antisyphilitica

Shrub

3 –

4 ft

3 –

6 ft

Part Shade

Evergreen

Forage

Red, Brown

Low

Sand, Gravelly, Rocky, Limestone, Well Drained, Dry

Browsers, Deer

Horsetail

Equisetum hyemale spp. affine

Ferns & Allies, Wetland

2 –

3 ft

2 –

3 ft

Sun, Part Shade, Shade

Evergreen

Forage

No Bloom

Medium

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

Aquatic Wildlife, Birds, Beetles

Big Top Lovegrass

Eragrostis hirsuta

Grass & Sedge

1.5 –

3 ft

1 –

3 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Nesting Material

Brown, Green, Purple

Medium

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

Bees

Plains Lovegrass

Eragrostis intermedia

Grass & Sedge

1 –

3 ft

1 –

2 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Flowers, Nesting Material

Pink, Purple

Low

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

Bees

Red Lovegrass

Eragrostis secundiflora

Grass & Sedge

1 –

1.5 ft

1 –

1.5 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Larval Host, Nesting Material

Brown, Green, Purple

Low

Loam, Sand, Well Drained

Birds, Moths

Purple Lovegrass

Eragrostis spectabilis

Grass & Sedge

.5 –

1.5 ft

.5 –

1 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Fall Color, Larval Host

Purple, Red

Low

Clay, Dry, Gravelly, Sand, Well Drained

Butterflies

Sand Lovegrass

Eragrostis trichodes

Grass & Sedge

1 –

5 ft

2 –

3 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Fall Color, Forage, Larval Host, Nesting Material

Yellow

Medium

Deep, Sand

Bees, Birds, Browsers, Small Mammals

Larchleaf Goldenweed

Ericameria laricifolia

Shrub

3 –

6 ft

3 –

4 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Evergreen

Forage, Larval Host, Nectar, Seeds

Yellow

Low

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

Birds, Moths, Nectar Insects, Small Mammals

Prairie Fleabane

Erigeron modestus

Herbaceous

0.5 –

1 ft

0.5 –

1 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Nectar, Pollen

White, Yellow

Low

Calcareous, Dry, Limestone, Rocky

Bees, Butterflies

Philadelphia Fleabane

Erigeron philadelphicus

Herbaceous

1 –

3 ft

1 –

2 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Larval Host, Pollen

Purple, White, Yellow

Medium

Clay, Loam, Moist, Rocky

Bees, Butterflies

Texas cupgrass

Eriochloa sericea

Grass & Sedge

1 –

5 ft

0.5 –

1.5 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Forage, Larval Host, Seeds

Brown, Green

Very Low

Clay, Limestone, Loam, Rocky, Sand

Birds, Butterflies, Caterpillars, Small Mammals

Longleaf Buckwheat

Eriogonum longifolium var. longifolium

Herbaceous

1 –

6 ft

1 –

2 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Flowers, Forage, Pollen

White, Yellow

Very Low, Low

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

Bees, Browsers, Deer

Wright’s Buckwheat

Eriogonum wrightii

Herbaceous

1 –

3 ft

2 –

3 ft

Part Shade

Evergreen

Forage, Nectar

Pink, White, Yellow

Low

Caliche, Dry, Limestone, Rocky, Well Drained

Bees, Browsers, Deer

Hooker’s Eryngo

Eryngium hookeri

Herbaceous

1 –

2 ft

1 –

2 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Pollen

Purple

Low, Medium

Limestone, Moist, Rocky, Saline, Sand

Bees, Butterflies

Leavenworth Eryngo

Eryngium leavenworthii

Herbaceous

1 –

3 ft

1 –

2 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Nectar, Pollen, Seeds

Purple

Low

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

Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Nectar Insects

Rattlesnake Master

Eryngium yuccifolium

Herbaceous

3 –

6 ft

0.5 –

1 ft

Sun

Semi Evergreen

Nectar, Pollen

White

Low, Medium

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

Bees, Butterflies, Beetles

Western Wallflower

Erysimum asperum

Herbaceous

0.25 –

1.5 ft

0.25 –

0.50 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Evergreen

Seeds, Nectar, Pollen, Larval Host

Yellow

Low

Loam, Rich, Well Drained

Butterflies, Birds, Bees

Coralbean

Erythrina herbacea

Shrub

6 –

12 ft

6 –

8 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Nectar

Red

Medium

Clay, Dry, Loam, Sand, Well Drained

Hummingbirds

Limoncillo

Esenbeckia berlandieri

Tree

15 –

35 ft

5 –

35 ft

Sun, Part Shade, Shade

Evergreen

Nectar, Nesting Material

White

Low, Medium

Loam, Moist, Sand, Well Drained

Birds, Nectar Insects

Strawberry Bush

Euonymus americanus

Shrub

5 –

6 ft

3 –

4 ft

Part Shade, Shade

Deciduous

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

Green, Purple

Medium, High

Clay, Loam, Moist, Poor Drainage, Sand

Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Caterpillars, Deer, Hummingbirds, Nectar Insects, Small Mammals

Wahoo

Euonymus atropurpureus

Shrub

15 –

25 ft

10 –

15 ft

Sun, Part Shade, Shade

Deciduous

Fall Color, Fruit

Purple

Medium, High

Moist, Rich

Birds

Hyssopleaf Boneset

Eupatorium hyssopifolium

Herbaceous

1 –

3 ft

1 –

3 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Larval Host, Nectar, Pollen, Seeds

White

Low, Medium

Dry, Gravelly, Saline, Sand, Well Drained

Bees, Birds, Butterflies

Waxy Thoroughwort

Eupatorium linearifolium

Herbaceous

2 –

3 ft

.5 –

1 ft

Deciduous

White

Low

Dry, Sand

Roundleaf Thoroughwort

Eupatorium rotundifolium

Herbaceous

2 –

3 ft

1 –

2 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Nectar, Pollen, Seeds

White

Medium, High

Dry, Moist, Sand

Bees, Birds, Butterflies

Late Boneset

Eupatorium serotinum

Herbaceous

1 –

3 ft

3 –

4 ft

Part Shade

Deciduous

Nectar, Pollen, Seeds

White

Medium

Clay, Loam, Moist, Sand

Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Nectar Insects

Candelilla

Euphorbia antisyphilitica

Subshrub

1 –

3 ft

1 –

3 ft

Sun

Semi Evergreen

Nectar

Pink, White

Low

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

Nectar Insects

Painted Leaf Poinsettia

Euphorbia cyathophora

Herbaceous

1 –

3 ft

1 –

3 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Larval Host, Nectar

Green, Yellow

Medium

Clay, Loam, Moist, Sand

Bees, Butterflies

Toothedleaf Poinsettia

Euphorbia dentata

Herbaceous

1 –

2 ft

1 –

2 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Nectar, Pollen

Green, White

Low

Clay, Gravelly, Loam, Sand, Well Drained

Bees, Butterflies, Moths

Small Bluebell

Eustoma exaltatum

Herbaceous

1 –

2 ft

.75 –

1 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Nectar, Pollen, Seeds

Blue, Purple

High

Loam, Moist, Saline, Sand, Well Drained

Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds

Texas Bluebell

Eustoma exaltatum ssp. russellianum

Herbaceous

1 –

3 ft

.75 –

1 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Nectar, Pollen, Seeds

Blue

Medium, High

Loam, Moist, Sand

Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds

Slender Goldentop

Euthamia caroliniana

Herbaceous

1 –

3 ft

1 –

3 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Nectar, Pollen

Yellow

Medium, High

Clay, Dry, Loam, Moist, Sand

Bees, Butterflies

Joe Pye Weed

Eutrochium fistulosum

Herbaceous

5 –

7 ft

2 –

4 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Nectar, Pollen, Seeds

Pink, Purple

Medium, High

Clay, Dry, Loam, Moist, Rocky, Sand, Shallow

Bees, Birds, Butterflies

Kidneywood

Eysenhardtia texana

Shrub

8 –

15 ft

6 –

8 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Forage, Larval Host, Nectar, Pollen

White

Very Low, Low

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

Bees, Butterflies, Deer

Apache Plume

Fallugia paradoxa

Shrub

5 –

10 ft

3 –

4 ft

Part Shade

Semi Evergreen

Forage, Nectar, Nesting Material, Pollen, Seeds

White

Low

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

Bees, Birds, Browsers, Nectar Insects

Cliff Fendlerbush

Fendlera rupicola

Shrub

6 –

10 ft

3 –

5 ft

Sun

Semi Evergreen

Forage

Pink, White

Low

Dry, Limestone, Rocky, Well Drained

Browsers

Pink Thoroughwort

Fleischmannia incarnata

Herbaceous

1 –

6 ft

3 –

4 ft

Part Shade

Deciduous

Nectar, Pollen, Seeds

Pink, Purple, White

Medium

Clay, Moist, Sand

Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Moths, Nectar Insects

Narrow Leaf Elbow Bush

Forestiera angustifolia

Tree

4 –

6 ft

4 –

6 ft

Sun

Semi Evergreen

Forage, Fruit, Nectar

Green, Yellow

Low

Clay, Dry, Limestone, Rocky, Well Drained

Bees, Birds, Browsers, Nectar Insects, Small Mammals

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

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