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

Halberd Leaf Hibiscus

Hibiscus laevis

Herbaceous, Wetland

5 –

6 ft

6 –

8 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Larval Host, Nectar, Nesting Material, Pollen

Pink, White

Medium, High

Clay, Loam, Moist, Mud, Poor Drainage, Sand, Wet

Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds, Moths

Heartleaf Hibiscus

Hibiscus martianus

Herbaceous

1 –

3 ft

1 –

3 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Nectar, Pollen

Red

Low, Medium

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

Butterflies, Hummingbirds

Woolly Rose Mallow

Hibiscus moscheutos ssp. lasiocarpos

Herbaceous, Wetland

3 –

8 ft

2 –

3 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Flowers, Nectar, Seeds

Pink, Red, White

Medium

Clay, Loam, Moist

Birds, Butterflies

Curly Mesquite

Hilaria belangeri

Grass & Sedge

.5 –

1 ft

1 –

3 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Forage, Nesting Material, Seeds

Green

Low

Caliche, Clay, Dry, Rocky, Sand

Birds, Browsers

James’ Galleta

Hilaria jamesii

Grass & Sedge

1.5 –

2 ft

.5 –

1 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Forage

Brown, Green

Low

Clay, Dry, Loam, Rocky, Well Drained

Deer, Small Mammals

Water Pennywort

Hydrocotyle umbellata

Herbaceous

.3 –

.75 ft

3 –

20 ft

Sun, Part Shade, Shade

Semi Evergreen

Seeds

White

Medium, High

Clay, Loam, Mud, Poor Drainage, Sand, Wet

Aquatic Wildlife

Whorled Marshpennywort

Hydrocotyle verticillata

Herbaceous, Wetland

.75 –

1 ft

1 –

5 ft

Part Shade, Shade

Flowers

Green, White

High

Loam, Moist, Mud, Poor Drainage

Blue Waterleaf

Hydrolea ovata

Herbaceous, Wetland

2 –

3 ft

.5 –

1 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Nectar, Pollen

Blue

High

Clay, Loam, Moist, Sand

Aquatic Wildlife, Bees, Birds, Butterflies

Louisiana Spiderlily

Hymenocallis liriosme

Herbaceous, Wetland

1 –

2 ft

0.5 –

1 ft

Part Shade

Deciduous

Nectar, Pollen, Seeds

White

Medium, High

Clay, Loam, Moist, Sand

Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Nectar Insects

St. Andrew’s-cross

Hypericum hypericoides

Subshrub

1 –

4 ft

1 –

3 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Nectar, Pollen, Seeds

Yellow

Low, Medium

Loam, Moist, Sand, Well Drained

Bees, Birds, Butterflies

Shrubby St. John’s Wort

Hypericum proliﬁcum

Shrub

1 –

4 ft

1 –

5 ft

Part Shade, Shade

Semi Evergreen

Fall Color, Fruit

Yellow

Low, Medium

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

Birds, Small Mammals

False Spotted St. Johnswort

Hypericum pseudomaculatum

Herbaceous

1 –

3 ft

1 –

3 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Yellow

Low, Medium

Dry, Moist, Rocky, Sand, Well Drained

Roundseed St. John’s-wort

Hypericum sphaerocarpum

Herbaceous

1 –

2 ft

1 –

2 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Larval Host, Pollen

Yellow

Low, Medium

Calcareous, Clay, Dry, Gravelly, Rocky, Sand

Bees, Butterflies, Beetles

Yellow Star-grass

Hypoxis hirsuta

Herbaceous

.5 –

.75 ft

.5 –

.75 ft

Sun, Part Shade, Shade

Deciduous

Nectar, Pollen

Yellow

Medium

Loam, Moist, Rich, Well Drained

Bees, Butterflies

Clustered Bushmint

Hyptis alata

Herbaceous

2 –

5 ft

0.5 –

1 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Nectar, Pollen, Seeds

White

Medium

Moist, Sand

Bees, Birds, Butterflies

Balsam Gourd

Ibervillea lindheimeri

Vine

6 –

20 ft

1 –

2 ft

Sun, Part Shade, Shade

Deciduous

Fruit, Nectar

Yellow

Low

Clay, Loam, Moist, Saline, Sand

Birds, Nectar Insects

Possumhaw Holly

Ilex decidua

Shrub

12 –

20 ft

6 –

12 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Berry, Larval Host, Nectar, Pollen

White

Low, Medium

Caliche, Clay, Loam, Moist, Poor Drainage, Sand

Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Moths, Small Mammals

American Holly

Ilex opaca

Tree

15 –

25 ft

15 –

20 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Evergreen

Berry, Larval Host, Nesting Material, Pollen

Green, White

Low, Medium

Dry, Loam, Moist, Sand, Well Drained

Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Small Mammals

Yaupon Holly

Ilex vomitoria

Shrub, Tree

12 –

25 ft

8 –

12 ft

Sun, Part Shade, Shade

Evergreen

Berry, Larval Host, Nectar

White

Low, Medium

Clay, Gravelly, Limestone, Loam, Moist, Poor Drainage, Sand, Well Drained

Birds, Butterflies, Nectar Insects, Small Mammals

Lindheimer’s Indigo

Indigofera lindheimeriana

Shrub

2 –

5 ft

3 –

4 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Nectar

Pink

Medium

Clay, Gravelly, Limestone, Loam, Moist, Sand, Well Drained

Butterflies

Scarlet Pea

Indigofera miniata

Groundcover, Herbaceous

.25 –

.5 ft

1 –

2 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Forage, Larval Host, Nectar

Orange, Pink

Low, Medium

Caliche, Clay, Rocky, Sand, Well Drained

Butterflies, Deer

Purple Bindweed

Ipomoea cordatotriloba

Vine

5 –

6 ft

0.5 –

1 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Larval Host

Pink

Low

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

Butterflies

Beach Morning Glory

Ipomoea imperati

Vine

1 –

2 ft

4 –

30 ft

Sun

Evergreen

Flowers, Nectar

White, Yellow

Low

Moist, Saline, Sand, Well Drained

Bees, Birds, Hummingbirds, Moths, Nectar Insects

Bush Morning Glory

Ipomoea leptophylla

Herbaceous

1 –

3 ft

1 –

3 ft

Part Shade

Deciduous

Nectar, Pollen

Pink, Purple

Low

Dry, Gravelly, Sand

Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds

Lindheimer’s Morning Glory

Ipomoea lindheimeri

Vine

3 –

15 ft

.5 –

1 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Nectar, Pollen, Seeds

Blue, White

Low

Dry, Rocky

Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds

Railroad Vine

Ipomoea pes-caprae

Vine

1 –

2 ft

4 –

15 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Evergreen

Flowers, Nectar

Purple, Red

Low

Loam, Saline, Sand

Bees, Hummingbirds, Moths, Nectar Insects

Scarlet Standing Cypress

Ipomopsis aggregata

Herbaceous

3 –

6 ft

.25 –

.5 ft

Part Shade

Semi Evergreen

Nectar

Red

Low

Dry, Loam, Sand, Well Drained

Hummingbirds

Standing Cypress

Ipomopsis rubra

Herbaceous

2 –

4 ft

0.5 –

1 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Semi Evergreen

Nectar

Orange, Red, Yellow

Low, Medium

Dry, Limestone, Rocky, Sand, Well Drained

Hummingbirds, Nectar Insects

Wood Amaranth

Iresine rhizomatosa

Herbaceous

2 –

3 ft

2 –

3 ft

Part Shade, Shade

Deciduous

Nectar

White

Medium, High

Moist, Sand

Butterflies

Zigzag Iris

Iris brevicaulis

Herbaceous

1 –

2 ft

0.5 –

1 ft

Sun, Part Shade, Shade

Semi Evergreen

Fruit, Nectar

Blue, Purple, White, Yellow

Medium, High

Clay, Loam, Moist

Birds, Hummingbirds

Southern Blue Flag Iris

Iris virginica

Herbaceous, Wetland

2 –

3 ft

1 –

2 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Nectar, Pollen

Blue, Purple, Violet, White, Yellow

High

Moist, Rich

Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds

Virginia Sweetspire

Itea virginica

Shrub

3 –

10 ft

3 –

6 ft

Part Shade, Shade

Semi Evergreen

Fall Color, Nectar, Pollen, Seeds

White

High

Clay, Loam, Moist, Poor Drainage, Sand

Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Nectar Insects

Little Walnut

Juglans microcarpa

Tree

10 –

30 ft

20 –

30 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

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

Green, White

Low, Medium

Clay, Dry, Limestone, Loam, Rocky, Sand

Birds, Butterflies, Small Mammals

Ashe Juniper

Juniperus ashei

Tree

5 –

50 ft

5 –

30 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Evergreen

Fruit, Larval Host, Nectar, Nesting Material

Brown, White

Very Low, Low

Caliche, Limestone, Sand, Shallow, Well Drained

Birds, Butterflies, Deer, Small Mammals

Alligator Juniper

Juniperus deppeana

Tree

15 –

20 ft

15 –

20 ft

Sun

Evergreen

Forage, Nesting Material, Seeds

Brown, White

Low

Dry, Limestone, Rocky, Sand, Well Drained

Birds, Browsers, Small Mammals

Oneseed Juniper

Juniperus monosperma

Shrub

6 –

20 ft

6 –

20 ft

Part Shade

Evergreen

Berry, Forage, Nesting Material

Orange

Low

Dry, Gravelly, Sand

Birds, Browsers, Small Mammals

Rocky Mountain Juniper

Juniperus scopulorum

Tree

30 –

40 ft

15 –

30 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Evergreen

Berry, Larval Host, Seeds

Yellow

Low

Brackish, Caliche, Clay, Dry, Loam, Rocky, Sand

Birds, Butterflies, Small Mammals

Eastern Red Cedar

Juniperus virginiana

Tree

30 –

50 ft

15 –

25 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Evergreen

Berry, Larval Host, Nesting Material

Brown, Green, Purple

Low

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

Birds, Butterflies, Small Mammals

Water Willow

Justicia americana

Herbaceous, Wetland

1 –

3 ft

1 –

3 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Larval Host, Nectar

Blue, Pink, Purple, White

Medium

Moist, Mud, Poor Drainage

Aquatic Wildlife, Butterflies

Looseflower water-willow

Justicia ovata var. lanceolata

Herbaceous, Wetland

1 –

1.5 ft

1 –

1.5 ft

Sun

Deciduous

White

Medium, High

Moist

Hairy Tube-tongue

Justicia pilosella

Herbaceous

0.5 –

1 ft

.5 –

1 ft

Part Shade

Deciduous

Larval Host, Nectar, Pollen

Pink, Purple, White

Low

Dry, Gravelly, Moist, Rocky

Butterflies, Nectar Insects

Runyon’s Water Willow

Justicia runyonii

Herbaceous

1 –

2 ft

1 –

1 ft

Part Shade, Shade

Evergreen

Larval Host, Nectar

Purple

Low, Medium

Calcareous, Clay, Loam, Moist, Sand, Silt

Butterflies

Warty Caltrop

Kallstroemia parviflora

Groundcover, Herbaceous

.10 –

.25 ft

1 –

5 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Nectar, Pollen, Seeds

Orange, Yellow

Low

Clay, Limestone, Loam, Sand

Bees, Birds, Beetles

Coyotillo

Karwinskia humboldtiana

Tree

1 –

7 ft

1 –

3 ft

Part Shade

Evergreen

Fruit, Larval Host, Nectar

Green

Low

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

Birds, Butterflies

Saltmarsh Mallow

Kosteletzkya pentacarpos

Subshrub, Wetland

3 –

5 ft

3 –

4 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Nectar, Pollen

Pink, White

Medium

Clay, Loam, Moist, Poor Drainage, Sand

Butterflies, Hummingbirds

Trailing Ratany

Krameria lanceolata

Groundcover, Herbaceous

1 –

3 ft

1 –

3 ft

Part Shade

Deciduous

Nectar

Purple, Red

Low

Calcareous, Rocky, Sand, Well Drained

Bees

Velvet Lantana

Lantana achyranthifolia

Shrub

2 –

6 ft

2 –

3 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Deciduous

Forage, Fruit, Nectar

Pink, White

Very Low, Low

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

Birds, Butterflies, Deer

Texas Lantana

Lantana horrida

Shrub

3 –

5 ft

4 –

5 ft

Sun

Deciduous

Fruit, Nectar

Orange, Yellow

Very Low, Low

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

Birds, Butterflies, Nectar Insects

Velvet Lantana

Lantana velutina

Shrub

3 –

6 ft

3 –

6 ft

Deciduous

Pink, Violet, White

Creosote Bush

Larrea tridentata

Shrub

3 –

6 ft

3 –

4 ft

Sun, Part Shade

Evergreen

Forage, Fruit, Pollen

Yellow

Low

Caliche, Dry, Loam, Sand, Well Drained

Bees, Browsers, Grasshoppers, 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