Appendices & Glossary - Botanical Research Institute of Texas

APPENDIX FIFTEEN
A SUGGESTED LIST OF ORNAMENTAL NATIVE PLANTS:
TREES, SHRUBS, VINES, GRASSES, WILDFLOWERS, AND
GROUND COVERS FOR EAST TEXAS
DAVID CREECH AND DAWN STOVER
SFA PINEYWOODS NATIVE PLANT CENTER
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN STATE UNIVERSITY
NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS 75962, U.S.A.
dcreech@sfasu.edu
There are three reasons that native plants of East Texas are used in the landscapes of the region.
1. Many native plants are popular simply because they offer significant ornamental value: eyecatching
and colorful flowers, unique foliage, edible or interesting fruit, distinctive seeds, bark, plant
form or some other character that is found attractive and appealing by the public.
2. Many native plants are selected to maintain cohesion with the “natural” landscape of the area.
Native plants have proven adaptation to the climate and soils of East Texas and are recognized as easy
to establish and durable. Many native plants are used for their ecological appeal with a recognized history
as wildlife food (see appendix 19), use by migratory birds, or as an attractant to butterflies (see
appendix 20).
3. Many native plants are selected by nurseries and landscapers because they embrace a philosophy
favoring greater native plant use or they intend to satisfy the wishes of the consumer. The client with a
strong penchant for natives often directs the ultimate mix of plant materials planted in a site.
There are other reasons often offered by garden writers and horticulturists to encourage greater use of
native plants, some of which deserve elaboration.
1. Natives are more disease and insect resistant. This is not always true. Some native plants used in
landscapes are quite easily attacked, disfigured, and even killed outright by indigenous pests. Dogwood,
Cornus florida, is often recommended or requested in the East Texas region, yet it is often difficult
to establish and susceptible to stress and disease-related short life problems. A midge often disfigures
yaupon, Ilex vomitoria foliage. Tent caterpillars often wreak havoc on oaks, Quercus spp., and
pecan, Carya illinoinenisis. There are many other examples. It’s more prudent to educate by saying,
“Many natives are insect and disease tolerant.”
2. Natives are more drought resistant. This depends on the species and site selection. A native plant
that normally finds its home in a swamp or stream-side spot may perform admirably in a drier site,
but that’s not always the case. It’s probably better to say, “Many natives are drought resistant.”
3. Natives are less invasive. This is not always true. There are many natives that seed out heavily and
create landscape maintenance issues. In East Texas, seedlings of oaks, elm, sweetgum, redbuds and
others often emerge and proliferate, making for a ubiquitous maintenance problem in the landscape.
Some natives sucker and spread thicket-like into garden areas where they are not desired. It’s probably
better to say, “Many natives are not invasive in the landscape.”
This list of suggested natives includes native plants commonly used in the landscapes of the region
and also includes plants that are rarely available, offer landscape appeal, and should be considered for
greater usage. The list also includes native plants from nearby regions of Texas that may not be present
in the natural vegetation of the East Texas region. This list does not describe the many cultivars available,
many of which may have been selected from regions of the South far distant from the East Texas
region. This list is offered only as a starting point, and readers needing more detailed information are
encouraged to consult horticultural websites in the area.