Cenizo (Texas sage)
Silver foliage and surprise blooms a day or two after rain. Hates wet feet, so give it drainage.
- Type
- Shrub
- Size
- 4–6 ft
- Light
- Full sun
- Bloom
- Purple, after summer rains
- Water
Free resource
Native plant guide for Central Texas
26 plants we trust in Killeen-area gardens: what they need, how big they get, and where they work best. Filter by light or by what you want from your garden.
Showing 26 plants. Water: very low · low · moderate, once established.
Autumn sage
A hummingbird magnet. Shear lightly in late winter to keep it full.
- Type
- Perennial shrub
- Size
- 2–3 ft
- Light
- Sun to part shade
- Bloom
- Red, pink or white, spring–fall
- Water
Gregg's mistflower
Queen butterflies swarm it in fall. Spreads politely by roots.
- Type
- Perennial
- Size
- 1–2 ft
- Light
- Sun to part shade
- Bloom
- Lavender, spring–fall
- Water
Blackfoot daisy
Thrives in rocky, poor soil. Overwatering is the only way to kill it.
- Type
- Perennial
- Size
- 8–12 in
- Light
- Full sun
- Bloom
- White, spring–fall
- Water
Lindheimer muhly
A big, blue-green fountain of a grass. Great as a soft screen or a single specimen.
- Type
- Grass
- Size
- 3–5 ft
- Light
- Sun to part shade
- Bloom
- Silver plumes, fall
- Water
Gulf muhly
The pink cloud you see in fall. Plant in groups of three or more for impact.
- Type
- Grass
- Size
- 2–3 ft
- Light
- Full sun
- Bloom
- Pink plumes, October
- Water
Little bluestem
The backbone of a Texas prairie. Turns bronze and holds its shape through winter.
- Type
- Grass
- Size
- 2–3 ft
- Light
- Full sun
- Bloom
- Copper fall color
- Water
Turk's cap
One of the few natives that blooms reliably in shade. Hummingbirds love it.
- Type
- Perennial shrub
- Size
- 3–5 ft
- Light
- Part shade to shade
- Bloom
- Red, summer–fall
- Water
Flame acanthus
Tough, airy and covered in tubular flowers. Cut to a foot tall in late winter.
- Type
- Shrub
- Size
- 3–4 ft
- Light
- Full sun
- Bloom
- Orange-red, summer–fall
- Water
Inland sea oats
Dangling seed heads that rattle in the wind. Can reseed, so place it where that's welcome.
- Type
- Grass
- Size
- 2–3 ft
- Light
- Part shade to shade
- Bloom
- Flat seed heads, summer
- Water
Purple coneflower
Leave the seed heads for goldfinches. Deer may nibble it.
- Type
- Perennial
- Size
- 2–3 ft
- Light
- Sun to part shade
- Bloom
- Pink-purple, late spring
- Water
Mexican hat
Easy from seed and very drought tolerant. Great in meadow plantings.
- Type
- Perennial
- Size
- 1–3 ft
- Light
- Full sun
- Bloom
- Red and yellow, spring–summer
- Water
Black-eyed susan
Cheerful and quick to fill gaps in a new bed. Short-lived but reseeds.
- Type
- Perennial
- Size
- 1–2 ft
- Light
- Full sun
- Bloom
- Yellow, late spring–summer
- Water
Damianita
Fragrant, evergreen and tidy. Perfect along a hot driveway edge.
- Type
- Small shrub
- Size
- 1 ft
- Light
- Full sun
- Bloom
- Golden yellow, spring & fall
- Water
Texas lantana
The native lantana. Butterflies all season. Berries are toxic, so skip it near curious toddlers.
- Type
- Shrub
- Size
- 2–4 ft
- Light
- Full sun
- Bloom
- Orange and yellow, summer–fall
- Water
Zexmenia
Blooms through the worst of the heat. Cut back hard in late winter.
- Type
- Perennial
- Size
- 1–2 ft
- Light
- Sun to part shade
- Bloom
- Orange-yellow, summer–fall
- Water
Red yucca
Not a true yucca, no sharp tips. Deer sometimes eat the flower stalks.
- Type
- Succulent
- Size
- 2–3 ft (5 ft stalks)
- Light
- Full sun
- Bloom
- Coral-red, spring–fall
- Water
Twistleaf yucca
A Central Texas native with wavy leaves. Small enough for front beds.
- Type
- Succulent
- Size
- 1–2 ft
- Light
- Sun to part shade
- Bloom
- White, late spring
- Water
Mexican plum
Fragrant white flowers before the leaves. Small plums for birds in late summer.
- Type
- Small tree
- Size
- 15–25 ft
- Light
- Sun to part shade
- Bloom
- White, early spring
- Water
Texas redbud
Glossy, heat-tolerant leaves and a wave of spring color. Ideal near a patio.
- Type
- Small tree
- Size
- 15–20 ft
- Light
- Sun to part shade
- Bloom
- Pink-magenta, early spring
- Water
Cedar elm
The classic tough Texas shade tree. Handles clay, drought and heat.
- Type
- Shade tree
- Size
- 40–60 ft
- Light
- Full sun
- Bloom
- Inconspicuous
- Water
Texas red oak
Red to orange fall color, which is rare in Central Texas. Thrives over limestone.
- Type
- Shade tree
- Size
- 30–50 ft
- Light
- Full sun
- Bloom
- Inconspicuous
- Water
American beautyberry
Clusters of violet berries that mockingbirds and cardinals strip by December.
- Type
- Shrub
- Size
- 4–6 ft
- Light
- Part shade
- Bloom
- Purple berries, fall
- Water
Frogfruit
A walkable flowering groundcover. Host plant for several small butterflies.
- Type
- Groundcover
- Size
- 2–4 in
- Light
- Sun to part shade
- Bloom
- Tiny white, spring–fall
- Water
Horseherb
Fills in shady spots where grass gives up. Takes light foot traffic.
- Type
- Groundcover
- Size
- 4–8 in
- Light
- Part shade to shade
- Bloom
- Small yellow, spring–fall
- Water
Buffalograss
A native lawn grass that goes dormant in drought instead of dying. Mow rarely, or never.
- Type
- Turf grass
- Size
- 4–6 in
- Light
- Full sun
- Bloom
- —
- Water
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Please don't plant
Common invasives we avoid
These are still sold in many garden centers, but they spread into creeks, parks and woodlands around Bell County and crowd out native plants. If you have them, we're happy to suggest a native swap.
Ask about replacements| Plant | Why we skip it |
|---|---|
| Nandina Nandina domestica | Escapes into woodlands; berries are toxic to birds. |
| Chinese privet / ligustrum Ligustrum sinense, L. lucidum | Forms dense thickets along creeks. |
| Chinese tallow Triadica sebifera | One of the most invasive trees in Texas. |
| Giant reed Arundo donax | Chokes stream banks and spreads by root fragments. |
| Japanese honeysuckle Lonicera japonica | Smothers native shrubs and young trees. |
| Vitex (in creek areas) Vitex agnus-castus | Reseeds aggressively near water. We use native alternatives. |
Planting tips
Getting natives off to a good start
Plant in fall
October and November give roots months of growth before the first 100°F day. Early spring is the second-best window.
Water deep, not often
Soak new plants two or three times a week for the first month, then taper. Shallow daily watering keeps roots near the surface.
Don't over-amend
Most natives prefer lean, well-drained soil. Heavy compost can make Texas sage and blackfoot daisy floppy or short-lived.
Mulch, but not everywhere
Two to three inches of shredded hardwood around plants, kept off stems. Leave a few bare sunny patches for ground-nesting bees.
Plant information is general guidance for the Killeen area (USDA zone 8a/8b). Sizes and performance vary with soil, exposure and weather.
Not sure which plants fit your yard?
A site visit takes about an hour and you leave with a starter plant list written for your sun and soil.