Texas Native Pond Plants

Texas Native Pond Plants by Andrea DeLong-Amaya, Director of Horticulture, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. These plants are all native to the Texas region and are suitable for ponds and water gardens. If you live outside of Texas, these may or may not be native to your area.


Scientific Name Common Name Duration Habit Sun Water
Asclepias incarnata Swamp milkweed, Pink Milkweed Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Wet, Moist
Bacopa monnieri Coastal Water-hyssop, Herb-of-grace, Water hyssop Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Wet, Moist
Canna glauca Water Canna, Louisiana Canna, Maraca amarilla Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Wet, Moist
Cladium mariscus ssp. jamaicense Jamaica swamp sawgrass, Jamaican Saw-grass, Saw-grass Perennial Grass/Grass-like Sun, Part-shade Wet, Moist
Echinodorus berteroi Upright burrhead Annual Herb
Echinodorus cordifolius Creeping burrhead, Lance-leaf Burhead, Radican Sword "Giant Mother Plant" Annual Herb Shade Wet
Eleocharis quadrangulata Squarestem spikerush Perennial Grass/Grass-like Sun
Equisetum hyemale Canuela, Horsetail, Scouring rush, Scouringrush horsetail Perennial Herb Sun, Shade, Part-shade Wet, Moist
Fuirena simplex Umbrellagrass, Western umbrella-sedge Perennial Grass/Grass-like
Heteranthera dubia Grassleaf mudplantain, Water Stargrass Annual Herb
Hibiscus laevis Halberdleaf rosemallow, Halberdleaf hibiscus, Scarlet rose mallow Perennial Shrub Sun, Part-shade Moist
Hibiscus moscheutos Crimsoneyed rosemallow, Crimson-eyed rose-mallow, Marshmallow hibiscus Perennial Shrub Sun, Part-shade Wet, Moist
Hydrolea ovata Blue Water Leaf, Hairy Hydrolea, Ovate false fiddleleaf Perennial Herb Part-shade Wet
Hymenocallis liriosme Spider Lily, Spring Spider Lily, Spring spiderlily Perennial Herb Part-shade Moist
Iris virginica Virginia iris, Great Blue Flag Perennial Herb Sun Wet
Juncus effusus var. solutus Lamp rush, Soft Rush Perennial Herb Part-shade Wet
Justicia americana American water-willow, Water-willow Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Wet, Moist
Kosteletzkya virginica Virginia saltmarsh mallow, Virginia fen-rose, Seashore mallow, Salt Marsh-mallow Perennial Subshrub Sun Moist
Lobelia cardinalis Cardinal flower Perennial Herb Sun, Shade, Part-shade Wet, Moist
Ludwigia octovalvis Mexican primrose-willow, Narrow-leaf Water Primrose, Seedbox, Mexican Primrose Willow Perennial Shrub Sun, Part-shade Moist
Ludwigia peploides Creeping water-primrose, Floating primrose-willow, Water-primrose Perennial Herb Sun
Marsilea macropoda Bigfoot water clover, Water clover, Clover-fern Perennial Herb, Fern Sun, Shade, Part-shade Wet
Najas guadalupensis Common Water Nymph, Najas, Southern waternymph Annual Herb Sun Wet
Nelumbo lutea American lotus, Yellow water lotus, Yellow lotus Perennial Herb Sun Wet
Nuphar lutea Yellow pond-lily, Cow lily, Spatter dock, Yellow cow lily Perennial Herb Part-shade Wet
Nymphaea odorata American white waterlily, American white water-lily, Fragrant white water lily, White water lily, Fragrant water lily, White water lily Perennial Herb Sun, Shade, Part-shade Wet
Physostegia intermedia Intermediate false dragonhead, Marsh obedient-plant, Obedient-plant, Slender false dragonhead, Spring obedient plant Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Moist
Pluchea odorata var. odorata Marsh Fleabane, Sweetscent Perennial Herb Sun Moist
Pontederia cordata Pickerelweed, Pickerel Weed Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Wet, Moist
Potamogeton diversifolius Threadleaf Pondweed, Waterthread pondweed Perennial Herb Sun
Potamogeton nodosus Knotty Pondweed, Longleaf pondweed Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Wet
Rhynchospora colorata Starrush whitetop, Star sedge, White-topped sedge, Whitetop sedge Perennial Grass/Grass-like Sun, Part-shade Wet
Rhynchospora corniculata Shortbristle horned beaksedge, Horned Beakrush Perennial Grass/Grass-like Sun
Sagittaria platyphylla Delta arrowhead Perennial Herb Part-shade Wet
Saururus cernuus Lizard's tail, Lizard's-tail, Breast weed Perennial Herb Shade, Part-shade Wet, Moist
Schoenoplectus americanus Chairmaker's bulrush, Olney three-square Perennial Grass/Grass-like
Schoenoplectus californicus California bulrush, California club-rush, Giant Bulrush Perennial Herb Sun
Thalia dealbata Powdery alligator-flag, Powdery thalia, Water canna Perennial Herb Part-shade Wet
Vallisneria americana American eelgrass, Water celery, Eelgrass, Tapegrass Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Wet