Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
Can't find the answer in our existing FAQs, submit a question to Mr. Smarty Plants.
Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.
From: Plano, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Grasses or Grass-like, Herbs/Forbs, Shrubs, Trees
Title: Plants for area around pool in Plano, Texas
Answered by: Nan Hampton
You can find a list of commercially available native plants for landscaping in your area in Texas-North Central Recommended on our Recommended Species page. You can use the NARROW YOUR SEARCH option to specify General Appearance, Soil Moisture, Light Requirements, etc., for the plants you want. Here are a few from that list that should make an attractive area around your pool:
SHRUBS/SMALL TREES
Amorpha fruticosa (desert false indigo)
Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii (Wright's desert honeysuckle)
Cercis canadensis var. texensis (Texas redbud)
Hesperaloe parviflora (redflower false yucca)
Lantana urticoides (West Indian shrubverbena)
HERBACEOUS PLANTS
Aquilegia canadensis (red columbine)
Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly milkweed)
Conoclinium coelestinum (blue mistflower)
Echinacea purpurea (eastern purple coneflower)
Glandularia bipinnatifida var. bipinnatifida (Dakota mock vervain)
Melampodium leucanthum (plains blackfoot)
Oenothera speciosa (pinkladies)
Phlox drummondii (annual phlox)
Rudbeckia hirta (blackeyed Susan)
There are many more and you can find them in the list recommended above. You can match their characteristics to the requirements of your site by reading the "Growing Conditions" for each species.
Here are photos for some of the species above:
Plants for a school garden in College Station TX
July 20, 2011 - I need to plant some things in my school garden. Green plants and plants with some color. Hardly ever rains here. Please give suggestions.
view the full question and answer
Small ornamental tree in Buffalo, NY
August 05, 2009 - Hi.. My family and I have recently moved from coastal North Carolina to Buffalo NY. We have chosen to live in south Buffalo and therefore have a small front yard. We are looking for the perfect tree...
view the full question and answer
Evergreen groundcover under pine tree in NY
May 23, 2008 - Hello! I live in upstate NY. I'm trying to find an evergreen ground cover to plant under a pine tree. I believe it's a white spruce (but I'm not postive). I've read conflicting information reg...
view the full question and answer
Will corn fall victim to allelopathy from hackberry in Clarkridge AR
March 30, 2013 - Will my corn be inhibited by a nearby hackberry and if so would it help to cut it down? I understand that sometimes the soil is full of the chemicals the tree produces.
view the full question and answer
Removing grass under oak trees in Pflugerville TX
August 30, 2009 - I would like to use the newspaper-and-mulch method to smother grass under the canopy of live oaks, a bur oak, and a lacey oak so that I can plant natives that will thrive there. However, I'm concern...
view the full question and answer
![]() |
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. Mr. Smarty Plants wants you to be his Facebook friend. Click the Facebook icon to add yourself to Mr. Smarty Plants list of friends. |