Texas Native Plants

A Native plant is local and grows naturally, without human help, in a specific area. Many have thrived and evolved there for centuries, and might include flowers, shrubs, trees, grasses, and vines.

Native plants are usually part of a communal effort in the plant population, where several species might have evolved jointly to support other living creatures. Take the case of a flower that thrives in an area where a certain insect community pollinates!

Compared to exotic plants, natives can tolerate drought better and may be resistant to attacks by insects and seasonal diseases. Since they have spent centuries adapting to the area’s changing conditions, native plants require less work and resources; once they become established, they don’t require extra fertilizers, winter mulching, or extra water.

By planting them in your garden, you will be replacing lost food and homes for all kinds of wildlife since native plants feed and house areas’ pollinators. More native plants encourage our native birds and wildlife to return and forage for food and shelter. With this simple deed you will be helping to replace those “corridors” that many insects use when migrating or moving around our area.

Monarch Butterflies, for example, have seen their sources of food and local plant hosts depleted. If they find some milkweed in your garden, they can lay their eggs and load up on nectar as so many other less famous species!

April 2026 designated as Texas Native Plant Month, serves as a key time for conservation, education, and planting native species to support local ecosystems, birds, and pollinators. Events typically include workshops and habitat restoration projects, with a focus on adopting native trees, shrubs, and wildflowers.

Events: The Native Plant Society of Texas (NPSOT) often hosts meetings and educational events, with hybrid meetings scheduled through local chapters in 2026.
Goal: To promote sustainable landscaping by increasing the use of native, rather than invasive or exotic, plants.