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Texas Plants

Texas Best Flower

Texas has more wildflowers than any other state. The Natonal Wildflower Research Center is located in Austin, Texas. You can join for $25.00 and do volunteer work if you want to get involved.
512-292-4200
4801 La Crosse Ave.
Austin, Texas 78739.
E-Mail: wildflower@onr.com

Bluebonnet
The State Flower of Texas. James Michner said the most magnificent site he ever saw was a field of Bluebonnets.
Prickly Pear
The state's most common cactus and the official state plant. The fruit is called TUNAS and makes a delicious jelly. The pads peeled are called NOPALES and are eaten as a vegetable or in salads. In 1901 John Garner proposed to make the Prickley Pear the state flower earning himself the name Cactus Jack.
Indian Blanket
Red wildflower with yellow tipped petals. Found alongside bluebonnets in many areas.
Rose
The nation's largest producer of roses is Tyler, Texas. Texas' oldest rose bush is at the Scott Plantation in Scottsville. It was planted in 1834.

Texas Best Tree Species

Live Oak
Quercus virginiana
Q. fusiformis
(white oak group)
Hardiness Zone 7

Although not the state tree, the spectacular Live Oak has to be Texas-Best for much of the state. Live Oaks are magnificent in stature and proportion, a broad oval crowned evergreen tree that grow 40 to 80 feet tall with a spread of 60 to 100 feet. Live Oaks do best in well-drained clay loams. It does not do well in poorly drained soils or extremely deep sand. Many days of extreme cold temperatures can destroy this tree. This tree is extremely tolerant to city conditions, poor soils and trampling or compaction of the soil. Live Oak is a highly desirable landscape tree.

Leaves are alternate, simple, and oblong to elliptical, 1½ to 4 inches long. Leaves are unlobed on mature twigs but can be sharply toothed resembling American holly on vigorous shoots or sprouts. Leaves are dark green and almost plastic-like with margins slightly rolled under.

Bark is very dark and furrowed on mature trees. Generally a single stem tree with large horizontal branches. Wood is extremely strong and durable, one of the most resistant trees to wind and vandalism.

Acorn is about 1 inch long.

Texas record Live Oak is in Brazoria County. 67 feet high, 386 inch circumference, 100 foot spread.

Pecan
Carya illinioensis
Hardiness Zone 5

Texas State Tree and Texas-Best Tree. Native to all parts of Texas except the High Plains and the Trans-Pecos. Pecans are deciduous and grow to 125 to 150 feet tall in some areas with a 100 foot spread. It is the fastest growing of the hickory family of trees and can live for 300 years. Should be planted in areas of good growing conditions.

Leaves are alternate, compound, 12 to 20 inches long, with 9 to 15 leaflets. Individual leaflets are 4 to 6 inches long, 1 to 1/12/ inches wide. Color is dark green to yellow green on top and pale green on bottom. Margin is double toothed.

Bark varies a great deal but is generally thick, light to dark reddish brown and relatively smooth or deep furrowed and scaly.

Fruit is in clusters of 3 to 8, oblong or football shaped and varies in size depending on cultivar.

Texas record Pecan is in Parker County. 91 feet high, 258 inch circumference, 117 foot spread.

Bald Cypress
Taxodium distichum
Hardiness Zone 4

Texas only native in the redwood family. Bald Cypress is pyramidal and reaches heights of 100 feet. Bald Cypress grows best in wet areas but does surprisingly well in well drained soils but is a highly desirable landscape tree. Far more adaptable than originally thought. This tree is a moderate to fast grower. Hardiness zone 4.

Leaves are very fine and fern like, soft medium green and coppery bronze in fall, ½ to 1 inch long and arranged in two ranks in a featherlike fashion along very small branchlets. This conifer is deciduous and drops whole twigs of leaves in the fall as one unit.

Bark is fairly smooth with shallow furrows. Trunk is much larger at the base. Branches are reddish brown and grow at nearly right angles to the trunk. Wood is light weight but very strong and decay-resistant. Branches are very flexible.

Fruit is a globe-shaped, woody cone, about 1 to 11/2 inches in diameter.

Texas record Bald Cypress is in Real County. 96 feet high, 438 inch circumference, 112 foot spread.

Oak Trees
Quercus
Thirty-eight varieties of oak trees are native to Texas. Twenty-three are white oaks and fifteen ate red or black oaks.

Texas Best Oak Tree, The two oldest in North America

Fall Creek Tree
Tow, Texas
Thought to be 2,000 years old.
Big Tree of Lamar
Goose Island State Park, Rockport, Texas.
422 inches in circumference, crown spread of 89 feet. The estimated age is over 1000 years.

Bur Oak
Quercus macrocarpa
(white oak group)
Hardiness Zone 3

Bur Oak grows 60 to 80 feet tall with a 30 to 50 foot spread. The Bur Oak is native to and does well in the prairie including limestone and blackland. The Bur Oak is drought tolerant and is one of the easiest to grow of all the oaks.

Leaves are alternate, simple 6 to 10 inches long and 4 to 5 inches wide, oval with 5 to 9 lobes. Leaves are dark green on top and pale green on bottom. Fall color is dull yellow-brown.

Bark on mature trees is rugged and almost black with deep furrows that break into irregular ridges. Bark is gray to reddish brown when young. Wood is very strong, wind and vandal resistant.

Bur Oak acorns can be as large as two inches.

Texas record Bur Oak is in Travis County. 91 feet tall, 192 inch circumference, 95 foot spread.
Chinquapin Oak
Quercus muehlenbergii

(white oak group)

Hardiness Zone 3

Chinquapin Oak grows30 to 60 feet high with a 20 to 40 foot spread. It is native to dry limestone bluffs in Central Texas from the Red River to the southwest. The Texas state champion tree is in Newton County. Drought resistant and a desirable landscape tree in good soil.

Leaves are dark green and shiny on top and silvery white on bottom. Alternate simple, 2 to 4 inches long and 11/2 to 3 inches wide. Leaves are oval with rounded teeth on the margin. Fall color is crimson to orange-yellow to brown.

Bark color is similar to white oak. Wood is tough and durable.

Acorn is ½ inch long oval enclosed about ¼ by the cup.

Texas record Chinquapin Oak is 88 feet tall, 238 inch circumference, 120 foot spread.

Water Oak

Quercus nigra

(black oak group)

Hardiness zone 6

Water Oak grows rapidly 60 to 100 feet tall and 50 to 60 foot spread in its native East Texas range. Water Oak is a widely planted tree and can vary from deciduous to almost evergreen. Tolerates most soil conditions.

Dark green, spoon shaped leaves alternate, simple, 2 to 4 inches long and 1 to 2 inches wide. Edges are smooth to slightly wavy with one or more bristle tips along the margin. Deep green on top and light green on bottom. Almost evergreen in the south to winter color of brown.

Bark is brown to grayish black with slight furrows. Wood is moderately strong for an oak.

Acorn is ½ inch globe shape with cup covering ¼.

Nuttall Oak
Quercus nuttallii

(black oak group)

Hardiness Zone 3

Nuttall Oak is one of the rarest oaks in Texas. It grows to 50 feet in Texas and is tolerant of wet soils. Requires an acid soil. Will not grow in Austin, Dallas or San Antonio.

Texas record Nuttal Oak is in Cass County. 140 feet tall, 177 inch circumference, 111 foot spread.

Shumard Red Oak

Quercus shumardii

(black oak group)

Hardiness Zone 3

Shumard Red Oak can grow to 120 feet in height with a spread of 50 to 60 feet. Shumard are native to all of East Texas with cross species as far west as Pecos.

Foliage can be fire red to orange in the fall. Shumard is a desirable landscape tree in most of Texas and does well in restricted root spaces. Almost identical to the northern red oak. Leaf is alternate, simple, 4 to 8 inches long by 3 to 6 inches wide. 7 to 9 bristle tipped lobes. Top is dark green and lustrous, bottom is paler green with tufts of hair where veins connect

Bark is gray to gray brown and shallow fissured.

Acorn is 1 inch long and ½ to 1 inch wide. Cup covers ¼ of the nut. Texas record Shumard Oak is in Polk County. 120 feet high, 182 inch circumference, 92 foot spread.

Texas Red Oak
Quercus texana

(black oak group)

Hardiness Zone 3

Texas Red Oak can reach 75 feet in height, but is usually 50 to 50 feet tall. It grows in central Texas from the Red River to the south and is commonly a cross with Shumard Oak. More adapted to alkaline soils. (See Shumard Red Oak)
Texas Ash
Fraxinus texensis

Hardiness Zone

Texas ash is a small tree less than 50 feet high. Drought tolerant.

Fall color is red, gold, orange and purple.

Texas record Texas Ash is in Bandera County. 72 feet high, 76 inch circumference, 67 foot spread.
Eastern Red Cedar
Juniperus virginiana

Hardiness Zone 2

Eastern Red Cedar grows to 70 feet high with a 20 foot spread. It grows in almost any soil type. Cedar is aromatic and used in the construction of closets and cedar chests. It is resistant to decay and insects. The wood is light in weight and shrinks little from green to cured. The heartwood is a beautiful red and the sapwood is white. Recommended for fence line screening in landscapes.

Leaves are evergreen, needle-like (juvenile) and scale-like (mature) on the same plant. Foliage is medium to dark green.

Fruit on the female tree is blue to blue-purple. ¼ inch round and smooth.

Texas record Eastern Red Cedar is in St. Augustine County. 78 feet high, 187 inches circumference, 47 foot spread.

Crape Myrtle

Lagerstroemia indica

Hardiness Zone 7

Not a Texas native but an import from China. The Crape myrtle ranges from a few inches in height to 25 feet. Grows in most soils. Very drought resistant.

Leaves are opposite, simple oval, 2 to 4 inches long and 1 to 2 inches wide. The edge is smooth. Leaves are medium green on top and lighter green on bottom. Fall color is red, orange or yellow.

Crape myrtle can be single or multi-trunked. (canes) Mature trunks are smooth and appear varnished and muscular or irregular.

Flowers are white, pink, red, or purple 4 to 12 inches long. Flowers mid July until frost.

Dogwood

Cornus florida

Hardiness Zone 4 or 5

The Dogwood native to East Texas is an under story tree (grows in the shade) and grows 20 to 30 feet in height with a 20 to 25 foot spread. The dogwood will remain small and more beautiful in full sun. This tree grows only in sandy, acid soil.

Leaves are opposite, simple, 3 to 5 inches long, 11/2 to 3 inches wide, dark green on top and pale green-silver on bottom.

Old bark is reddish tan to dark brown and broken into uniform square or rounded blocks. Wood is very hard. Most commercially harvested dogwood was used in the textile industry to make shuttles for weaving because the wood wears smooth with use and is able to withstand continuous use at high speed.

Flowers appear before the leaves in the spring. Flowers are very showy with 4 white or pink petals around a small cluster of flowers. Fall color is crimson, scarlet and orange.

Fruit is egg shaped in clusters about ½ inch long a brilliant red.

Texas record Dogwood is in Rusk County. 34 feet high, 72 inch circumference, 41 foot spread.

Cedar Elm

Ulmus crassifolia

Hardiness Zone 6

Cedar Elm is adaptable, tough and tolerant tree. Does well in heavy, poorly drained clay soils. A mature Cedar Elm is a very attractive landscape tree. Cedar Elm has considerable resistance to Dutch Elm disease.

Leaves are simple, 1 to 2 inches long and ½ to 1 inch wide. Shape is ovate with double saw-tooth edges. Color is glossy green on top and paler green on bottom.

Young twigs may have corky wings on either side similar to a winged elm. Older bark is brown to gray with shallow ridges and thin loose scales. Wood is moderately stout, hard and heavy.

Texas record Cedar Elm is in Kendall County. 73 feet high, 131 inch circumference, 72 foot spread.

Mesquite

Prosopis glandulosa

Hardiness Zone 6

Mesquite grows in every county in Texas. Most consider it a nuisance plant. It grows to 30 feet tall.

Leaves are alternate, deciduous, and generally twice compound. Leaflets are dark green and 2 inches long and ¼ inch wide. Foliage is sparse allowing sun to reach the ground below the tree. There is little fall color.

Bark is rough reddish brown to almost black. Branches are armed with ½ to 2 inch spines. Wood makes beautiful furniture. One of the most expensive woods available for hardwood flooring

Fruit is a green / brown seed pod 5 to 9 inches long.

Texas record Mesquite is in Real County. 55 Feet tall, 172 inch circumference, 89 foot spread.

Texas Redbud

Cercis canadensis

Hardiness Zone 4

Texas and Eastern Redbud are native to much of the state. Eastern redbud in the east, Texas Redbud in the west with hybrid mixes in-between. The tree may reach 20 to 25 feet tall with a 15 to 20 foot spread. Attractive, widely adaptable and durable tree.

Leaves are alternate, simple, heart shaped, 2 to 3 inches long and wide with smooth edges. Foliage is dark green and yellow in the fall.

Eastern Redbud is usually single trunk and Texas Redbud is usually multiple trunk.

Flowers are purple-red in clusters along the stem in the early spring before the leaves emerge. Some varieties may have white flowers. This is a very showy tree.

Texas record Redbud is in Smith County. 74 feet high, 168 inch circumference, 76 foot spread.

Black Walnut

Juglans nigra

Hardiness Zone 4

The tallest walnuts are 80 feet high with a 40 to 50 foot spread. American Black Walnut is native to East Texas and the Texas Black Walnut occurs in West Texas. The roots and leaves of the Walnut contain juglone that prevents growth of other plants near the walnut tree. This includes other walnut trees. This creates a problem in landscape plantings.

Leaves are alternate, compound 12 to 24 inches long. The compound leaf contains 13 to 23 leaflets. Individual leaflets are 3 to 5 inches long and 1 to 11/2 inches wide. Foliage is medium yellow green on top and is fuzzy on bottom.

Bark is dark brown to black and highly prized for furniture. Not particularly attractive in fall.

Walnut fruit is large and covered by a husk that turns from green to black when it matures. The nut is very hard and the kernel is prized for cooking.

Texas record Black Walnut is in Smith County. 74 feet high, 168 inch circumference, 76 foot spread.

Ginkgo

Ginkgo biloba

Hardiness Zone 4

This is another tree not native to Texas but Sam Houston wasn’t a native either and we claim him. The Ginkgo came from China. It grows to 100 feet high. Ginkgos do well in city conditions. Male trees should be planted to avoid the objectionable odor of the female fruit.

The leaves are alternate, simple, 2 to 4 inches across, fan shaped. Outer edge is wavy with a cleft in the center. Foliage is medium green. Fall color is brilliant yellow.

Bark is light tan to medium brown. Bark is smooth at first and then develops deep furrows. Wood is durable, wind and ice resistant.

Ruby Red Grapefruit

The grapefruit is native to Bermuda and found its way to Florida and later to Texas in 1904. By 1910 it had become an important crop in the Rio Grand valley. The Ruby Red was the result of a group of seedlings that were frozen back to the ground and developed new tree tops. The Ruby Red is seedless and the variety that most commercial grapefruit production is based on. Trees are 15 to 20 feet high.

Leaves are ovate evergreen, 3 to 6 inches long and 13/4 to 3 inches wide. Leaves are dark green on top and lighter on bottom

Fruit are 4 to 6 inches. The Texas red grapefruit was designated the official state fruit by the 73rd Legislature in 1993.

Texas Best Cotton

Cotton is king in Texas.
Grown in west Texas around Lubbock. Texas always leads the nation in cotton production.