Native plants · Texas

Native plants of Austin County

253 plant species are recorded as native to Texas in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Austin County by USDA PLANTS. 86 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 1 more species is listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Austin County, Texas

Native species: 253 Typical Texas county: 145 (median of 254 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 86 Typical Texas county: 61
Share by type (all 253 native species): Percent of the 253 native species in each growth type

Tree 4% (11)
Shrub 1% (3)
Wildflower (forb) 57% (143)
Grass or grass-like 33% (84)
Vine 3% (7)
Fern 2% (5)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (57%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (33%).

Recorded native ranges can include long-established populations that spread from gardens; check your state’s native plant society list for local guidance. How native status is decided.

ZIP codes mainly in this county fall in USDA hardiness zone 9a (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 86

Native species with PLANTS growing records (height, light, moisture, minimum temperature). “—” means PLANTS has no value.

Garden-ready native plants of Austin County, Texas
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
American beautyberry Callicarpa americana	Shrub	6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 6b
American sycamore Platanus occidentalis	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
American water-willow Justicia americana	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
bearded beggarticks Bidens aristosa	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12b
big bluestem Andropogon gerardii	Grass or grass-like	6 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 2b
black willow Salix nigra	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1b
blackeyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
broadleaf signalgrass Urochloa platyphylla	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 9a
broomsedge bluestem Andropogon virginicus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
brownseed paspalum Paspalum plicatulum	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 8a
Bush's sedge Carex bushii	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5a
butterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
Canada goldenrod Solidago altissima	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
clasping coneflower Dracopis amplexicaulis	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 10b
coast cockspur grass Echinochloa walteri	Grass or grass-like	6.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 10b
common blue violet Viola sororia	Wildflower (forb)	4 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
common goldstar Hypoxis hirsuta	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
common rush Juncus effusus	Grass or grass-like	6.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
cucumberleaf sunflower Helianthus debilis	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 9b
cursed buttercup Ranunculus sceleratus	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 12b
ditch stonecrop Penthorum sedoides	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
dotted smartweed Polygonum punctatum	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
dwarf St. Johnswort Hypericum mutilum	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5a
eastern gamagrass Tripsacum dactyloides	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
eastern redbud Cercis canadensis	Tree	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
eastern redcedar Juniperus virginiana	Tree	50 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
eastern woodland sedge Carex blanda	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
fall panicgrass Panicum dichotomiflorum	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
false daisy Eclipta prostrata	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 10b
flowering dogwood Cornus florida	Tree	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
forked rush Juncus dichotomus	Grass or grass-like	2.9 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 8b
giant goldenrod Solidago gigantea	Wildflower (forb)	8.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
golden tickseed Coreopsis tinctoria	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12b
grassleaf rush Juncus marginatus	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5a
graybark grape Vitis cinerea	Vine	50 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6b
hairawn muhly Muhlenbergia capillaris	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 8a
heartleaf peppervine Ampelopsis cordata	Vine	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6b
Indian blanket Gaillardia pulchella	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
Indian woodoats Chasmanthium latifolium	Grass or grass-like	4.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
Indiangrass Sorghastrum nutans	Grass or grass-like	6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
inland rush Juncus interior	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
limestone wild petunia Ruellia strepens	Wildflower (forb)	3.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 6a
little bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
loblolly pine Pinus taeda	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 6b
longleaf pondweed Potamogeton nodosus	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
longspike tridens Tridens strictus	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 2a
marsh seedbox Ludwigia palustris	Wildflower (forb)	2 in	Sun	High	Zone 4a
Mississippi buttercup Ranunculus laxicaulis	Wildflower (forb)	1.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 6b
Missouri goldenrod Solidago missouriensis	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
narrowleaf silkgrass Pityopsis graminifolia	Wildflower (forb)	2.8 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7a
Osage-orange Maclura pomifera	Tree	35 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
partridge pea Chamaecrista fasciculata	Wildflower (forb)	2.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
plains lovegrass Eragrostis intermedia	Grass or grass-like	2.7 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
prairie blazing star Liatris pycnostachya	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
prairie fleabane Erigeron strigosus	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
purple lovegrass Eragrostis spectabilis	Grass or grass-like	11 in	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
purple poppymallow Callirhoe involucrata	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
purplehead sneezeweed Helenium flexuosum	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
purpletop tridens Tridens flavus	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
red buckeye Aesculus pavia	Tree	25 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
sand dropseed Sporobolus cryptandrus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
saw greenbrier Smilax bona-nox	Vine	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
shallow sedge Carex lurida	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
shortbristle horned beaksedge Rhynchospora corniculata	Grass or grass-like	6.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
sideoats grama Bouteloua curtipendula	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
small beggarticks Bidens discoidea	Wildflower (forb)	5.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12b
smooth beggartick Bidens laevis	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12b
spring spiderlily Hymenocallis liriosme	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 7b
stiff marsh bedstraw Galium tinctorium	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
swamp smartweed Polygonum hydropiperoides	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
swamp sunflower Helianthus angustifolius	Wildflower (forb)	5.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
sweetscent Pluchea odorata	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
switchgrass Panicum virgatum	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
taperleaf water horehound Lycopus rubellus	Wildflower (forb)	1.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
tenangle pipewort Eriocaulon decangulare	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6b
toad rush Juncus bufonius	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12a
turkey tangle fogfruit Phyla nodiflora	Wildflower (forb)	2 in	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 5b
upright prairie coneflower Ratibida columnifera	Wildflower (forb)	3.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
velvet panicum Dichanthelium scoparium	Grass or grass-like	4.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
vine mesquite Panicum obtusum	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
waterthread pondweed Potamogeton diversifolius	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
whiteroot rush Juncus brachycarpus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5a
winged elm Ulmus alata	Tree	65 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
woolly rosette grass Dichanthelium scabriusculum	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7a
yaupon Ilex vomitoria	Tree	25 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 8a
yellow flatsedge Cyperus flavescens	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 11b

Other native species recorded here 167

PLANTS has no growing records for these, so light, moisture, height and zone filters cannot include them. Many are wild species seldom sold by nurseries.

American bluehearts Buchnera americana
American burnweed Erechtites hieraciifolius
American white waterlily Nymphaea odorata
American wild carrot Daucus pusillus
anisescented goldenrod Solidago odora
annual phlox Phlox drummondii
arrowhead rattlebox Crotalaria sagittalis
beaked cornsalad Valerianella radiata
beaked panicgrass Panicum anceps
bigtop lovegrass Eragrostis hirsuta
bluestem pricklypoppy Argemone albiflora
bog white violet Viola lanceolata
brownish beaksedge Rhynchospora capitellata
bushy knotweed Polygonum ramosissimum
button eryngo Eryngium yuccifolium
Carolina canarygrass Phalaris caroliniana
Carolina clover Trifolium carolinianum
Carolina larkspur Delphinium carolinianum
Carolina puccoon Lithospermum caroliniense
Carolina woollywhite Hymenopappus scabiosaeus
chaffweed Anagallis minima
Cherokee sedge Carex cherokeensis
clammy groundcherry Physalis heterophylla
clasping milkweed Asclepias amplexicaulis
clustered beaksedge Rhynchospora glomerata
common boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum
common carpetgrass Axonopus fissifolius
crowpoison Nothoscordum bivalve
Cuman ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya
cusp dodder Cuscuta cuspidata
Dakota mock vervain Glandularia bipinnatifida
diamond-flowers Stenaria nigricans
downy lobelia Lobelia puberula
Dudley's rush Juncus dudleyi
dwarf sundew Drosera brevifolia
early buttercup Ranunculus fascicularis
early wildrye Elymus macgregorii
Elliott's bentgrass Agrostis elliottiana
Engelmann's daisy Engelmannia peristenia
fewflower beaksedge Rhynchospora rariflora
fewleaf sunflower Helianthus occidentalis
fiveangled dodder Cuscuta pentagona
Florida paspalum Paspalum floridanum
foxtail clubmoss Lycopodiella alopecuroides
fragrant spikesedge Kyllinga odorata
gaping grass Steinchisma hians
globe beaksedge Rhynchospora globularis
globe beaksedge Rhynchospora recognita
globe flatsedge Cyperus echinatus
grassy arrowhead Sagittaria graminea
great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
green carpetweed Mollugo verticillata
hairy fimbry Fimbristylis puberula
hairy pinweed Lechea mucronata
hairy waterclover Marsilea vestita
Harvey's beaksedge Rhynchospora harveyi
Heller's rosette grass Dichanthelium oligosanthes
herbwilliam Ptilimnium capillaceum
horned bladderwort Utricularia cornuta
Illinois pondweed Potamogeton illinoensis
Jersey tea Ceanothus herbaceus
Juda's bush Iresine rhizomatosa
juniper leaf Polypremum procumbens
keeled bulrush Isolepis carinata
kidneyshape sedge Carex reniformis
lanceleaf blanketflower Gaillardia aestivalis
lanceleaf fogfruit Phyla lanceolata
largebracted plantain Plantago aristata
largeflower tickseed Coreopsis grandiflora
largeseed forget-me-not Myosotis macrosperma
Leavenworth's sedge Carex leavenworthii
lemon beebalm Monarda citriodora
limestone adderstongue Ophioglossum engelmannii
little duckweed Lemna obscura
lizard's tail Saururus cernuus
Louisiana vetch Vicia ludoviciana
low spearwort Ranunculus pusillus
lyreleaf sage Salvia lyrata
maidencane Panicum hemitomon
manyflower marshpennywort Hydrocotyle umbellata
marsh bristlegrass Setaria parviflora
Maryland meadowbeauty Rhexia mariana
Mead's sedge Carex meadii
meadow spikemoss Selaginella apoda
narrowleaf mountainmint Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
narrowleaf pinweed Lechea tenuifolia
netted nutrush Scleria reticularis
Nuttall's prairie parsley Polytaenia nuttallii
Nuttall's sensitive-briar Mimosa nuttallii
Oklahoma sedge Carex oklahomensis
openflower rosette grass Dichanthelium laxiflorum
Parlin's pussytoes Antennaria parlinii
Pickering's dawnflower Stylisma pickeringii
pine barren flatsedge Cyperus retrorsus
pink sundew Drosera capillaris
pink thoroughwort Fleischmannia incarnata
plains snakecotton Froelichia floridana
poorjoe Diodia teres
potato dwarfdandelion Krigia dandelion
poverty dropseed Sporobolus vaginiflorus
prairie cupgrass Eriochloa contracta
prairie spiderwort Tradescantia occidentalis
prairie tea Croton monanthogynus
procession flower Polygala incarnata
prune-fruit sedge Carex corrugata
queen's-delight Stillingia sylvatica
reflexed sedge Carex retroflexa
rice button aster Symphyotrichum dumosum
Richard's yelloweyed grass Xyris jupicai
rough barnyardgrass Echinochloa muricata
roughfruit scaleseed Spermolepis divaricata
roundfruit hedgehyssop Gratiola virginiana
roundseed panicgrass Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon
rusty blackhaw Viburnum rufidulum
salt sandspurry Spergularia salina
Sampson's snakeroot Orbexilum pedunculatum
sand spikerush Eleocharis montevidensis
shortleaf spikesedge Kyllinga brevifolia
silvery everlasting Gamochaeta argyrinea
sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
sleepy silene Silene antirrhina
slender snakecotton Froelichia gracilis
slender yellow woodsorrel Oxalis dillenii
slender yelloweyed grass Xyris torta
smallflower fumewort Corydalis micrantha
smallhead doll's daisy Boltonia diffusa
sneezeweed Helenium amarum
soft goldenaster Chrysopsis pilosa
southeastern wildrye Elymus glabriflorus
southern annual saltmarsh aster Symphyotrichum divaricatum
southern bog clubmoss Lycopodiella appressa
southern cutgrass Leersia hexandra
southern jointweed Polygonella americana
southern sedge Carex austrina
spiked crested coralroot Hexalectris spicata
spoonleaf purple everlasting Gamochaeta purpurea
spotted beebalm Monarda punctata
spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
spring forget-me-not Myosotis verna
spring lady's tresses Spiranthes vernalis
stiff yellow flax Linum medium
stinking camphorweed Pluchea foetida
stream orchid Epipactis gigantea
tall horned beaksedge Rhynchospora macrostachya
tapered rosette grass Dichanthelium acuminatum
Texas signalgrass Urochloa texana
Texas star Sabatia campestris
thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
threeflower melicgrass Melica nitens
trailing pearlwort Sagina decumbens
tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
tumblegrass Schedonnardus paniculatus
twisted spikerush Eleocharis tortilis
Vahl's fimbry Fimbristylis vahlii
Virginia buttonweed Diodia virginiana
Virginia dwarfdandelion Krigia virginica
Virginia plantain Plantago virginica
warty spurge Euphorbia spathulata
western rough goldenrod Solidago radula
western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
white vervain Verbena urticifolia
whitemouth dayflower Commelina erecta
whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
winged lythrum Lythrum alatum
woollysheath threeawn Aristida lanosa
yellow thistle Cirsium horridulum
yellowseed false pimpernel Lindernia dubia

Also listed as native and introduced here 1

PLANTS labels these species both native and introduced in this state: some forms are native and others were brought in from elsewhere. Most gardeners should choose plants from the main list.

cayenne pepperCapsicum annuum

Compared with Texas

The typical county is the median of the 254 Texas counties with PLANTS county records; the statewide figure counts every species native anywhere in the state. More species is not better or worse: counties differ in size, habitat and how thoroughly they have been surveyed.

Native species counts, Austin County and Texas
Measure	Austin County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	253	145	1,683
Garden-ready natives	86	61	656
Tree	11	—	164
Shrub	3	—	90
Wildflower (forb)	143	—	877
Grass or grass-like	84	—	431
Vine	7	—	83
Fern	5	—	38

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Austin County.

Colorado County, TX 76 garden-ready
Fayette County, TX 89 garden-ready
Fort Bend County, TX 70 garden-ready
Washington County, TX 120 garden-ready

Source & data date

Source: USDA NRCS PLANTS Database: county distribution records, native status and plant characteristics. CC0 (public domain dedication, per the data.gov catalog record).; Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP): native or introduced status by state. CC BY 3.0.; USGS US-RIIS (ver. 2.0): species listed as introduced are excluded. CC0.
Citation: USDA, NRCS. 2026. The PLANTS Database (https://plants.usda.gov, 11/04/2026). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC USA.; Govaerts R. (ed.) (2026). WCVP: World Checklist of Vascular Plants. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Data file dated 2026-06-04, http://sftp.kew.org/pub/data-repositories/WCVP/ (retrieved 2026-11-04). Paper: Govaerts R. et al. (2021) The World Checklist of Vascular Plants, a continuously updated resource for exploring global plant diversity. Scientific Data 8, 215.
Data date: Retrieved from PLANTS on November 4, 2026; WCVP data file dated June 4, 2026.
Zones: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023) ZIP table: PRISM Group, Oregon State University, https://prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed November 3, 2026. Plant zones on this site are our estimate, not the official map.
Scope: Austin County (county FIPS 48015), Texas. 253 native species from PLANTS county distribution records; garden-ready = species with a PLANTS characteristics record.
Method: A species is listed when it is recorded as native to the state in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in the county by USDA PLANTS. Species PLANTS labels both native and introduced are listed separately. Full method · All sources

Independent reference site. No government affiliation or endorsement.