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Native plants · Texas

Native plants of Bexar County

292 plant species are recorded as native to Texas in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Bexar County by USDA PLANTS. 107 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 5 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Bexar County, Texas

Native species
292 Typical Texas county: 145 (median of 254 counties)
Garden-ready natives
107 Typical Texas county: 61
Share by type (all 292 native species)
Percent of the 292 native species in each growth type
Tree 8% (24)
Shrub 2% (5)
Wildflower (forb) 51% (150)
Grass or grass-like 30% (87)
Vine 6% (17)
Fern 3% (9)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (51%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (30%).

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 zones 8b to 9a (2023 map).

The native plant list

Cold hardiness is estimated from each plant’s PLANTS minimum temperature. How we estimate it.

Garden-ready natives 107

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

Garden-ready native plants of Bexar County, Texas
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy to
alkali sacaton Sporobolus airoides Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
American lotus Nelumbo lutea Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun High Zone 3b
American water-willow Justicia americana Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
Arizona cottontop Digitaria californica Grass or grass-like 4 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
Atlantic camas Camassia scilloides Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
bald cypress Taxodium distichum Tree 130 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5b
big bluestem Andropogon gerardii Grass or grass-like 6 ft Sun Low Zone 2b
black grama Bouteloua eriopoda Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
black willow Salix nigra Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 1b
blue grama Bouteloua gracilis Grass or grass-like 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
blue mistflower Conoclinium coelestinum Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
boxelder Acer negundo Tree 60 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
brownseed paspalum Paspalum plicatulum Grass or grass-like 3.3 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 8a
buffalograss Bouteloua dactyloides Grass or grass-like 6 in Sun Medium Zone 3b
bush muhly Muhlenbergia porteri Grass or grass-like 2.8 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 8b
Canada germander Teucrium canadense Wildflower (forb) 3.3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3a
Canada wildrye Elymus canadensis Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3a
Canadian horseweed Conyza canadensis Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 12b
cane bluestem Bothriochloa barbinodis Grass or grass-like 4 ft Sun Medium Zone 7b
Carolina foxtail Alopecurus carolinianus Grass or grass-like 1.7 ft Sun Low Zone 3a
cedar elm Ulmus crassifolia Tree 90 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6a
climbing hempvine Mikania scandens Vine 1 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
coast cockspur grass Echinochloa walteri Grass or grass-like 6.5 ft Sun High Zone 10b
common hackberry Celtis occidentalis Tree 60 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 2b
common hoptree Ptelea trifoliata Tree 25 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
common maidenhair Adiantum capillus-veneris Fern 1.7 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
composite dropseed Sporobolus compositus Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
cucumberleaf sunflower Helianthus debilis Wildflower (forb) 6 in Sun Medium Zone 9b
curly-mesquite Hilaria belangeri Grass or grass-like 10 in Sun Low Zone 8b
desert willow Chilopsis linearis Tree 25 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 5a
dotted blazing star Liatris punctata Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides Tree 190 ft Sun High Zone 3a
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
fall panicgrass Panicum dichotomiflorum Grass or grass-like 3.3 ft Sun High Zone 3a
fragrant flatsedge Cyperus odoratus Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 11b
giant cutgrass Zizaniopsis miliacea Grass or grass-like 9 ft Sun High Zone 8b
golden crownbeard Verbesina encelioides Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
golden tickseed Coreopsis tinctoria Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 12b
gray goldenrod Solidago nemoralis Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
graybark grape Vitis cinerea Vine 50 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6b
green sprangletop Leptochloa dubia Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 6a
hairy grama Bouteloua hirsuta Grass or grass-like 6 in Sun Low Zone 3b
honey mesquite Prosopis glandulosa Tree 50 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos Tree 70 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
Illinois bundleflower Desmanthus illinoensis Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
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
James' galleta Pleuraphis jamesii Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
knotgrass Paspalum distichum Grass or grass-like 11 in Sun High Zone 6a
little barley Hordeum pusillum Grass or grass-like 1.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 10b
little bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
littleleaf sumac Rhus microphylla Tree 10 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
live oak Quercus virginiana Tree 50 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 8a
longleaf pondweed Potamogeton nodosus Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 3b
longtom Paspalum denticulatum Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 8b
Malabar sprangletop Leptochloa fusca Grass or grass-like 3.3 ft Sun High Zone 3a
mescal bean Sophora secundiflora Tree 15 ft Sun Medium Zone 8a
Missouri gourd Cucurbita foetidissima Vine 1 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
narrowleaf willow Salix exigua Tree 10 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
needle spikerush Eleocharis acicularis Grass or grass-like 8 in Sun Medium Zone 5a
needlepod rush Juncus scirpoides Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 7a
nimblewill Muhlenbergia schreberi Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
nodding lady's tresses Spiranthes cernua Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun High Zone 3b
panicledleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium paniculatum Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 6a
pecan Carya illinoinensis Tree 120 ft Sun High Zone 5a
Pennsylvania smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum Wildflower (forb) 3.9 ft Sun Medium Zone 10b
Philadelphia fleabane Erigeron philadelphicus Wildflower (forb) 2.8 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
plains lovegrass Eragrostis intermedia Grass or grass-like 2.7 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
possumhaw Ilex decidua Tree 33 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
prairie wedgescale Sphenopholis obtusata Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
purple lovegrass Eragrostis spectabilis Grass or grass-like 11 in Sun Low Zone 3a
purple threeawn Aristida purpurea Grass or grass-like 1.4 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
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
roughleaf dogwood Cornus drummondii Tree 20 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 4b
roving sailor Maurandella antirrhiniflora Vine 10 in Sun Medium Zone 6b
saltgrass Distichlis spicata Grass or grass-like 1.1 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
sand dropseed Sporobolus cryptandrus Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
sand lovegrass Eragrostis trichodes Grass or grass-like 3.5 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
saw greenbrier Smilax bona-nox Vine 4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
sawtooth sunflower Helianthus grosseserratus Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
sideoats grama Bouteloua curtipendula Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
skunkbush sumac Rhus trilobata Shrub 4 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 2a
smooth beggartick Bidens laevis Wildflower (forb) 3.3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 12b
smooth horsetail Equisetum laevigatum Fern 5 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
southern waternymph Najas guadalupensis Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun High Zone 3b
squarestem spikerush Eleocharis quadrangulata Grass or grass-like 4 ft Sun High Zone 4b
sugarberry Celtis laevigata Tree 80 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
swamp smartweed Polygonum hydropiperoides Wildflower (forb) — Sun Medium Zone 10b
sweetscent Pluchea odorata Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun Medium Zone 6a
tanglehead Heteropogon contortus Grass or grass-like 8 in Sun Low Zone 8a
tobosagrass Pleuraphis mutica Grass or grass-like 2.3 ft Sun Low Zone 7b
Torrey's rush Juncus torreyi Grass or grass-like 3.1 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
trumpet creeper Campsis radicans Vine 2 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
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
vine mesquite Panicum obtusum Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5a
Virginia wildrye Elymus virginicus Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
white panicle aster Symphyotrichum lanceolatum Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
whitegrass Leersia virginica Grass or grass-like 3.9 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3a
wild tantan Desmanthus virgatus Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 9a
winter bentgrass Agrostis hyemalis Grass or grass-like 3.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
woodland bluegrass Poa sylvestris Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
yellow trumpetbush Tecoma stans Tree 20 ft Sun Low Zone 9a

Other native species recorded here 185

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.

  • Alabama lipfern Cheilanthes alabamensis
  • American star-thistle Centaurea americana
  • American wild carrot Daucus pusillus
  • annual marsh elder Iva annua
  • annual phlox Phlox drummondii
  • aromatic aster Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
  • Atlantic pigeonwings Clitoria mariana
  • azure blue sage Salvia azurea
  • bighead pygmycudweed Evax prolifera
  • bigseed alfalfa dodder Cuscuta indecora
  • blackseed speargrass Piptochaetium avenaceum
  • blackstem spleenwort Asplenium resiliens
  • branched foldwing Dicliptera brachiata
  • bristly scaleseed Spermolepis echinata
  • buffalobur nightshade Solanum rostratum
  • button eryngo Eryngium yuccifolium
  • camphorweed Heterotheca subaxillaris
  • Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
  • carelessweed Amaranthus palmeri
  • Carolina canarygrass Phalaris caroliniana
  • Carolina coralbead Cocculus carolinus
  • Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
  • Carolina larkspur Delphinium carolinianum
  • Carolina mosquitofern Azolla caroliniana
  • Carolina ponysfoot Dichondra carolinensis
  • Carolina woollywhite Hymenopappus scabiosaeus
  • chaffweed Anagallis minima
  • clasping milkweed Asclepias amplexicaulis
  • clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
  • coastal sandbur Cenchrus spinifex
  • compassplant Silphium laciniatum
  • creeping lovegrass Neeragrostis reptans
  • crowpoison Nothoscordum bivalve
  • Cuman ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya
  • curvepod fumewort Corydalis curvisiliqua
  • cutleaf groundcherry Physalis angulata
  • cutleaf nightshade Solanum triflorum
  • Dakota mock vervain Glandularia bipinnatifida
  • densetuft hairsedge Bulbostylis capillaris
  • diamond-flowers Stenaria nigricans
  • downy hawthorn Crataegus mollis
  • downy milkpea Galactia volubilis
  • downy ragged goldenrod Solidago petiolaris
  • Drummond's aster Symphyotrichum drummondii
  • early wildrye Elymus macgregorii
  • Engelmann's daisy Engelmannia peristenia
  • erect spiderling Boerhavia erecta
  • eyebane Chamaesyce nutans
  • false boneset Brickellia eupatorioides
  • fiveangled dodder Cuscuta pentagona
  • flatspine stickseed Lappula occidentalis
  • gaping grass Steinchisma hians
  • garden dewberry Rubus aboriginum
  • great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
  • green dragon Arisaema dracontium
  • groundplum milkvetch Astragalus crassicarpus
  • Guadeloupe cucumber Melothria pendula
  • gum bully Sideroxylon lanuginosum
  • hairy bedstraw Galium pilosum
  • hairy pinweed Lechea mucronata
  • hairy waterclover Marsilea vestita
  • hairy woodland brome Bromus pubescens
  • hairyfruit chervil Chaerophyllum tainturieri
  • hairyseed paspalum Paspalum pubiflorum
  • heartleaf nettle Urtica chamaedryoides
  • heartwing sorrel Rumex hastatulus
  • Heller's rosette grass Dichanthelium oligosanthes
  • herb of grace Bacopa monnieri
  • hogwort Croton capitatus
  • hyssopleaf sandmat Chamaesyce hyssopifolia
  • Jersey tea Ceanothus herbaceus
  • juniper leaf Polypremum procumbens
  • lemon beebalm Monarda citriodora
  • Louisiana vetch Vicia ludoviciana
  • Madagascar dropseed Sporobolus pyramidatus
  • marsh bristlegrass Setaria parviflora
  • matted sandmat Chamaesyce serpens
  • Maximilian sunflower Helianthus maximiliani
  • meadow garlic Allium canadense
  • meadow spikemoss Selaginella apoda
  • Menzies' fiddleneck Amsinckia menziesii
  • Missouri foxtail cactus Escobaria missouriensis
  • Missouri violet Viola missouriensis
  • mucronate sprangletop Leptochloa panicea
  • Muhlenberg's sedge Carex muehlenbergii
  • narrowleaf four o'clock Mirabilis linearis
  • narrowleaf gumweed Grindelia lanceolata
  • narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
  • neckweed Veronica peregrina
  • pale dock Rumex altissimus
  • pale spikerush Eleocharis macrostachya
  • pasture heliotrope Heliotropium tenellum
  • Pennsylvania everlasting Gamochaeta pensylvanica
  • Pennsylvania pellitory Parietaria pensylvanica
  • pineland threeseed mercury Acalypha ostryifolia
  • pineywoods dropseed Sporobolus junceus
  • pink thoroughwort Fleischmannia incarnata
  • pinkladies Oenothera speciosa
  • pitseed goosefoot Chenopodium berlandieri
  • poorjoe Diodia teres
  • potato dwarfdandelion Krigia dandelion
  • poverty dropseed Sporobolus vaginiflorus
  • Powell's amaranth Amaranthus powellii
  • prairie sandmat Chamaesyce missurica
  • prairie spiderwort Tradescantia occidentalis
  • prairie tea Croton monanthogynus
  • prairie threeawn Aristida oligantha
  • prostrate sandmat Chamaesyce prostrata
  • purple cliffbrake Pellaea atropurpurea
  • red lovegrass Eragrostis secundiflora
  • Red River scaleseed Spermolepis inermis
  • redseed plantain Plantago rhodosperma
  • redwhisker clammyweed Polanisia dodecandra
  • roughfruit scaleseed Spermolepis divaricata
  • roundleaf ragwort Packera obovata
  • roundseed panicgrass Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon
  • rusty blackhaw Viburnum rufidulum
  • sand spikerush Eleocharis montevidensis
  • scarlet beeblossom Oenothera suffrutescens
  • shaggy dwarf morning-glory Evolvulus nuttallianus
  • showy evening primrose Oenothera grandis
  • silverleaf nightshade Solanum elaeagnifolium
  • sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
  • sleepy silene Silene antirrhina
  • slender Indiangrass Sorghastrum elliottii
  • slender snakecotton Froelichia gracilis
  • slimflower scurfpea Psoralidium tenuiflorum
  • slimpod Venus' looking-glass Triodanis leptocarpa
  • slimspike threeawn Aristida longespica
  • smallflower fumewort Corydalis micrantha
  • sneezeweed Helenium amarum
  • snow on the mountain Euphorbia marginata
  • soft goldenaster Chrysopsis pilosa
  • soft-hair marbleseed Onosmodium bejariense
  • sorrelvine Cissus trifoliata
  • southeastern wildrye Elymus glabriflorus
  • southern annual saltmarsh aster Symphyotrichum divaricatum
  • southern dewberry Rubus trivialis
  • southern sandbur Cenchrus echinatus
  • southern sedge Carex austrina
  • spiked crested coralroot Hexalectris spicata
  • spotted beebalm Monarda punctata
  • spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
  • spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
  • spring coralroot Corallorhiza wisteriana
  • spurred butterfly pea Centrosema virginianum
  • squirreltail fescue Vulpia elliotea
  • stemless evening primrose Oenothera triloba
  • stretchberry Forestiera pubescens
  • tall lespedeza Lespedeza stuevei
  • tapered rosette grass Dichanthelium acuminatum
  • Texas bluegrass Poa arachnifera
  • Texas croton Croton texensis
  • Texas signalgrass Urochloa texana
  • Texas star Sabatia campestris
  • Texas vervain Verbena halei
  • thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
  • threeflower melicgrass Melica nitens
  • toothed spurge Euphorbia dentata
  • tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
  • tumble windmill grass Chloris verticillata
  • tumblegrass Schedonnardus paniculatus
  • upright burhead Echinodorus berteroi
  • velvetweed Oenothera curtiflora
  • Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
  • warty caltrop Kallstroemia parviflora
  • warty spurge Euphorbia spathulata
  • wedgeleaf draba Draba cuneifolia
  • western horsenettle Solanum dimidiatum
  • western rough goldenrod Solidago radula
  • western silver aster Symphyotrichum sericeum
  • western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
  • western wallflower Erysimum asperum
  • white crownbeard Verbesina virginica
  • white four o'clock Mirabilis albida
  • white heath aster Symphyotrichum ericoides
  • white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
  • whitemouth dayflower Commelina erecta
  • whorled marshpennywort Hydrocotyle verticillata
  • whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
  • willowleaf aster Symphyotrichum praealtum
  • witchgrass Panicum capillare
  • woolly dutchman's pipe Aristolochia tomentosa
  • woolly lipfern Cheilanthes tomentosa
  • Wright's plantain Plantago wrightiana
Also listed as native and introduced here 5

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
  • common pepperweedLepidium densiflorum
  • floating primrose-willowLudwigia peploides
  • Mexican teaDysphania ambrosioides
  • white sagebrushArtemisia ludoviciana

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, Bexar County and Texas
MeasureBexar CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 292 145 1,683
Garden-ready natives 107 61 656
Tree 24 — 164
Shrub 5 — 90
Wildflower (forb) 150 — 877
Grass or grass-like 87 — 431
Vine 17 — 83
Fern 9 — 38

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Bexar County.

Look up another ZIP

Matches your ZIP to the county it mostly lies in, then lists the plants recorded as native to your state (Kew’s World Checklist and USDA PLANTS) and recorded in that county by USDA PLANTS.

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
Bexar County (county FIPS 48029), Texas. 292 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

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