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Native plants · Texas

Native plants of Colorado County

196 plant species are recorded as native to Texas in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Colorado County by USDA PLANTS. 76 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

Colorado County, Texas

Native species
196 Typical Texas county: 145 (median of 254 counties)
Garden-ready natives
76 Typical Texas county: 61
Share by type (all 196 native species)
Percent of the 196 native species in each growth type
Tree 10% (19)
Shrub 2% (3)
Wildflower (forb) 52% (101)
Grass or grass-like 31% (60)
Vine 5% (9)
Fern 2% (4)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (52%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (31%).

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

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

Garden-ready natives 76

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

Garden-ready native plants of Colorado County, Texas
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy to
American lotus Nelumbo lutea Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun High Zone 3b
arrowleaf tearthumb Polygonum sagittatum Vine 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 6a
black willow Salix nigra Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 1b
blackjack oak Quercus marilandica Tree 25 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
broadleaf signalgrass Urochloa platyphylla Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 9a
Bush's sedge Carex bushii Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
Canada germander Teucrium canadense Wildflower (forb) 3.3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3a
Carolina fanwort Cabomba caroliniana Wildflower (forb) — Sun–part shade High Zone 5a
Carolina foxtail Alopecurus carolinianus Grass or grass-like 1.7 ft Sun Low Zone 3a
common blue violet Viola sororia Wildflower (forb) 4 in Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
common buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis Tree 15 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
common goldstar Hypoxis hirsuta Wildflower (forb) 10 in Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
coon's tail Ceratophyllum demersum Wildflower (forb) — Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
crested pricklypoppy Argemone polyanthemos Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
delta arrowhead Sagittaria platyphylla Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun High Zone 6a
dotted blazing star Liatris punctata Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
eastern baccharis Baccharis halimifolia Tree 10 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 7a
eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides Tree 190 ft Sun High Zone 3a
eastern redcedar Juniperus virginiana Tree 50 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3a
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
false indigo bush Amorpha fruticosa Shrub 15 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
farkleberry Vaccinium arboreum Tree 28 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
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 tickseed Coreopsis tinctoria Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 12b
green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica Tree 80 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
groundnut Apios americana Vine 1 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
hairawn muhly Muhlenbergia capillaris Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun High Zone 8a
halberdleaf rosemallow Hibiscus laevis Wildflower (forb) 8 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 6a
haspan flatsedge Cyperus haspan Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 8a
Indian blanket Gaillardia pulchella Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 10b
knotgrass Paspalum distichum Grass or grass-like 11 in Sun High Zone 6a
late purple aster Symphyotrichum patens Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
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
longspike tridens Tridens strictus Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 2a
longtom Paspalum denticulatum Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 8b
narrowleaf silkgrass Pityopsis graminifolia Wildflower (forb) 2.8 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 7a
needleleaf rosette grass Dichanthelium aciculare Grass or grass-like 1.6 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 7b
nodding lady's tresses Spiranthes cernua Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun High Zone 3b
Osage-orange Maclura pomifera Tree 35 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
panicledleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium paniculatum Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 6a
partridge pea Chamaecrista fasciculata Wildflower (forb) 2.4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7a
pecan Carya illinoinensis Tree 120 ft Sun High Zone 5a
Pennsylvania smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum Wildflower (forb) 3.9 ft Sun Medium Zone 10b
peppervine Nekemias arborea Vine 1 in Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
plains lovegrass Eragrostis intermedia Grass or grass-like 2.7 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
poorland flatsedge Cyperus compressus Grass or grass-like 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 11a
possumhaw Ilex decidua Tree 33 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
post oak Quercus stellata Tree 60 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
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
purple threeawn Aristida purpurea Grass or grass-like 1.4 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
purplehead sneezeweed Helenium flexuosum Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
ravenfoot sedge Carex crus-corvi Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
red buckeye Aesculus pavia Tree 25 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
red mulberry Morus rubra Tree 70 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
redtop panicgrass Panicum rigidulum Grass or grass-like 3.3 ft Sun High Zone 4a
shortbristle horned beaksedge Rhynchospora corniculata Grass or grass-like 6.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 6a
smallspike false nettle Boehmeria cylindrica Wildflower (forb) 3.9 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
southern waternymph Najas guadalupensis Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun High Zone 3b
splitbeard bluestem Andropogon ternarius Grass or grass-like 3.9 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5b
squarestem spikerush Eleocharis quadrangulata Grass or grass-like 4 ft Sun High Zone 4b
strawcolored flatsedge Cyperus strigosus Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
summer grape Vitis aestivalis Vine 30 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
swamp smartweed Polygonum hydropiperoides Wildflower (forb) — Sun Medium Zone 10b
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
turkey tangle fogfruit Phyla nodiflora Wildflower (forb) 2 in Sun–part shade Low Zone 5b
water hickory Carya aquatica Tree 85 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5b
wax myrtle Morella cerifera Tree 10 ft Sun High Zone 7a
white prairie clover Dalea candida Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
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
yaupon Ilex vomitoria Tree 25 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 8a

Other native species recorded here 120

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 burnweed Erechtites hieraciifolius
  • American white waterlily Nymphaea odorata
  • annual fimbry Fimbristylis annua
  • annual phlox Phlox drummondii
  • azure blue sage Salvia azurea
  • Baldwin's flatsedge Cyperus croceus
  • beaked cornsalad Valerianella radiata
  • beaked panicgrass Panicum anceps
  • bluestem pricklypoppy Argemone albiflora
  • camphorweed Heterotheca subaxillaris
  • Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
  • Carolina anemone Anemone caroliniana
  • Carolina canarygrass Phalaris caroliniana
  • Carolina mosquitofern Azolla caroliniana
  • clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
  • clustered beaksedge Rhynchospora glomerata
  • coastal sandbur Cenchrus spinifex
  • Columbian watermeal Wolffia columbiana
  • creeping primrose-willow Ludwigia repens
  • crowpoison Nothoscordum bivalve
  • Cuman ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya
  • downy milkpea Galactia volubilis
  • dwarf umbrella-sedge Fuirena pumila
  • early buttercup Ranunculus fascicularis
  • eastern marsh fern Thelypteris palustris
  • ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
  • Engelmann's daisy Engelmannia peristenia
  • erect spiderling Boerhavia erecta
  • eyebane Chamaesyce nutans
  • fall witchgrass Digitaria cognata
  • fewleaf sunflower Helianthus occidentalis
  • Florida paspalum Paspalum floridanum
  • flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
  • gaping grass Steinchisma hians
  • globe beaksedge Rhynchospora globularis
  • globe beaksedge Rhynchospora recognita
  • great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
  • green comet milkweed Asclepias viridiflora
  • hairy clustervine Jacquemontia tamnifolia
  • hairy fimbry Fimbristylis puberula
  • hairy lettuce Lactuca hirsuta
  • hairy pinweed Lechea mucronata
  • hairy waterclover Marsilea vestita
  • Harvey's beaksedge Rhynchospora harveyi
  • Heller's rosette grass Dichanthelium oligosanthes
  • hirsute sedge Carex complanata
  • hogwort Croton capitatus
  • humped bladderwort Utricularia gibba
  • hyssopleaf sandmat Chamaesyce hyssopifolia
  • juniper leaf Polypremum procumbens
  • lanceleaf blanketflower Gaillardia aestivalis
  • lanceleaf fogfruit Phyla lanceolata
  • largeflower tickseed Coreopsis grandiflora
  • largeseed forget-me-not Myosotis macrosperma
  • lax hornpod Mitreola petiolata
  • lemon beebalm Monarda citriodora
  • lesser duckweed Lemna aequinoctialis
  • littlehip hawthorn Crataegus spathulata
  • longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
  • Louisiana vetch Vicia ludoviciana
  • manyflower marshpennywort Hydrocotyle umbellata
  • matted sandmat Chamaesyce serpens
  • meadow garlic Allium canadense
  • mucronate sprangletop Leptochloa panicea
  • narrowleaf mountainmint Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
  • narrowleaf paleseed Leucospora multifida
  • nits and lice Hypericum drummondii
  • northern slender lady's tresses Spiranthes lacera
  • Oklahoma grasspink Calopogon oklahomensis
  • openflower rosette grass Dichanthelium laxiflorum
  • pineland threeseed mercury Acalypha ostryifolia
  • pinkladies Oenothera speciosa
  • plains snakecotton Froelichia floridana
  • prairie threeawn Aristida oligantha
  • prostrate sandmat Chamaesyce prostrata
  • racemed milkwort Polygala polygama
  • rice button aster Symphyotrichum dumosum
  • Richard's yelloweyed grass Xyris jupicai
  • roundseed panicgrass Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon
  • sand spikerush Eleocharis montevidensis
  • scaldweed Cuscuta gronovii
  • sessileleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium sessilifolium
  • silverleaf nightshade Solanum elaeagnifolium
  • sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
  • slender Indiangrass Sorghastrum elliottii
  • slender snakecotton Froelichia gracilis
  • slimflower scurfpea Psoralidium tenuiflorum
  • slimpod rush Juncus diffusissimus
  • smallhead doll's daisy Boltonia diffusa
  • sneezeweed Helenium amarum
  • snow on the mountain Euphorbia marginata
  • southern annual saltmarsh aster Symphyotrichum divaricatum
  • southern cutgrass Leersia hexandra
  • southern jointweed Polygonella americana
  • southern sedge Carex austrina
  • Spanish needles Bidens bipinnata
  • spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
  • spurred butterfly pea Centrosema virginianum
  • squirreltail fescue Vulpia elliotea
  • St. Andrew's cross Hypericum hypericoides
  • starved panicgrass Dichanthelium depauperatum
  • stout rush Juncus nodatus
  • tall horned beaksedge Rhynchospora macrostachya
  • tapered rosette grass Dichanthelium acuminatum
  • Texas goldentop Euthamia gymnospermoides
  • Texas toadflax Nuttallanthus texanus
  • Texas vervain Verbena halei
  • tiny bluet Houstonia pusilla
  • toothed spurge Euphorbia dentata
  • tropical flatsedge Cyperus surinamensis
  • tumblegrass Schedonnardus paniculatus
  • twoflower melicgrass Melica mutica
  • Vahl's fimbry Fimbristylis vahlii
  • violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
  • Virginia buttonweed Diodia virginiana
  • water lettuce Pistia stratiotes
  • western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
  • white four o'clock Mirabilis albida
  • whitemouth dayflower Commelina erecta
  • winged lythrum Lythrum alatum
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.

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, Colorado County and Texas
MeasureColorado CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 196 145 1,683
Garden-ready natives 76 61 656
Tree 19 — 164
Shrub 3 — 90
Wildflower (forb) 101 — 877
Grass or grass-like 60 — 431
Vine 9 — 83
Fern 4 — 38

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Colorado 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
Colorado County (county FIPS 48089), Texas. 196 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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