Native plants · Texas

Native plants of Fort Bend County

165 plant species are recorded as native to Texas in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Fort Bend County by USDA PLANTS. 70 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 2 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Fort Bend County, Texas

Native species: 165 Typical Texas county: 145 (median of 254 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 70 Typical Texas county: 61
Share by type (all 165 native species): Percent of the 165 native species in each growth type

Tree 14% (23)
Shrub 2% (4)
Wildflower (forb) 49% (81)
Grass or grass-like 28% (46)
Vine 7% (11)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (49%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (28%).

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 9a to 9b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 70

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

Garden-ready native plants of Fort Bend County, Texas
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
American basswood Tilia americana	Tree	100 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
bearded beggarticks Bidens aristosa	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12b
black willow Salix nigra	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1b
boxelder Acer negundo	Tree	60 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
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
Canadian milkvetch Astragalus canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
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
Chickasaw plum Prunus angustifolia	Tree	12 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
climbing hempvine Mikania scandens	Vine	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
composite dropseed Sporobolus compositus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
coon's tail Ceratophyllum demersum	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
coralberry Symphoricarpos orbiculatus	Shrub	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
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 swampprivet Forestiera acuminata	Tree	33 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
eastern woodland sedge Carex blanda	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
false indigo bush Amorpha fruticosa	Shrub	15 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
farkleberry Vaccinium arboreum	Tree	28 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
fringeleaf wild petunia Ruellia humilis	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
giant cane Arundinaria gigantea	Shrub	25 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
golden tickseed Coreopsis tinctoria	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12b
graybark grape Vitis cinerea	Vine	50 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6b
green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica	Tree	80 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
green hawthorn Crataegus viridis	Tree	30 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
heartleaf peppervine Ampelopsis cordata	Vine	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6b
Indian woodoats Chasmanthium latifolium	Grass or grass-like	4.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
inland rush Juncus interior	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
late purple aster Symphyotrichum patens	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
limestone wild petunia Ruellia strepens	Wildflower (forb)	3.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	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
live oak Quercus virginiana	Tree	50 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 8a
longtom Paspalum denticulatum	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 8b
Mississippi buttercup Ranunculus laxicaulis	Wildflower (forb)	1.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 6b
needleleaf rosette grass Dichanthelium aciculare	Grass or grass-like	1.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 7b
pecan Carya illinoinensis	Tree	120 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
peppervine Nekemias arborea	Vine	1 in	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
possumhaw Ilex decidua	Tree	33 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
poverty rush Juncus tenuis	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
prairie blazing star Liatris pycnostachya	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
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 poppymallow Callirhoe involucrata	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
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
redroot flatsedge Cyperus erythrorhizos	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 11a
roughleaf dogwood Cornus drummondii	Tree	20 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
saw greenbrier Smilax bona-nox	Vine	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
shagbark hickory Carya ovata	Tree	75 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
shortbristle horned beaksedge Rhynchospora corniculata	Grass or grass-like	6.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
Shumard's oak Quercus shumardii	Tree	100 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
slippery elm Ulmus rubra	Tree	85 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3a
smooth sumac Rhus glabra	Tree	12 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
southern waternymph Najas guadalupensis	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
spring spiderlily Hymenocallis liriosme	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 7b
stiff goldenrod Oligoneuron rigidum	Wildflower (forb)	3.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
swamp smartweed Polygonum hydropiperoides	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
tapertip rush Juncus acuminatus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
trumpet creeper Campsis radicans	Vine	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
variable panicgrass Dichanthelium commutatum	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia	Vine	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
Virginia wildrye Elymus virginicus	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
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
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

Other native species recorded here 95

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.

amberique-bean Strophostyles helvola
American wild carrot Daucus pusillus
annual marsh elder Iva annua
aquatic milkweed Asclepias perennis
bigtop lovegrass Eragrostis hirsuta
bluestem pricklypoppy Argemone albiflora
branched foldwing Dicliptera brachiata
button eryngo Eryngium yuccifolium
Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
Carolina anemone Anemone caroliniana
Carolina clover Trifolium carolinianum
Carolina larkspur Delphinium carolinianum
Carolina ponysfoot Dichondra carolinensis
Carolina woollywhite Hymenopappus scabiosaeus
chaffweed Anagallis minima
Cherokee sedge Carex cherokeensis
clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
clustered blacksnakeroot Sanicula odorata
coastal lovegrass Eragrostis refracta
crowpoison Nothoscordum bivalve
cylindricfruit primrose-willow Ludwigia glandulosa
Dillenius' ticktrefoil Desmodium glabellum
dwarf hackberry Celtis pumila
early wildrye Elymus macgregorii
eastern fox sedge Carex triangularis
eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
Florida paspalum Paspalum floridanum
fragrant spikesedge Kyllinga odorata
fringed nutrush Scleria ciliata
gaping grass Steinchisma hians
green antelopehorn Asclepias viridis
green carpetweed Mollugo verticillata
green comet milkweed Asclepias viridiflora
groovestem Indian plantain Arnoglossum plantagineum
hairy fimbry Fimbristylis puberula
hairy small-leaf ticktrefoil Desmodium ciliare
heartleaf nettle Urtica chamaedryoides
heartwing sorrel Rumex hastatulus
hirsute sedge Carex complanata
hogwort Croton capitatus
keeled bulrush Isolepis carinata
lanceleaf fogfruit Phyla lanceolata
largebracted plantain Plantago aristata
lateflowering thoroughwort Eupatorium serotinum
Leavenworth's sedge Carex leavenworthii
little duckweed Lemna obscura
longflower beeblossom Oenothera filiformis
Louisiana vetch Vicia ludoviciana
low spearwort Ranunculus pusillus
lyreleaf sage Salvia lyrata
marsh bristlegrass Setaria parviflora
meadow garlic Allium canadense
Mexican plum Prunus mexicana
narrowleaf four o'clock Mirabilis linearis
narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
October lady's tresses Spiranthes ovalis
pale spikerush Eleocharis macrostachya
pine barren flatsedge Cyperus retrorsus
potato dwarfdandelion Krigia dandelion
prairie broomweed Amphiachyris dracunculoides
prairie cupgrass Eriochloa contracta
prairie plantain Plantago elongata
prickly fanpetals Sida spinosa
procession flower Polygala incarnata
purple meadow-rue Thalictrum dasycarpum
purplerocket Iodanthus pinnatifidus
queen's-delight Stillingia sylvatica
reflexed sedge Carex retroflexa
sharpscale sedge Carex oxylepis
shortbeak sedge Carex brevior
silvery everlasting Gamochaeta argyrinea
sleepy silene Silene antirrhina
slender wedgescale Sphenopholis intermedia
smallflower fumewort Corydalis micrantha
smallfruit spikerush Eleocharis microcarpa
smooth ticktrefoil Desmodium laevigatum
sneezeweed Helenium amarum
snow on the mountain Euphorbia marginata
southern dewberry Rubus trivialis
spring lady's tresses Spiranthes vernalis
St. Andrew's cross Hypericum hypericoides
stiff yellow flax Linum medium
stout rush Juncus nodatus
Texas star Sabatia campestris
threadleaf evening primrose Oenothera linifolia
trailing pearlwort Sagina decumbens
upright burhead Echinodorus berteroi
violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
Virginia springbeauty Claytonia virginica
warty spurge Euphorbia spathulata
water lettuce Pistia stratiotes
white vervain Verbena urticifolia
whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
yellow thistle Cirsium horridulum

Also listed as native and introduced here 2

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.

floating primrose-willowLudwigia peploides
Mexican teaDysphania ambrosioides

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, Fort Bend County and Texas
Measure	Fort Bend County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	165	145	1,683
Garden-ready natives	70	61	656
Tree	23	—	164
Shrub	4	—	90
Wildflower (forb)	81	—	877
Grass or grass-like	46	—	431
Vine	11	—	83
Fern	0	—	38

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Fort Bend County.

Austin County, TX 86 garden-ready
Brazoria County, TX 191 garden-ready
Harris County, TX 254 garden-ready
Waller County, TX 63 garden-ready
Wharton County, TX 47 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: Fort Bend County (county FIPS 48157), Texas. 165 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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