Native plants · Texas

Native plants of Hays County

281 plant species are recorded as native to Texas in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Hays County by USDA PLANTS. 122 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 3 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Hays County, Texas

Native species
281 Typical Texas county: 145 (median of 254 counties)
Garden-ready natives
122 Typical Texas county: 61
Share by type (all 281 native species)
Percent of the 281 native species in each growth type
Tree 12% (34)
Shrub 3% (8)
Wildflower (forb) 54% (152)
Grass or grass-like 22% (61)
Vine 7% (19)
Fern 2% (7)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (54%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (22%).

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 122

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

Garden-ready native plants of Hays County, Texas
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy to
American basswood Tilia americana Tree 100 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
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
Arizona walnut Juglans major Tree 50 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
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
beaked spikerush Eleocharis rostellata Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun High Zone 4b
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
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
broadleaf cattail Typha latifolia Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
broomsedge bluestem Andropogon virginicus Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
buffalograss Bouteloua dactyloides Grass or grass-like 6 in Sun Medium Zone 3b
California bulrush Schoenoplectus californicus Grass or grass-like 6.6 ft Sun High Zone 9a
Canada germander Teucrium canadense Wildflower (forb) 3.3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3a
Canada goldenrod Solidago altissima Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
Canada wildrye Elymus canadensis Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3a
cane bluestem Bothriochloa barbinodis Grass or grass-like 4 ft Sun Medium Zone 7b
Carolina fanwort Cabomba caroliniana Wildflower (forb) — Sun–part shade High Zone 5a
cedar elm Ulmus crassifolia Tree 90 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6a
chinquapin oak Quercus muehlenbergii Tree 70 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
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 buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis Tree 15 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
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
common sneezeweed Helenium autumnale Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
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
curly-mesquite Hilaria belangeri Grass or grass-like 10 in Sun Low Zone 8b
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
dotted smartweed Polygonum punctatum Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 10b
dwarf palmetto Sabal minor Tree 9 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 8a
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
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
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
flatstem spikerush Eleocharis compressa Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun High Zone 4a
fragrant flatsedge Cyperus odoratus Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 11b
fringeleaf wild petunia Ruellia humilis Wildflower (forb) 2.6 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
giant cutgrass Zizaniopsis miliacea Grass or grass-like 9 ft Sun High Zone 8b
giant goldenrod Solidago gigantea Wildflower (forb) 8.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
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 ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica Tree 80 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
green hawthorn Crataegus viridis Tree 30 ft Sun High Zone 5a
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
heartleaf peppervine Ampelopsis cordata Vine 2 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6b
honey mesquite Prosopis glandulosa Tree 50 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
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
knotgrass Paspalum distichum Grass or grass-like 11 in Sun High Zone 6a
lemonscent Pectis angustifolia Wildflower (forb) 8 in Sun Low Zone 5a
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
little walnut Juglans microcarpa Tree 20 ft Sun Medium Zone 7a
live oak Quercus virginiana Tree 50 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 8a
longleaf pondweed Potamogeton nodosus Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 3b
marsh seedbox Ludwigia palustris Wildflower (forb) 2 in Sun High Zone 4a
mescal bean Sophora secundiflora Tree 15 ft Sun Medium Zone 8a
Missouri gourd Cucurbita foetidissima Vine 1 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
nimblewill Muhlenbergia schreberi Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
northern catalpa Catalpa speciosa Tree 60 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
northern spicebush Lindera benzoin Tree 12 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
Nuttall's povertyweed Monolepis nuttalliana Wildflower (forb) 10 in Sun Medium Zone 12a
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
peppervine Nekemias arborea Vine 1 in Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
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
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
purpletop tridens Tridens flavus Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
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
roughleaf dogwood Cornus drummondii Tree 20 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 4b
roving sailor Maurandella antirrhiniflora Vine 10 in Sun Medium Zone 6b
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
Shumard's oak Quercus shumardii Tree 100 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
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
smallspike false nettle Boehmeria cylindrica Wildflower (forb) 3.9 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
smooth beggartick Bidens laevis Wildflower (forb) 3.3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 12b
softstem bulrush Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani Grass or grass-like 9 ft Sun High Zone 3b
southern magnolia Magnolia grandiflora Tree 100 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 8a
southern waternymph Najas guadalupensis Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun High Zone 3b
Spanish moss Tillandsia usneoides Vine — Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 9b
strawcolored flatsedge Cyperus strigosus Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
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
switchgrass Panicum virgatum Grass or grass-like 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
tobosagrass Pleuraphis mutica Grass or grass-like 2.3 ft Sun Low Zone 7b
trumpet honeysuckle Lonicera sempervirens Vine 16 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
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
valley redstem Ammannia coccinea Wildflower (forb) 1.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
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
wild tantan Desmanthus virgatus Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 9a
wingleaf primrose-willow Ludwigia decurrens Wildflower (forb) 4.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 8a
yellow passionflower Passiflora lutea Vine 16 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5a
yellow trumpetbush Tecoma stans Tree 20 ft Sun Low Zone 9a

Other native species recorded here 159

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
  • azure blue sage Salvia azurea
  • Baldwin's ironweed Vernonia baldwinii
  • beach false foxglove Agalinis fasciculata
  • biannual lettuce Lactuca ludoviciana
  • bighead pygmycudweed Evax prolifera
  • bigpod sesbania Sesbania herbacea
  • bigseed alfalfa dodder Cuscuta indecora
  • bigtop lovegrass Eragrostis hirsuta
  • blackstem spleenwort Asplenium resiliens
  • bluestem pricklypoppy Argemone albiflora
  • branched foldwing Dicliptera brachiata
  • Brazilian watermeal Wolffia brasiliensis
  • bristly greenbrier Smilax tamnoides
  • buffalobur nightshade Solanum rostratum
  • bulbous woodrush Luzula bulbosa
  • camphor pluchea Pluchea camphorata
  • camphorweed Heterotheca subaxillaris
  • Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
  • Carolina canarygrass Phalaris caroliniana
  • Carolina coralbead Cocculus carolinus
  • Carolina desert-chicory Pyrrhopappus carolinianus
  • Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
  • Carolina larkspur Delphinium carolinianum
  • Carolina mosquitofern Azolla caroliniana
  • Carolina ponysfoot Dichondra carolinensis
  • Carolina woollywhite Hymenopappus scabiosaeus
  • Columbian watermeal Wolffia columbiana
  • crested anoda Anoda cristata
  • crowpoison Nothoscordum bivalve
  • Cuman ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya
  • curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
  • curvepod fumewort Corydalis curvisiliqua
  • Dakota mock vervain Glandularia bipinnatifida
  • diamond-flowers Stenaria nigricans
  • downy phlox Phlox pilosa
  • Drummond's aster Symphyotrichum drummondii
  • Drummond's false pennyroyal Hedeoma drummondii
  • early wildrye Elymus macgregorii
  • eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
  • Engelmann's daisy Engelmannia peristenia
  • erect centella Centella erecta
  • eyebane Chamaesyce nutans
  • fire on the mountain Euphorbia cyathophora
  • fiveangled dodder Cuscuta pentagona
  • Florida paspalum Paspalum floridanum
  • flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
  • garden dewberry Rubus aboriginum
  • grassy arrowhead Sagittaria graminea
  • great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
  • green antelopehorn Asclepias viridis
  • green comet milkweed Asclepias viridiflora
  • groovestem Indian plantain Arnoglossum plantagineum
  • groundplum milkvetch Astragalus crassicarpus
  • Guadeloupe cucumber Melothria pendula
  • gum bully Sideroxylon lanuginosum
  • hairy fimbry Fimbristylis puberula
  • hairy waterclover Marsilea vestita
  • hairy woodland brome Bromus pubescens
  • hairyfruit chervil Chaerophyllum tainturieri
  • hairyseed paspalum Paspalum pubiflorum
  • heartleaf four o'clock Mirabilis nyctaginea
  • Heller's rosette grass Dichanthelium oligosanthes
  • herb of grace Bacopa monnieri
  • hogwort Croton capitatus
  • horned pondweed Zannichellia palustris
  • humped bladderwort Utricularia gibba
  • hyssopleaf sandmat Chamaesyce hyssopifolia
  • Illinois pondweed Potamogeton illinoensis
  • Jersey tea Ceanothus herbaceus
  • largeseed forget-me-not Myosotis macrosperma
  • lateflowering thoroughwort Eupatorium serotinum
  • lax hornpod Mitreola petiolata
  • lemon beebalm Monarda citriodora
  • Louisiana vetch Vicia ludoviciana
  • low nutrush Scleria verticillata
  • lyreleaf sage Salvia lyrata
  • marsh bristlegrass Setaria parviflora
  • matted sandmat Chamaesyce serpens
  • Maximilian sunflower Helianthus maximiliani
  • meadow garlic Allium canadense
  • meadow spikemoss Selaginella apoda
  • mucronate sprangletop Leptochloa panicea
  • narrowleaf gumweed Grindelia lanceolata
  • narrowleaf paleseed Leucospora multifida
  • narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
  • pasture heliotrope Heliotropium tenellum
  • Pennsylvania pellitory Parietaria pensylvanica
  • Peruvian dodder Cuscuta obtusiflora
  • pineland threeseed mercury Acalypha ostryifolia
  • pinkladies Oenothera speciosa
  • poverty dropseed Sporobolus vaginiflorus
  • prairie broomweed Amphiachyris dracunculoides
  • prairie spiderwort Tradescantia occidentalis
  • prairie tea Croton monanthogynus
  • prairie threeawn Aristida oligantha
  • prostrate sandmat Chamaesyce prostrata
  • purple cliffbrake Pellaea atropurpurea
  • purple spikerush Eleocharis atropurpurea
  • rabbit-tobacco Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
  • ram's horn Proboscidea louisianica
  • red columbine Aquilegia canadensis
  • red lovegrass Eragrostis secundiflora
  • redseed plantain Plantago rhodosperma
  • redwhisker clammyweed Polanisia dodecandra
  • rusty blackhaw Viburnum rufidulum
  • sand spikerush Eleocharis montevidensis
  • sandpaper vervain Verbena scabra
  • scarlet beeblossom Oenothera suffrutescens
  • sessileleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium sessilifolium
  • shaggy dwarf morning-glory Evolvulus nuttallianus
  • shortstalk chickweed Cerastium brachypodum
  • silverleaf nightshade Solanum elaeagnifolium
  • sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
  • slender Indiangrass Sorghastrum elliottii
  • slender yellow woodsorrel Oxalis dillenii
  • slimflower scurfpea Psoralidium tenuiflorum
  • small pondweed Potamogeton pusillus
  • small Venus' looking-glass Triodanis biflora
  • smallflower fumewort Corydalis micrantha
  • smallhead doll's daisy Boltonia diffusa
  • sneezeweed Helenium amarum
  • snow on the mountain Euphorbia marginata
  • soft-hair marbleseed Onosmodium bejariense
  • southern cattail Typha domingensis
  • southern dewberry Rubus trivialis
  • spring coralroot Corallorhiza wisteriana
  • stemless evening primrose Oenothera triloba
  • stream orchid Epipactis gigantea
  • stretchberry Forestiera pubescens
  • tapered rosette grass Dichanthelium acuminatum
  • Texas signalgrass Urochloa texana
  • thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
  • toothed spurge Euphorbia dentata
  • tumble windmill grass Chloris verticillata
  • tumblegrass Schedonnardus paniculatus
  • twistspine pricklypear Opuntia macrorhiza
  • twoleaf watermilfoil Myriophyllum heterophyllum
  • upright burhead Echinodorus berteroi
  • Vahl's fimbry Fimbristylis vahlii
  • velvetweed Oenothera curtiflora
  • Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
  • Virginia snakeroot Aristolochia serpentaria
  • water lettuce Pistia stratiotes
  • wedgeleaf draba Draba cuneifolia
  • western horsenettle Solanum dimidiatum
  • western rough goldenrod Solidago radula
  • western silver aster Symphyotrichum sericeum
  • western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
  • white crownbeard Verbesina virginica
  • white four o'clock Mirabilis albida
  • white heath aster Symphyotrichum ericoides
  • whitemouth dayflower Commelina erecta
  • winged lythrum Lythrum alatum
  • witchgrass Panicum capillare
  • woolly tidestromia Tidestromia lanuginosa
Also listed as native and introduced here 3

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
  • 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, Hays County and Texas
MeasureHays CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 281 145 1,683
Garden-ready natives 122 61 656
Tree 34 — 164
Shrub 8 — 90
Wildflower (forb) 152 — 877
Grass or grass-like 61 — 431
Vine 19 — 83
Fern 7 — 38

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Hays 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
Hays County (county FIPS 48209), Texas. 281 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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