Native plants · Texas

Native plants of Jackson County

162 plant species are recorded as native to Texas in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Jackson County by USDA PLANTS. 63 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

Jackson County, Texas

Native species: 162 Typical Texas county: 145 (median of 254 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 63 Typical Texas county: 61
Share by type (all 162 native species): Percent of the 162 native species in each growth type

Tree 7% (11)
Shrub 3% (5)
Wildflower (forb) 49% (80)
Grass or grass-like 34% (55)
Vine 6% (10)
Fern <1% (1)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (49%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (34%).

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 63

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

Garden-ready native plants of Jackson County, Texas
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
alkali sacaton Sporobolus airoides	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
American beautyberry Callicarpa americana	Shrub	6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 6b
American holly Ilex opaca	Tree	40 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
blue mistflower Conoclinium coelestinum	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
broadleaf signalgrass Urochloa platyphylla	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 9a
brownseed paspalum Paspalum plicatulum	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 8a
bushy seaside tansy Borrichia frutescens	Shrub	2.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 9a
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
Carolina desert-thorn Lycium carolinianum	Shrub	9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 9a
Carolina elephantsfoot Elephantopus carolinianus	Wildflower (forb)	2.7 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
common threesquare Schoenoplectus pungens	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
coralberry Symphoricarpos orbiculatus	Shrub	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
delta arrowhead Sagittaria platyphylla	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 6a
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
false daisy Eclipta prostrata	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 10b
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
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
green hawthorn Crataegus viridis	Tree	30 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
gulf cordgrass Spartina spartinae	Grass or grass-like	6.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 9a
halberdleaf rosemallow Hibiscus laevis	Wildflower (forb)	8 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 6a
Indian blanket Gaillardia pulchella	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
inland rush Juncus interior	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
Jesuit's bark Iva frutescens	Wildflower (forb)	9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 7b
lavender thrift Limonium carolinianum	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 6b
limestone wild petunia Ruellia strepens	Wildflower (forb)	3.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 6a
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
marsh flatsedge Cyperus pseudovegetus	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 8a
needlegrass rush Juncus roemerianus	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 9a
needleleaf rosette grass Dichanthelium aciculare	Grass or grass-like	1.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 7b
nimblewill Muhlenbergia schreberi	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
partridge pea Chamaecrista fasciculata	Wildflower (forb)	2.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
pecan Carya illinoinensis	Tree	120 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
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 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
purpletop tridens Tridens flavus	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
salt heliotrope Heliotropium curassavicum	Wildflower (forb)	1.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
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
seashore dropseed Sporobolus virginicus	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 9a
seashore paspalum Paspalum vaginatum	Grass or grass-like	1 in	Sun	High	Zone 8b
shortbristle horned beaksedge Rhynchospora corniculata	Grass or grass-like	6.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
squarestem spikerush Eleocharis quadrangulata	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4b
stiff marsh bedstraw Galium tinctorium	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
sturdy bulrush Bolboschoenus robustus	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 8a
sweetscent Pluchea odorata	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
tapertip flatsedge Cyperus acuminatus	Grass or grass-like	1.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
thinfruit sedge Carex flaccosperma	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 6b
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
two-wing silverbell Halesia diptera	Tree	15 ft	Sun–part shade	—	Zone 8a
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
wild tantan Desmanthus virgatus	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 9a
yaupon Ilex vomitoria	Tree	25 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 8a
yellow passionflower Passiflora lutea	Vine	16 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5a

Other native species recorded here 99

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 burnweed Erechtites hieraciifolius
annual fimbry Fimbristylis annua
annual marsh elder Iva annua
annual phlox Phlox drummondii
aquatic milkweed Asclepias perennis
arrowfeather threeawn Aristida purpurascens
Baldwin's flatsedge Cyperus croceus
bigpod sesbania Sesbania herbacea
bigseed alfalfa dodder Cuscuta indecora
bigtop lovegrass Eragrostis hirsuta
branched foldwing Dicliptera brachiata
bushy knotweed Polygonum ramosissimum
button eryngo Eryngium yuccifolium
camphorweed Heterotheca subaxillaris
Carolina larkspur Delphinium carolinianum
Carolina mosquitofern Azolla caroliniana
Carolina sedge Carex caroliniana
Carolina woollywhite Hymenopappus scabiosaeus
chaffweed Anagallis minima
clustered beaksedge Rhynchospora glomerata
cone-cup spikerush Eleocharis tuberculosa
crowpoison Nothoscordum bivalve
cusp dodder Cuscuta cuspidata
cutleaf groundcherry Physalis angulata
diamond-flowers Stenaria nigricans
eastern fox sedge Carex triangularis
Elliott's fanpetals Sida elliottii
fewleaf sunflower Helianthus occidentalis
fiveangled dodder Cuscuta pentagona
Florida paspalum Paspalum floridanum
flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
green antelopehorn Asclepias viridis
green carpetweed Mollugo verticillata
groovestem Indian plantain Arnoglossum plantagineum
Guadeloupe cucumber Melothria pendula
gum bully Sideroxylon lanuginosum
hairy fimbry Fimbristylis puberula
hairyseed paspalum Paspalum pubiflorum
Heller's rosette grass Dichanthelium oligosanthes
hogwort Croton capitatus
husk tomato Physalis pubescens
kidneyshape sedge Carex reniformis
kiss me quick Portulaca pilosa
lanceleaf fogfruit Phyla lanceolata
largeseed forget-me-not Myosotis macrosperma
lax hornpod Mitreola petiolata
littlehip hawthorn Crataegus spathulata
Louisiana vetch Vicia ludoviciana
low spearwort Ranunculus pusillus
marsh bristlegrass Setaria parviflora
matted sandmat Chamaesyce serpens
meadow garlic Allium canadense
mucronate sprangletop Leptochloa panicea
narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
neckweed Veronica peregrina
nits and lice Hypericum drummondii
pale spikerush Eleocharis macrostachya
Pennsylvania everlasting Gamochaeta pensylvanica
perennial saltmarsh aster Symphyotrichum tenuifolium
pineywoods dropseed Sporobolus junceus
pinkladies Oenothera speciosa
prairie cupgrass Eriochloa contracta
red lovegrass Eragrostis secundiflora
redseed plantain Plantago rhodosperma
redwhisker clammyweed Polanisia dodecandra
roundseed panicgrass Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon
scaldweed Cuscuta gronovii
sleepy silene Silene antirrhina
slender crabgrass Digitaria filiformis
slender plantain Plantago heterophylla
slimspike threeawn Aristida longespica
small skullcap Scutellaria parvula
smooth ticktrefoil Desmodium laevigatum
snow on the mountain Euphorbia marginata
soft-hair marbleseed Onosmodium bejariense
southern cutgrass Leersia hexandra
southern sandbur Cenchrus echinatus
spiked crested coralroot Hexalectris spicata
spoonleaf purple everlasting Gamochaeta purpurea
spurred butterfly pea Centrosema virginianum
St. Andrew's cross Hypericum hypericoides
tall horned beaksedge Rhynchospora macrostachya
tapered rosette grass Dichanthelium acuminatum
Texas croton Croton texensis
Texas goldentop Euthamia gymnospermoides
Texas star Sabatia campestris
Texas vervain Verbena halei
thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
toothed spurge Euphorbia dentata
upright burhead Echinodorus berteroi
warty spurge Euphorbia spathulata
western rough goldenrod Solidago radula
white crownbeard Verbesina virginica
whitemouth dayflower Commelina erecta
whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
winged lythrum Lythrum alatum
witchgrass Panicum capillare
yellow thistle Cirsium horridulum

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.

cayenne pepperCapsicum annuum
common reedPhragmites australis
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, Jackson County and Texas
Measure	Jackson County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	162	145	1,683
Garden-ready natives	63	61	656
Tree	11	—	164
Shrub	5	—	90
Wildflower (forb)	80	—	877
Grass or grass-like	55	—	431
Vine	10	—	83
Fern	1	—	38

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Jackson County.

Calhoun County, TX 79 garden-ready
Matagorda County, TX 85 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: Jackson County (county FIPS 48239), Texas. 162 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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