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Native plants · Texas

Native plants of Matagorda County

193 plant species are recorded as native to Texas in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Matagorda County by USDA PLANTS. 85 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

Matagorda County, Texas

Native species
193 Typical Texas county: 145 (median of 254 counties)
Garden-ready natives
85 Typical Texas county: 61
Share by type (all 193 native species)
Percent of the 193 native species in each growth type
Tree 10% (19)
Shrub 3% (5)
Wildflower (forb) 54% (104)
Grass or grass-like 26% (50)
Vine 8% (15)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (54%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (26%).

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 9b (2023 map).

The native plant list

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

Garden-ready natives 85

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

Garden-ready native plants of Matagorda County, Texas
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy to
American lotus Nelumbo lutea Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun High Zone 3b
American snowbell Styrax americanus Tree 10 ft Sun–part shade — Zone 5b
arrowleaf tearthumb Polygonum sagittatum Vine 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 6a
bayhops Ipomoea pes-caprae Vine 1 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 9a
bitter panicgrass Panicum amarum Grass or grass-like 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
black willow Salix nigra Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 1b
blue mistflower Conoclinium coelestinum Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
broadleaf cattail Typha latifolia Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
bur oak Quercus macrocarpa Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
bushy seaside tansy Borrichia frutescens Shrub 2.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 9a
Canadian lousewort Pedicularis canadensis Wildflower (forb) 1.3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3a
clasping coneflower Dracopis amplexicaulis Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun High Zone 10b
climbing hempvine Mikania scandens Vine 1 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
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
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 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 St. Johnswort Hypericum mutilum Wildflower (forb) 2.6 ft Sun–part shade Medium 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 redbud Cercis canadensis Tree 30 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4b
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
golden tickseed Coreopsis tinctoria Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 12b
grassleaf rush Juncus marginatus Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
gulf cordgrass Spartina spartinae Grass or grass-like 6.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 9a
hairy grama Bouteloua hirsuta Grass or grass-like 6 in Sun Low Zone 3b
haspan flatsedge Cyperus haspan Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 8a
Illinois bundleflower Desmanthus illinoensis Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
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
knotgrass Paspalum distichum Grass or grass-like 11 in Sun High Zone 6a
lanceleaf greenbrier Smilax smallii Vine 1 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6b
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
marsh flatsedge Cyperus pseudovegetus Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Sun High Zone 8a
Mississippi buttercup Ranunculus laxicaulis Wildflower (forb) 1.2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 6b
mockernut hickory Carya tomentosa Tree 85 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
muscadine Vitis rotundifolia Vine 30 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5b
narrowleaf silkgrass Pityopsis graminifolia Wildflower (forb) 2.8 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 7a
New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanus Shrub 3 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4b
panicledleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium paniculatum Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 6a
parsley hawthorn Crataegus marshallii Tree 25 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7a
partridge pea Chamaecrista fasciculata Wildflower (forb) 2.4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7a
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
planertree Planera aquatica Tree 50 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7a
poorland flatsedge Cyperus compressus Grass or grass-like 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 11a
prairie blazing star Liatris pycnostachya Wildflower (forb) 3.5 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
prairie fleabane Erigeron strigosus Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
prairie wedgescale Sphenopholis obtusata Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
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
redtop panicgrass Panicum rigidulum Grass or grass-like 3.3 ft Sun High Zone 4a
roughleaf dogwood Cornus drummondii Tree 20 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 4b
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
saltmeadow cordgrass Spartina patens Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun High Zone 7a
seaoats Uniola paniculata Grass or grass-like 6 ft Sun Low Zone 8a
seashore dropseed Sporobolus virginicus Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 9a
shortbristle horned beaksedge Rhynchospora corniculata Grass or grass-like 6.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 6a
smooth cordgrass Spartina alterniflora Grass or grass-like 3.5 ft Sun High Zone 5a
smooth hedgenettle Stachys tenuifolia Wildflower (forb) 25 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
smooth sumac Rhus glabra Tree 12 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
splitbeard bluestem Andropogon ternarius Grass or grass-like 3.9 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5b
spring spiderlily Hymenocallis liriosme Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 7b
swamp smartweed Polygonum hydropiperoides Wildflower (forb) — Sun Medium Zone 10b
swamp sunflower Helianthus angustifolius Wildflower (forb) 5.6 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
taperleaf water horehound Lycopus rubellus Wildflower (forb) 1.6 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
tapertip flatsedge Cyperus acuminatus Grass or grass-like 1.3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
tapertip rush Juncus acuminatus Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
turkey tangle fogfruit Phyla nodiflora Wildflower (forb) 2 in Sun–part shade Low Zone 5b
vine mesquite Panicum obtusum Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5a
Virginia sweetspire Itea virginica Shrub 10 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
white avens Geum canadense Wildflower (forb) 3.9 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
whiteroot rush Juncus brachycarpus Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
widgeongrass Ruppia maritima Wildflower (forb) 2 in Sun High Zone 7a
wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
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

Other native species recorded here 108

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 supplejack Berchemia scandens
  • American featherfoil Hottonia inflata
  • American star-thistle Centaurea americana
  • anglestem primrose-willow Ludwigia leptocarpa
  • annual marsh elder Iva annua
  • annual seepweed Suaeda linearis
  • aquatic milkweed Asclepias perennis
  • azure blue sage Salvia azurea
  • bigseed alfalfa dodder Cuscuta indecora
  • bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
  • bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
  • Bosc's panicgrass Dichanthelium boscii
  • branched foldwing Dicliptera brachiata
  • camphor pluchea Pluchea camphorata
  • camphorweed Heterotheca subaxillaris
  • Carolina anemone Anemone caroliniana
  • Carolina canarygrass Phalaris caroliniana
  • Carolina fimbry Fimbristylis caroliniana
  • Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
  • Carolina larkspur Delphinium carolinianum
  • Carolina leaf-flower Phyllanthus caroliniensis
  • catchfly prairie gentian Eustoma exaltatum
  • Cherokee sedge Carex cherokeensis
  • chinquapin Castanea pumila
  • clammy groundcherry Physalis heterophylla
  • common carpetgrass Axonopus fissifolius
  • common cinquefoil Potentilla simplex
  • crested saltbush Atriplex cristata
  • Cuman ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya
  • cusp dodder Cuscuta cuspidata
  • dwarf saltwort Salicornia bigelovii
  • early buttercup Ranunculus fascicularis
  • Engelmann's daisy Engelmannia peristenia
  • fall witchgrass Digitaria cognata
  • fewleaf sunflower Helianthus occidentalis
  • fiveangled dodder Cuscuta pentagona
  • floating marshpennywort Hydrocotyle ranunculoides
  • globe flatsedge Cyperus echinatus
  • greater marsh St. Johnswort Triadenum walteri
  • green antelopehorn Asclepias viridis
  • green comet milkweed Asclepias viridiflora
  • groovestem Indian plantain Arnoglossum plantagineum
  • hairy bedstraw Galium pilosum
  • hairyfruit chervil Chaerophyllum tainturieri
  • heartwing sorrel Rumex hastatulus
  • hogwort Croton capitatus
  • Juda's bush Iresine rhizomatosa
  • jumpseed Polygonum virginianum
  • juniper leaf Polypremum procumbens
  • kidneyshape sedge Carex reniformis
  • Leavenworth's sedge Carex leavenworthii
  • little floating bladderwort Utricularia radiata
  • littlehip hawthorn Crataegus spathulata
  • lizard's tail Saururus cernuus
  • longflower beeblossom Oenothera filiformis
  • Louisiana vetch Vicia ludoviciana
  • Madagascar dropseed Sporobolus pyramidatus
  • manyflower marshpennywort Hydrocotyle umbellata
  • marsh fimbry Fimbristylis castanea
  • Maryland meadowbeauty Rhexia mariana
  • meadow garlic Allium canadense
  • Mexican plum Prunus mexicana
  • mucronate sprangletop Leptochloa panicea
  • mudbank crowngrass Paspalum dissectum
  • narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
  • neckweed Veronica peregrina
  • pale dock Rumex altissimus
  • perennial saltmarsh aster Symphyotrichum tenuifolium
  • Peruvian dodder Cuscuta obtusiflora
  • pine barren flatsedge Cyperus retrorsus
  • prairie tea Croton monanthogynus
  • purple meadow-rue Thalictrum dasycarpum
  • purple milkwort Polygala sanguinea
  • purple passionflower Passiflora incarnata
  • red lovegrass Eragrostis secundiflora
  • redwhisker clammyweed Polanisia dodecandra
  • rice button aster Symphyotrichum dumosum
  • rosemallow Hibiscus lasiocarpos
  • rusty blackhaw Viburnum rufidulum
  • scaldweed Cuscuta gronovii
  • seedbox Ludwigia alternifolia
  • slimspike threeawn Aristida longespica
  • sneezeweed Helenium amarum
  • snow on the mountain Euphorbia marginata
  • southern annual saltmarsh aster Symphyotrichum divaricatum
  • southern cattail Typha domingensis
  • southern cutgrass Leersia hexandra
  • Spanish gold Grindelia papposa
  • spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
  • spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
  • spring lady's tresses Spiranthes vernalis
  • stiff yellow flax Linum medium
  • Texas goldentop Euthamia gymnospermoides
  • Texas sedge Carex texensis
  • thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
  • tumblegrass Schedonnardus paniculatus
  • twoflower melicgrass Melica mutica
  • upright burhead Echinodorus berteroi
  • Viola ×primulifolia Viola ×primulifolia
  • violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
  • Virginia buttonweed Diodia virginiana
  • Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
  • Virginia springbeauty Claytonia virginica
  • warty spurge Euphorbia spathulata
  • whip nutrush Scleria triglomerata
  • whitemouth dayflower Commelina erecta
  • whitestar Ipomoea lacunosa
  • woolly tidestromia Tidestromia lanuginosa
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, Matagorda County and Texas
MeasureMatagorda CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 193 145 1,683
Garden-ready natives 85 61 656
Tree 19 — 164
Shrub 5 — 90
Wildflower (forb) 104 — 877
Grass or grass-like 50 — 431
Vine 15 — 83
Fern 0 — 38

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Matagorda 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
Matagorda County (county FIPS 48321), Texas. 193 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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