Native plants · Texas
Native plants of Parker County
272 plant species are recorded as native to Texas in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Parker County by USDA PLANTS. 93 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
Parker County, Texas
- Native species
- 272 Typical Texas county: 145 (median of 254 counties)
- Garden-ready natives
- 93 Typical Texas county: 61
- Share by type (all 272 native species)
-
Percent of the 272 native species in each growth type
Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (61%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (24%).
The native plant list
Garden-ready natives 93
Native species with PLANTS growing records (height, light, moisture, minimum temperature). “—” means PLANTS has no value.
| Plant | Type | Height | Light | Water use | Hardy to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American lotus Nelumbo lutea | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| American water horehound Lycopus americanus | Wildflower (forb) | 1.8 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3b |
| American water-willow Justicia americana | Wildflower (forb) | 2.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4b |
| Atlantic camas Camassia scilloides | Wildflower (forb) | 2.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4b |
| 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 |
| broadleaf arrowhead Sagittaria latifolia | Wildflower (forb) | 4.9 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| broadleaf signalgrass Urochloa platyphylla | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 9a |
| broom snakeweed Gutierrezia sarothrae | Shrub | 1.5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| butterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4a |
| 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 wildrye Elymus canadensis | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3a |
| Canadian horseweed Conyza canadensis | Wildflower (forb) | 5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 12b |
| Carolina elephantsfoot Elephantopus carolinianus | Wildflower (forb) | 2.7 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 6a |
| cedar elm Ulmus crassifolia | Tree | 90 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 6a |
| cockspur hawthorn Crataegus crus-galli | Tree | 30 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4a |
| 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 threesquare Schoenoplectus pungens | Grass or grass-like | 4.9 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| composite dropseed Sporobolus compositus | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| crested pricklypoppy Argemone polyanthemos | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 5a |
| cylinder jointtail grass Coelorachis cylindrica | Grass or grass-like | 3.2 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 5a |
| delta arrowhead Sagittaria platyphylla | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun | High | Zone 6a |
| devil's beggartick Bidens frondosa | Wildflower (forb) | 4 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 12a |
| dotted blazing star Liatris punctata | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides | Tree | 190 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3a |
| eastern redbud Cercis canadensis | Tree | 30 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 4b |
| 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 |
| 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 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 |
| grassleaf rush Juncus marginatus | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 5a |
| green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica | Tree | 80 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 2b |
| 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 |
| Jack in the pulpit Arisaema triphyllum | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 5b |
| 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 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 |
| longleaf pondweed Potamogeton nodosus | Wildflower (forb) | — | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| marsh flatsedge Cyperus pseudovegetus | Grass or grass-like | 2.5 ft | Sun | High | Zone 8a |
| nodding lady's tresses Spiranthes cernua | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| partridge pea Chamaecrista fasciculata | Wildflower (forb) | 2.4 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 7a |
| Pennsylvania smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum | Wildflower (forb) | 3.9 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 10b |
| pignut hickory Carya glabra | Tree | 80 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| post oak Quercus stellata | Tree | 60 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| prairie fleabane Erigeron strigosus | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4b |
| purple prairie clover Dalea purpurea | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| purple threeawn Aristida purpurea | Grass or grass-like | 1.4 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| roughfruit amaranth Amaranthus tuberculatus | Wildflower (forb) | 6.6 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| roughleaf dogwood Cornus drummondii | Tree | 20 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 4b |
| sand dropseed Sporobolus cryptandrus | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| smooth horsetail Equisetum laevigatum | Fern | 5 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| southern waternymph Najas guadalupensis | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| tapertip flatsedge Cyperus acuminatus | Grass or grass-like | 1.3 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3b |
| Torrey's rush Juncus torreyi | Grass or grass-like | 3.1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| turkey tangle fogfruit Phyla nodiflora | Wildflower (forb) | 2 in | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 5b |
| twoheaded water-starwort Callitriche heterophylla | Wildflower (forb) | — | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| valley redstem Ammannia coccinea | Wildflower (forb) | 1.6 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia | Vine | 1 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 4b |
| Virginia threeseed mercury Acalypha virginica | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 10b |
| 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 |
| white avens Geum canadense | Wildflower (forb) | 3.9 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| white prairie clover Dalea candida | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa | Wildflower (forb) | 4.9 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4a |
| winged sumac Rhus copallinum | Tree | 8 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4b |
| woolly plantain Plantago patagonica | Wildflower (forb) | 6 in | Sun | Low | Zone 12b |
| yellow passionflower Passiflora lutea | Vine | 16 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 5a |
No garden-ready natives match these filters. Try clearing one.
Other native species recorded here 179
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.
Hidden while “Garden-ready only” is on.
- Alabama lipfern Cheilanthes alabamensis
- amberique-bean Strophostyles helvola
- American bird's-foot trefoil Lotus unifoliolatus
- American star-thistle Centaurea americana
- annual buckwheat Eriogonum annuum
- annual marsh elder Iva annua
- annual phlox Phlox drummondii
- arrowfeather threeawn Aristida purpurascens
- Atlantic pigeonwings Clitoria mariana
- autumn onion Allium stellatum
- azure blue sage Salvia azurea
- Baldwin's ironweed Vernonia baldwinii
- bearded flatsedge Cyperus squarrosus
- bearded skeletongrass Gymnopogon ambiguus
- biannual lettuce Lactuca ludoviciana
- bighead pygmycudweed Evax prolifera
- bigseed alfalfa dodder Cuscuta indecora
- bluejacket Tradescantia ohiensis
- bluntlobe cliff fern Woodsia obtusa
- buffalobur nightshade Solanum rostratum
- camphorweed Heterotheca subaxillaris
- Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
- Carolina coralbead Cocculus carolinus
- Carolina larkspur Delphinium carolinianum
- Carolina woollywhite Hymenopappus scabiosaeus
- chickenthief Mentzelia oligosperma
- Cuman ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya
- curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
- cylindricfruit primrose-willow Ludwigia glandulosa
- Dakota mock vervain Glandularia bipinnatifida
- densetuft hairsedge Bulbostylis capillaris
- diamond-flowers Stenaria nigricans
- downy milkpea Galactia volubilis
- downy ragged goldenrod Solidago petiolaris
- Drummond's false pennyroyal Hedeoma drummondii
- ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
- Engelmann's daisy Engelmannia peristenia
- fall witchgrass Digitaria cognata
- false boneset Brickellia eupatorioides
- field pansy Viola bicolor
- fourpoint evening primrose Oenothera rhombipetala
- Geyer's sandmat Chamaesyce geyeri
- globe flatsedge Cyperus echinatus
- Great Plains flatsedge Cyperus lupulinus
- Great Plains lady's tresses Spiranthes magnicamporum
- great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
- green dragon Arisaema dracontium
- groovestem Indian plantain Arnoglossum plantagineum
- groundplum milkvetch Astragalus crassicarpus
- Guadeloupe cucumber Melothria pendula
- gum bully Sideroxylon lanuginosum
- hairy bedstraw Galium pilosum
- hairy fimbry Fimbristylis puberula
- hairy pinweed Lechea mucronata
- hairy woodland brome Bromus pubescens
- hairyseed paspalum Paspalum pubiflorum
- Harvey's beaksedge Rhynchospora harveyi
- heartwing sorrel Rumex hastatulus
- Heller's rosette grass Dichanthelium oligosanthes
- hooded arrowhead Sagittaria calycina
- husk tomato Physalis pubescens
- hyssopleaf sandmat Chamaesyce hyssopifolia
- Jersey tea Ceanothus herbaceus
- juniper leaf Polypremum procumbens
- lace grass Eragrostis capillaris
- lanceleaf blanketflower Gaillardia aestivalis
- large beardtongue Penstemon grandiflorus
- largeseed forget-me-not Myosotis macrosperma
- lateflowering thoroughwort Eupatorium serotinum
- lemon beebalm Monarda citriodora
- lesser duckweed Lemna aequinoctialis
- limestone adderstongue Ophioglossum engelmannii
- Louisiana vetch Vicia ludoviciana
- lowland rotala Rotala ramosior
- mat sandbur Cenchrus longispinus
- matted sandmat Chamaesyce serpens
- Maximilian sunflower Helianthus maximiliani
- meadow garlic Allium canadense
- Mexican plum Prunus mexicana
- Michaux's stitchwort Minuartia michauxii
- mucronate sprangletop Leptochloa panicea
- Muhlenberg's sedge Carex muehlenbergii
- narrowleaf four o'clock Mirabilis linearis
- narrowleaf gumweed Grindelia lanceolata
- narrowleaf paleseed Leucospora multifida
- narrowleaf pinweed Lechea tenuifolia
- narrowleaf purple coneflower Echinacea angustifolia
- narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
- nits and lice Hypericum drummondii
- nodding muhly Muhlenbergia bushii
- Nuttall's prairie parsley Polytaenia nuttallii
- Nuttall's sensitive-briar Mimosa nuttallii
- pale spikerush Eleocharis macrostachya
- Parlin's pussytoes Antennaria parlinii
- pasture heliotrope Heliotropium tenellum
- Pennsylvania pellitory Parietaria pensylvanica
- Pickering's dawnflower Stylisma pickeringii
- plains snakecotton Froelichia floridana
- pleatleaf knotweed Polygonum tenue
- potato dwarfdandelion Krigia dandelion
- poverty dropseed Sporobolus vaginiflorus
- prairie broomweed Amphiachyris dracunculoides
- prairie burnet Sanguisorba annua
- prairie groundsel Packera plattensis
- prairie sandmat Chamaesyce missurica
- prairie spiderwort Tradescantia occidentalis
- prairie tea Croton monanthogynus
- prairie threeawn Aristida oligantha
- purple cliffbrake Pellaea atropurpurea
- purple sandgrass Triplasis purpurea
- queen's-delight Stillingia sylvatica
- ram's horn Proboscidea louisianica
- red lovegrass Eragrostis secundiflora
- redseed plantain Plantago rhodosperma
- reflexed sedge Carex retroflexa
- roughfruit scaleseed Spermolepis divaricata
- roundleaf ragwort Packera obovata
- roundseed panicgrass Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon
- rusty blackhaw Viburnum rufidulum
- sand spikerush Eleocharis montevidensis
- sessileleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium sessilifolium
- shaggy dwarf morning-glory Evolvulus nuttallianus
- showy evening primrose Oenothera grandis
- sidebeak pencilflower Stylosanthes biflora
- silverleaf nightshade Solanum elaeagnifolium
- sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
- sleepy silene Silene antirrhina
- slender crabgrass Digitaria filiformis
- slender snakecotton Froelichia gracilis
- slickseed fuzzybean Strophostyles leiosperma
- slimflower scurfpea Psoralidium tenuiflorum
- slimleaf panicgrass Dichanthelium linearifolium
- slimpod Venus' looking-glass Triodanis leptocarpa
- slimspike threeawn Aristida longespica
- snow on the mountain Euphorbia marginata
- soft goldenaster Chrysopsis pilosa
- southeastern wildrye Elymus glabriflorus
- southern annual saltmarsh aster Symphyotrichum divaricatum
- southern cattail Typha domingensis
- Spanish gold Grindelia papposa
- spotted beebalm Monarda punctata
- spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
- squirreltail fescue Vulpia elliotea
- standing-cypress Ipomopsis rubra
- stretchberry Forestiera pubescens
- sunbright Phemeranthus parviflorus
- tapered rosette grass Dichanthelium acuminatum
- Texas bergia Bergia texana
- Texas bluegrass Poa arachnifera
- Texas croton Croton texensis
- Texas star Sabatia campestris
- Texas vervain Verbena halei
- thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
- threeflower melicgrass Melica nitens
- toothed spurge Euphorbia dentata
- tumble windmill grass Chloris verticillata
- tumblegrass Schedonnardus paniculatus
- upright burhead Echinodorus berteroi
- velvetweed Oenothera curtiflora
- violet lespedeza Lespedeza violacea
- Virginia dwarfdandelion Krigia virginica
- Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
- warty caltrop Kallstroemia parviflora
- warty spurge Euphorbia spathulata
- wavyleaf thistle Cirsium undulatum
- western horsenettle Solanum dimidiatum
- western rockjasmine Androsace occidentalis
- western rough goldenrod Solidago radula
- white four o'clock Mirabilis albida
- white heath aster Symphyotrichum ericoides
- whitemouth dayflower Commelina erecta
- whorled marshpennywort Hydrocotyle verticillata
- whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
- whorled milkwort Polygala verticillata
- willowleaf aster Symphyotrichum praealtum
- winged lythrum Lythrum alatum
- winged pigweed Cycloloma atriplicifolium
- woolly lipfern Cheilanthes tomentosa
- Wright's plantain Plantago wrightiana
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
- 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.
| Measure | Parker County | Typical county | Statewide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native species | 272 | 145 | 1,683 |
| Garden-ready natives | 93 | 61 | 656 |
| Tree | 19 | — | 164 |
| Shrub | 4 | — | 90 |
| Wildflower (forb) | 166 | — | 877 |
| Grass or grass-like | 64 | — | 431 |
| Vine | 12 | — | 83 |
| Fern | 7 | — | 38 |
Neighboring counties
Counties that share a ZIP code with Parker County.
- Hood County, TX 21 garden-ready
- Jack County, TX 21 garden-ready
- Johnson County, TX 38 garden-ready
- Palo Pinto County, TX 44 garden-ready
- Tarrant County, TX 167 garden-ready
- Wise County, TX 43 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
- Parker County (county FIPS 48367), Texas. 272 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