Native plants · Texas

Native plants of Terrell County

163 plant species are recorded as native to Texas in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Terrell County by USDA PLANTS. 75 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

Terrell County, Texas

Native species: 163 Typical Texas county: 145 (median of 254 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 75 Typical Texas county: 61
Share by type (all 163 native species): Percent of the 163 native species in each growth type

Tree 11% (18)
Shrub 7% (11)
Wildflower (forb) 49% (80)
Grass or grass-like 25% (41)
Vine 5% (8)
Fern 3% (5)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (49%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (25%).

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 8b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 75

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

Garden-ready native plants of Terrell County, Texas
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
alderleaf mountain mahogany Cercocarpus montanus	Tree	15 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
alkali sacaton Sporobolus airoides	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
American tarwort Flourensia cernua	Shrub	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
Apache plume Fallugia paradoxa	Shrub	6 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
Arizona cottontop Digitaria californica	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
banana yucca Yucca baccata	Shrub	4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 7a
beaked spikerush Eleocharis rostellata	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4b
big sacaton Sporobolus wrightii	Grass or grass-like	5.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
black grama Bouteloua eriopoda	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
black willow Salix nigra	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1b
blue grama Bouteloua gracilis	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
bush muhly Muhlenbergia porteri	Grass or grass-like	2.8 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 8b
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
cane bluestem Bothriochloa barbinodis	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 7b
catclaw acacia Senegalia greggii	Tree	20 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
cliff fendlerbush Fendlera rupicola	Shrub	6 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
common buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis	Tree	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
common maidenhair Adiantum capillus-veneris	Fern	1.7 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
common threesquare Schoenoplectus pungens	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
creosote bush Larrea tridentata	Shrub	10 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
curly-mesquite Hilaria belangeri	Grass or grass-like	10 in	Sun	Low	Zone 8b
desert willow Chilopsis linearis	Tree	25 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 5a
downy paintedcup Castilleja sessiliflora	Wildflower (forb)	1.3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
eastern redbud Cercis canadensis	Tree	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
featherplume Dalea formosa	Shrub	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
fourwing saltbush Atriplex canescens	Shrub	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
fragrant flatsedge Cyperus odoratus	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 11b
golden crownbeard Verbesina encelioides	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
green sprangletop Leptochloa dubia	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
gypsum grama Bouteloua breviseta	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 7a
hairy grama Bouteloua hirsuta	Grass or grass-like	6 in	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
honey mesquite Prosopis glandulosa	Tree	50 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
Illinois bundleflower Desmanthus illinoensis	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
knotted rush Juncus nodosus	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
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
littleleaf leadtree Leucaena retusa	Tree	25 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 8b
littleleaf sumac Rhus microphylla	Tree	10 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
Malabar sprangletop Leptochloa fusca	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
mesa dropseed Sporobolus flexuosus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 7a
mescal bean Sophora secundiflora	Tree	15 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 8a
Missouri gourd Cucurbita foetidissima	Vine	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
mule-fat Baccharis salicifolia	Shrub	10 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 7a
narrowleaf willow Salix exigua	Tree	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
ocotillo Fouquieria splendens	Shrub	10 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 7a
oneseed juniper Juniperus monosperma	Tree	40 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
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
rough menodora Menodora scabra	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 9a
roving sailor Maurandella antirrhiniflora	Vine	10 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 6b
sago pondweed Stuckenia pectinata	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
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
scarlet gilia Ipomopsis aggregata	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5b
scratchgrass Muhlenbergia asperifolia	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
sideoats grama Bouteloua curtipendula	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
singlewhorl burrobrush Hymenoclea monogyra	Shrub	2 ft	—	—	Zone 10a
smallspike false nettle Boehmeria cylindrica	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
southern waternymph Najas guadalupensis	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
sugarberry Celtis laevigata	Tree	80 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
swamp sawgrass Cladium mariscus	Grass or grass-like	8.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 8b
sweetscent Pluchea odorata	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
tanglehead Heteropogon contortus	Grass or grass-like	8 in	Sun	Low	Zone 8a
tanseyleaf tansyaster Machaeranthera tanacetifolia	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
tobosagrass Pleuraphis mutica	Grass or grass-like	2.3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 7b
upright prairie coneflower Ratibida columnifera	Wildflower (forb)	3.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
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
whitethorn acacia Vachellia constricta	Tree	9 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
woolly locoweed Astragalus mollissimus	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
woolly plantain Plantago patagonica	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	Low	Zone 12b
yellow trumpetbush Tecoma stans	Tree	20 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 9a

Other native species recorded here 88

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
bearded flatsedge Cyperus squarrosus
bighead pygmycudweed Evax prolifera
bigseed alfalfa dodder Cuscuta indecora
buffalobur nightshade Solanum rostratum
camphorweed Heterotheca subaxillaris
Canada spikesedge Eleocharis geniculata
carelessweed Amaranthus palmeri
Carolina canarygrass Phalaris caroliniana
Carolina coralbead Cocculus carolinus
Carolina woollywhite Hymenopappus scabiosaeus
chickenthief Mentzelia oligosperma
coastal sandbur Cenchrus spinifex
creeping primrose-willow Ludwigia repens
curvepod fumewort Corydalis curvisiliqua
Dakota mock vervain Glandularia bipinnatifida
desert goosefoot Chenopodium pratericola
diamond-flowers Stenaria nigricans
downy phlox Phlox pilosa
Drummond's false pennyroyal Hedeoma drummondii
Engelmann's daisy Engelmannia peristenia
erect centella Centella erecta
false boneset Brickellia eupatorioides
fiveangled dodder Cuscuta pentagona
flatspine stickseed Lappula occidentalis
Geyer's sandmat Chamaesyce geyeri
great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
gum bully Sideroxylon lanuginosum
hairy waterclover Marsilea vestita
hairyseed paspalum Paspalum pubiflorum
hedge false bindweed Calystegia sepium
herb of grace Bacopa monnieri
Hopi tea greenthread Thelesperma megapotamicum
hyssopleaf sandmat Chamaesyce hyssopifolia
Illinois pondweed Potamogeton illinoensis
ivyleaf groundcherry Physalis hederifolia
kiss me quick Portulaca pilosa
lacy tansyaster Machaeranthera pinnatifida
lanceleaf sage Salvia reflexa
lesser wirelettuce Stephanomeria minor
Louisiana vetch Vicia ludoviciana
marsh bristlegrass Setaria parviflora
matted sandmat Chamaesyce serpens
mucronate sprangletop Leptochloa panicea
narrowleaf four o'clock Mirabilis linearis
narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
pale dock Rumex altissimus
Pennsylvania pellitory Parietaria pensylvanica
pitseed goosefoot Chenopodium berlandieri
prairie spiderwort Tradescantia occidentalis
prairie tea Croton monanthogynus
prostrate sandmat Chamaesyce prostrata
purple cliffbrake Pellaea atropurpurea
ram's horn Proboscidea louisianica
Red River scaleseed Spermolepis inermis
redseed plantain Plantago rhodosperma
redwhisker clammyweed Polanisia dodecandra
rosemallow Hibiscus lasiocarpos
rough barnyardgrass Echinochloa muricata
sand spikerush Eleocharis montevidensis
scarlet beeblossom Oenothera suffrutescens
shaggy dwarf morning-glory Evolvulus nuttallianus
silverleaf nightshade Solanum elaeagnifolium
sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
sixweeks threeawn Aristida adscensionis
sleepy silene Silene antirrhina
slender lipfern Cheilanthes feei
slimpod Venus' looking-glass Triodanis leptocarpa
sorrelvine Cissus trifoliata
spiny naiad Najas marina
spinystar Escobaria vivipara
spiral ditchgrass Ruppia cirrhosa
stiff cowbane Oxypolis rigidior
Texas bergia Bergia texana
threenerve goldenrod Solidago velutina
toothed spurge Euphorbia dentata
tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
velvetweed Oenothera curtiflora
warty caltrop Kallstroemia parviflora
warty spurge Euphorbia spathulata
wedgeleaf draba Draba cuneifolia
western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
white four o'clock Mirabilis albida
white prairie aster Symphyotrichum falcatum
whitemouth dayflower Commelina erecta
whorled marshpennywort Hydrocotyle verticillata

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.

annual ragweedAmbrosia artemisiifolia
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, Terrell County and Texas
Measure	Terrell County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	163	145	1,683
Garden-ready natives	75	61	656
Tree	18	—	164
Shrub	11	—	90
Wildflower (forb)	80	—	877
Grass or grass-like	41	—	431
Vine	8	—	83
Fern	5	—	38

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Terrell County.

Crockett County, TX 53 garden-ready
Pecos County, TX 82 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: Terrell County (county FIPS 48443), Texas. 163 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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