Native plants · Texas

Native plants of Tom Green County

139 plant species are recorded as native to Texas in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Tom Green County by USDA PLANTS. 67 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Tom Green County, Texas

Native species: 139 Typical Texas county: 145 (median of 254 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 67 Typical Texas county: 61
Share by type (all 139 native species): Percent of the 139 native species in each growth type

Tree 5% (7)
Shrub 5% (7)
Wildflower (forb) 49% (68)
Grass or grass-like 32% (45)
Vine 6% (8)
Fern 3% (4)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (49%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (32%).

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 8a (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 67

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

Garden-ready native plants of Tom Green County, Texas
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
American water-willow Justicia americana	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
beaked spikerush Eleocharis rostellata	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4b
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
broadleaf cattail Typha latifolia	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
broom snakeweed Gutierrezia sarothrae	Shrub	1.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
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 wildrye Elymus canadensis	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
Carolina buckthorn Frangula caroliniana	Tree	20 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 4b
clasping coneflower Dracopis amplexicaulis	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 10b
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
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
curly-mesquite Hilaria belangeri	Grass or grass-like	10 in	Sun	Low	Zone 8b
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
false indigo bush Amorpha fruticosa	Shrub	15 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
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
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 currant Ribes aureum	Shrub	10 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
golden tickseed Coreopsis tinctoria	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12b
green sprangletop Leptochloa dubia	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
groundnut Apios americana	Vine	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
hardstem bulrush Schoenoplectus acutus	Grass or grass-like	9.8 ft	Sun	High	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
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
knotgrass Paspalum distichum	Grass or grass-like	11 in	Sun	High	Zone 6a
little bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
littleleaf sumac Rhus microphylla	Tree	10 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
longleaf pondweed Potamogeton nodosus	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
lyreleaf greeneyes Berlandiera lyrata	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
Missouri gourd Cucurbita foetidissima	Vine	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
needle spikerush Eleocharis acicularis	Grass or grass-like	8 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
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
redroot flatsedge Cyperus erythrorhizos	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 11a
rice cutgrass Leersia oryzoides	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
sago pondweed Stuckenia pectinata	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
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
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 beggartick Bidens laevis	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12b
soapweed yucca Yucca glauca	Shrub	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
squirreltail Elymus elymoides	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
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 milkweed Asclepias incarnata	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
swamp sawgrass Cladium mariscus	Grass or grass-like	8.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 8b
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
upright prairie coneflower Ratibida columnifera	Wildflower (forb)	3.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
valdivia duckweed Lemna valdiviana	Wildflower (forb)	1 in	Sun	High	Zone 4a
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
western wheatgrass Pascopyrum smithii	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
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

Other native species recorded here 72

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.

azure blue sage Salvia azurea
bald spikerush Eleocharis erythropoda
bearded flatsedge Cyperus squarrosus
bigseed alfalfa dodder Cuscuta indecora
buffalobur nightshade Solanum rostratum
Canada spikesedge Eleocharis geniculata
carelessweed Amaranthus palmeri
Carolina canarygrass Phalaris caroliniana
Carolina coralbead Cocculus carolinus
Carolina larkspur Delphinium carolinianum
Carolina woollywhite Hymenopappus scabiosaeus
curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
curvepod fumewort Corydalis curvisiliqua
Dakota mock vervain Glandularia bipinnatifida
Drummond's false pennyroyal Hedeoma drummondii
Emory's sedge Carex emoryi
Engelmann's daisy Engelmannia peristenia
eyebane Chamaesyce nutans
false boneset Brickellia eupatorioides
feather fingergrass Chloris virgata
fiveangled dodder Cuscuta pentagona
Geyer's sandmat Chamaesyce geyeri
hairy waterclover Marsilea vestita
hairyfruit chervil Chaerophyllum tainturieri
Hopi tea greenthread Thelesperma megapotamicum
hyssopleaf sandmat Chamaesyce hyssopifolia
Illinois pondweed Potamogeton illinoensis
lacy tansyaster Machaeranthera pinnatifida
lateflowering thoroughwort Eupatorium serotinum
least duckweed Lemna minuta
Louisiana vetch Vicia ludoviciana
matted sandmat Chamaesyce serpens
Muhlenberg's sedge Carex muehlenbergii
narrowleaf goosefoot Chenopodium leptophyllum
narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
pinkladies Oenothera speciosa
pitseed goosefoot Chenopodium berlandieri
prairie broomweed Amphiachyris dracunculoides
prostrate sandmat Chamaesyce prostrata
purple cliffbrake Pellaea atropurpurea
purple spikerush Eleocharis atropurpurea
ram's horn Proboscidea louisianica
redseed plantain Plantago rhodosperma
rosemallow Hibiscus lasiocarpos
sand grape Vitis rupestris
sand spikerush Eleocharis montevidensis
scarlet beeblossom Oenothera suffrutescens
scarlet spiderling Boerhavia coccinea
shaggy dwarf morning-glory Evolvulus nuttallianus
shortbeak arrowhead Sagittaria brevirostra
silverleaf nightshade Solanum elaeagnifolium
slender lipfern Cheilanthes feei
snow on the mountain Euphorbia marginata
soft-hair marbleseed Onosmodium bejariense
southern cattail Typha domingensis
Spanish gold Grindelia papposa
spiked crested coralroot Hexalectris spicata
spiny naiad Najas marina
spinystar Escobaria vivipara
spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
spring coralroot Corallorhiza wisteriana
tapered rosette grass Dichanthelium acuminatum
Texas bergia Bergia texana
Texas bluegrass Poa arachnifera
Texas signalgrass Urochloa texana
tumble windmill grass Chloris verticillata
Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
western horsenettle Solanum dimidiatum
whorled marshpennywort Hydrocotyle verticillata
willowleaf aster Symphyotrichum praealtum
witchgrass Panicum capillare
Wright's plantain Plantago wrightiana

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, Tom Green County and Texas
Measure	Tom Green County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	139	145	1,683
Garden-ready natives	67	61	656
Tree	7	—	164
Shrub	7	—	90
Wildflower (forb)	68	—	877
Grass or grass-like	45	—	431
Vine	8	—	83
Fern	4	—	38

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Tom Green County.

Coke County, TX 10 garden-ready
Concho County, TX 23 garden-ready
Irion County, TX 18 garden-ready
Runnels County, TX 16 garden-ready
Schleicher County, TX 24 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: Tom Green County (county FIPS 48451), Texas. 139 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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