Native plants · Texas

Native plants of Waller County

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

Waller County, Texas

Native species: 174 Typical Texas county: 145 (median of 254 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 63 Typical Texas county: 61
Share by type (all 174 native species): Percent of the 174 native species in each growth type

Tree 9% (16)
Shrub <1% (1)
Wildflower (forb) 51% (89)
Grass or grass-like 31% (54)
Vine 6% (11)
Fern 2% (3)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (51%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (31%).

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 9a (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 Waller County, Texas
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
bearded beggarticks Bidens aristosa	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12b
blunt spikerush Eleocharis obtusa	Grass or grass-like	1.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 11a
boxelder Acer negundo	Tree	60 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
broadleaf signalgrass Urochloa platyphylla	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 9a
broomsedge bluestem Andropogon virginicus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
brownseed paspalum Paspalum plicatulum	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 8a
bur oak Quercus macrocarpa	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
calico aster Symphyotrichum lateriflorum	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
Canada germander Teucrium canadense	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
Canadian horseweed Conyza canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12b
Carolina foxtail Alopecurus carolinianus	Grass or grass-like	1.7 ft	Sun	Low	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 goldstar Hypoxis hirsuta	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
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 redcedar Juniperus virginiana	Tree	50 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
fall panicgrass Panicum dichotomiflorum	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
false daisy Eclipta prostrata	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 10b
false indigo bush Amorpha fruticosa	Shrub	15 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
farkleberry Vaccinium arboreum	Tree	28 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
field paspalum Paspalum laeve	Grass or grass-like	2.9 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6a
flowering dogwood Cornus florida	Tree	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
grassleaf rush Juncus marginatus	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5a
graybark grape Vitis cinerea	Vine	50 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6b
great coneflower Rudbeckia maxima	Wildflower (forb)	9.8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
green hawthorn Crataegus viridis	Tree	30 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
hairawn muhly Muhlenbergia capillaris	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 8a
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
lanceleaf tickseed Coreopsis lanceolata	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6b
late purple aster Symphyotrichum patens	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
leafy pondweed Potamogeton foliosus	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
limestone wild petunia Ruellia strepens	Wildflower (forb)	3.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 6a
longleaf woodoats Chasmanthium sessiliflorum	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 7a
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 seedbox Ludwigia palustris	Wildflower (forb)	2 in	Sun	High	Zone 4a
Missouri goldenrod Solidago missouriensis	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
nimblewill Muhlenbergia schreberi	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
panicledleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium paniculatum	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 6a
plains lovegrass Eragrostis intermedia	Grass or grass-like	2.7 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
poorland flatsedge Cyperus compressus	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 11a
possumhaw Ilex decidua	Tree	33 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
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
redbay Persea borbonia	Tree	70 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8a
redtop panicgrass Panicum rigidulum	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
roundhead rush Juncus validus	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 7a
shallow sedge Carex lurida	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
shortbristle horned beaksedge Rhynchospora corniculata	Grass or grass-like	6.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
spring spiderlily Hymenocallis liriosme	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 7b
stiff dogwood Cornus foemina	Tree	16 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7a
strawcolored flatsedge Cyperus strigosus	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
swamp smartweed Polygonum hydropiperoides	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
tapertip flatsedge Cyperus acuminatus	Grass or grass-like	1.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
upright prairie coneflower Ratibida columnifera	Wildflower (forb)	3.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
velvet panicum Dichanthelium scoparium	Grass or grass-like	4.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
water locust Gleditsia aquatica	Tree	40 ft	Sun–part shade	—	Zone 10a
waterthread pondweed Potamogeton diversifolius	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
white ash Fraxinus americana	Tree	90 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
yaupon Ilex vomitoria	Tree	25 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 8a

Other native species recorded here 111

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.

American buckwheat vine Brunnichia ovata
American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
annual phlox Phlox drummondii
aquatic milkweed Asclepias perennis
ashy sunflower Helianthus mollis
axilflower Mecardonia acuminata
azure blue sage Salvia azurea
Baldwin's flatsedge Cyperus croceus
beach false foxglove Agalinis fasciculata
beaked panicgrass Panicum anceps
blackfoot quillwort Isoetes melanopoda
blue mudplantain Heteranthera limosa
bluestem pricklypoppy Argemone albiflora
Bosc's mille graines Oldenlandia boscii
bulbous woodrush Luzula bulbosa
Carolina coralbead Cocculus carolinus
Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
Carolina larkspur Delphinium carolinianum
Carolina vetch Vicia caroliniana
Cherokee sedge Carex cherokeensis
Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
creeping lovegrass Neeragrostis reptans
cusp dodder Cuscuta cuspidata
cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
cutleaf groundcherry Physalis angulata
diamond-flowers Stenaria nigricans
eastern fox sedge Carex triangularis
eastern marsh fern Thelypteris palustris
erect centella Centella erecta
eyebane Chamaesyce nutans
fewflower nutrush Scleria pauciflora
fewleaf sunflower Helianthus occidentalis
floating marshpennywort Hydrocotyle ranunculoides
Florida paspalum Paspalum floridanum
flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
fragrant spikesedge Kyllinga odorata
gaping grass Steinchisma hians
Great Plains flatsedge Cyperus lupulinus
great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
greenvein lady's tresses Spiranthes praecox
Guadeloupe cucumber Melothria pendula
gum bully Sideroxylon lanuginosum
hairy clustervine Jacquemontia tamnifolia
hairy fimbry Fimbristylis puberula
hairy lettuce Lactuca hirsuta
hairyfruit chervil Chaerophyllum tainturieri
heartwing sorrel Rumex hastatulus
Heller's rosette grass Dichanthelium oligosanthes
juniper leaf Polypremum procumbens
lateflowering thoroughwort Eupatorium serotinum
lemon beebalm Monarda citriodora
littlehip hawthorn Crataegus spathulata
Long's sedge Carex longii
longflower beeblossom Oenothera filiformis
Louisiana vetch Vicia ludoviciana
lyreleaf sage Salvia lyrata
manyflower marshpennywort Hydrocotyle umbellata
meadow garlic Allium canadense
openflower rosette grass Dichanthelium laxiflorum
pale spikerush Eleocharis macrostachya
Pickering's dawnflower Stylisma pickeringii
pine barren flatsedge Cyperus retrorsus
pineland threeseed mercury Acalypha ostryifolia
pinkladies Oenothera speciosa
purple passionflower Passiflora incarnata
queen's-delight Stillingia sylvatica
Ravenel's rosette grass Dichanthelium ravenelii
red lovegrass Eragrostis secundiflora
rice button aster Symphyotrichum dumosum
roundseed panicgrass Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon
shortbeak sedge Carex brevior
sidebeak pencilflower Stylosanthes biflora
silverleaf nightshade Solanum elaeagnifolium
sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
small skullcap Scutellaria parvula
small Venus' looking-glass Triodanis biflora
smallflower fumewort Corydalis micrantha
smallfruit spikerush Eleocharis microcarpa
smallhead doll's daisy Boltonia diffusa
sneezeweed Helenium amarum
snowy orchid Platanthera nivea
soft goldenaster Chrysopsis pilosa
southern annual saltmarsh aster Symphyotrichum divaricatum
southern cutgrass Leersia hexandra
spring lady's tresses Spiranthes vernalis
stiff yellow flax Linum medium
tall blazing star Liatris aspera
tall horned beaksedge Rhynchospora macrostachya
tall lespedeza Lespedeza stuevei
tapered rosette grass Dichanthelium acuminatum
Texas goldentop Euthamia gymnospermoides
Texas star Sabatia campestris
Texas toadflax Nuttallanthus texanus
Texas vervain Verbena halei
tiny bluet Houstonia pusilla
toothed spurge Euphorbia dentata
trailing pearlwort Sagina decumbens
tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
tumblegrass Schedonnardus paniculatus
twoflower melicgrass Melica mutica
upright burhead Echinodorus berteroi
violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
Virginia plantain Plantago virginica
western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
whip nutrush Scleria triglomerata
white four o'clock Mirabilis albida
whitemouth dayflower Commelina erecta
whorled marshpennywort Hydrocotyle verticillata
winged lythrum Lythrum alatum

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.

cayenne pepperCapsicum annuum
floating primrose-willowLudwigia peploides

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, Waller County and Texas
Measure	Waller County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	174	145	1,683
Garden-ready natives	63	61	656
Tree	16	—	164
Shrub	1	—	90
Wildflower (forb)	89	—	877
Grass or grass-like	54	—	431
Vine	11	—	83
Fern	3	—	38

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Waller County.

Fort Bend County, TX 70 garden-ready
Grimes County, TX 128 garden-ready
Harris County, TX 254 garden-ready
Montgomery County, TX 168 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: Waller County (county FIPS 48473), Texas. 174 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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