Plant Guide

Plant Guide

Full Sun

  • Color Gard Yuca

    Adam's Needle

    Yucca Filamentosa, or Adam's Needle, is used in borders, dry garden areas, slopes, and adds architectural height. Striking spiny leaves with creamy white flowers in the late spring.

  • Autumn Sage

    Autumn Sage

    Salvia greggii, or Autumn Sage, is a popular, usually evergreen shrub which grows in the dry, rocky soils. It has small, pale green, aromatic leaves and the flowers can be a wide range of colors.

  • Black Eyed Susan

    Rudbeckia hirta, or Black Eyed Susan, is an American wildflower. It has a lovely, warm color, daisy shape, and easy to grow in any sunny place. Established plants need little attention.

  • Black Foot Daisy

    Melampodium leucanthum, or Black Foot Daisy, is a rugged, heat and drought tolerant perennial- great for wildflower or perennial beds. The white flowers are honey-scented.

  • Blubonetes and cactus

    Bluebonnets and Cactus

    Bluebonnets are the state flower of Texas. They bloom oceans of blue, but this famous wildflower also forms attractive rosettes in winter. Attracts bees and butterflies. Tolerant of dry soil.

  • Burford Holly

    Burford Holly

    This evergreen shrub or small tree has leaves that are amongst the glassiest and darkest green of trees. The white flowers attract bees, and the large red berries last from the fall through winter.

  • Cactus Landscape

    Cactus Landscape

    Cacti and succulents make outstanding landscaping plants. They require little maintenance, grow in a variety of climates, and are easy to care for and grow. Most will even tolerate neglect.

  • Coral Honeysuckle

    Lonicera sempervirens, or Coral Honeysuckle is a climbing vine with smooth, glossy, evergreen leaves, red blooms, and berries. Sure to attract hummingbirds, and can also be great ground cover.

  • Flame Acanthus

     Flame Acanthus is a heat-loving, drought tolerant small shrub that is native to Texas. It is covered with long, tubular, orange-red flowers, attracting hummingbirds and butterflies. 

  • Greggs Salvia

    Greggs Salvia come in a variety fo colors and does well in hot, dry, sunny areas. Blooms from March til frost, and hummingbirds love this plant. 

  • Magnolia

    Magnolia has glossy leaves and fragrant white blossoms all year. Blooms April- June and casts a dense shade that makes underplanting difficult.

  • Red Leaf Barberry

    Red Leaf Barberry

    Red Leaf Barberry is a deciduous shrub with yellow flowers in the spring. It turns red in the fall, along with producing red berries. Excellent hedge for attracting birds and wildlife.

  • Oleander

    An attractive evergreen shrub for warm climates, oleander produces heavily scented, colorful flowers all summer and fall

  • Red Yucca

    Its long spikes of pink/red bell-shaped flowers provide an unusual sculptural accent, and last from May through October.  Red Yucca is exceedingly tough, tolerating extreme heat and cold. 

  • Rosemary

    Rosemary is a small evergreen shrub that can commonly reach 3 feet in height, eventually stretching up to 5 feet,unless clipped. An indispensable herb for every kitchen. 

  • Scabiosa

    Scabiosa

    Scabiosa, also known as pincushion, is an easy-care plant works in any garden.This plant is suitable for bed and border plantings, or containers, and attracts bees and butterflies.

  • Topiaries

    Topiaries

    The plants used in topiary are evergreen, have small leaves or needles, produce dense foliage, and have compact and/or columnargrowth habits. Great for borders or walks.

  • Cardinal Flower

     A great sunshine-yellow blooming perennial that makes a wonderful ground cover as it grows to heights of only 6 " with a possible width of 3 feet. The fine, needle-like leaves create a bushy upright mound for the profuse, buttercup-shaped flowers to bloom on. Prefers well-drained soil, and sun to part sun. Makes a great choice for rock gardens as it takes a fair amount of heat.

  • Plumeria (Plumeria obtuse or rubra)

    Let the scent from the heavily aromatic flowers of the plumeria flower transport you to the tropics. This beautiful, tropical shrub produces the flowers worn in leis by Hawaiians. You can look for color varieties in red, pink, orange, white with yellow, yellow, and rainbow. Plant in full sun and give them plenty of water during the summer. In winter, you will bring them indoors where you can keep them dry, even to the point of knocking off the soil around the root ball and storing them in the rafters of your garage until you are ready to pot them up again the following spring/summer. In San Antonio, it's best to plant your plumeria in oversized, heavier, clay pots since the shrub grows fast and tends to be top heavy. The aroma of the flowers are a true delight and there is no wonder that we have many request this time of the year for the plumeria.

  • Turks Cap (Malaviscus arboreus var. drummondii)

    We love plants that give us pops of bright color in the shade, and Turk's cap fits the bill. Dark, green, heart-shaped leaves are peppered with bright-red, or pink flowers that have the adorable shape of a tiny fez hat. Hummingbirds will be lured by the pops of red, and birds seek out the tiny fruits that appear after flowering for food. The bushy, Texas native, perennial reaches about 3 feet in height with a width of about 3-4 feet. Turk's cap will die back each winter but then come back with a flourish. This attractive xeriscape choice is also deer resistant. Look for red and pink varieties this week.

  • Plumbago (Plumbago auriculata)

    It doesn't get much better than this one. Beautiful, bountiful, blue blooms that appear in sun or shade all spring, summer and fall. You're sure to have seen plumbago all over the city due to its beauty and ease of growing. Plumbago will grow to heights of 24-36 inches with about the same spread width. This is a terrific perennial that usually will freeze down to the ground in winter, and if it doesn't, you should cut it down to ground level before new growth emerges in spring. Each year this will result in a thicker and fuller plant than the previous year. Prepare your soil with peat moss and compost, and once established, your plumbago will need very little care. A must-have xeriscape perennial that belongs in every yard.

  • Lantana (Lantana camara)

    Lantana is one of our favorite "go to" drought tolerant perennials here in San Antonio. Not only can you find a huge assortment of colors, but you can also find the perfect variety to fit in your landscape. Lantana comes in forms of trailing (12-18 inches tall and 3-4 feet wide), mounding (14-30 inches tall with the same width), and tall bush (30-60 inches tall with the same width). Lantana gives you an excellent source of color throughout the summer months. It is happiest in full sun, but will tolerate some filtered afternoon sun. Butterflies and hummingbirds drink often from the dainty flower clusters.

  • Blue Mealy Cup Sage 'Evolution' (Salvia farinacea)

    'Evolution' is a great selection in your Texas xeriscape gardens as a low-maintenance perennial with beautiful soft-blue to lilac flowers all season long. Growing to heights of about 20 inches with the same width, this blue mealy cup sage provides a solid structure to any landscape planting. Plant in sun, filtered sun, or am sun/pm shade. This is a great choice for any landscape as they can be planted in any type of soil. Once they are established they are drought tolerant, but they do look best if watered and fertilized occasionally.

  • Echinacea "Prairie Splendor" (Echinacea purpurea)

    What a delightful, xeriscape choice for your perennial gardens. Echinacea, or coneflowers are drought-resistant, 12-24 inch tall, perennials that bear long-lasting, brightly-hued flowers during summer and early fall. The variety "Prairie Splendor" gives you bright, rose-magenta petals surrounding a dark-orange, spiny center. The flowers have the shape of a sunflower or sometimes a badminton shuttlecock. Coneflowers do best in full sun, but will tolerate some light shade. They need to have well-draining soil, and you will be amazed at how easily they return year after year with little care. Did you know that echinacea comes from the Greek word "echinos" which means hedgehog? These adorable plants got their name from their spiny centers that look like a baby hedgehog all curled up. How cute is that? Enjoy these butterfly-attracting flowers as a garden specimen and in fresh and dried arrangements.


Half Sun

  • Purple Diamond

    Purple Diamond is an evergreen shrub that blossoms in the spring. It grows 4 to 5 feet tall and wide. Deep, rich purple foliage holds its color all season.

  • Blue Rug Juniper

    Blue Rug Juniper

    Blue Rug Juniper has a uniform, full centered growth habit with silver-blue evergreen foliage. Excellent for large scale groundcovers or cascading over walls. 

  • Abelia Kaleidoscope

    Abelia Kaleidoscope

    Abelia Kaledioscope is an evergreen with yellow/green leaves, and red stems, creating a striking mix of color. This plant is great for containers or as a ground cover. 

  • Yaupon Holly

    Yaupon Holly is used in landscapes and trimmed into hedges. The ornamental twigs have evergreen leaves and red berries, making it a popular holiday decoration in the winter. 

  • Nandina

    Nandina can be used in virtually any part of the landscape. It is especially useful in full or part sun, where the foliage color is superb. Interesting flowers, autumn berries, and evergreen. 

  • japanese yew

    Japanese Yew

    Japanese yew trees come in a wide range of sizes, from dwarves to more than 50 feet tall. Consider how you will use the garden, as the plant is toxic to children and dogs.

  • Cleyera

    Cleyera has orange-red foliage that matures to a deep green. It yields white blossoms to bright red berries in the fall. A large evergreen hedge shrub that tolerates shade. 

  • liriope

    Liriope

    Liriope likes moist, fertile soil, under part shade. However, it tolerates heat, humidity and drought. It is a grass-like perennial with violet-purple flowers in late summer, then black berries during winter.

  • Eupatorium Purpureum

    Eutrochium purpureum

    Eupatorium purpureum grows to be 4 to 7 feet in height, and blooms from July to September.  It has pale pink to pale purple flowers in large clusters.  This plant enjoys partial to full shade. 

  • Blue Point Juniper

    Blue Point Juniper

    Densely branched, broad pyramid form with glowing blue-green evergreen foliage. Clipped topiary forms make a wonderful formal accent in entrances or on patio. 

  • Indian Hauthorn

    Indian Hawthorn

    Indian hawthorn (Rhaphiolepsis indica) is a small, evergreen shrub perfect for sunny locations.The shrub looks great year round and blooms in the spring with flowers, followed by blue berries.

  • Pittosporum

    Pittosporum

    Japanese pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira) is a tough, evergreen shrub, used in landscapes as hedges and foundation plantings.It bears fragrant, orange-blossom scented, flowers in mid-spring.


Shade

  • Ice Plant

    Ice Plant

    Delosperma, or ice plant is a succulent, perennial ground cover with daisy-like flowers. The ice plant's flowers and leaves seem to shimmer as though covered in frost or ice crystals. 

  • Red Maple

    Texas Red Maple

    Red Maples are deciduous trees with a brilliant yellow to red color in the fall. Needs shade and moderate amounts of water. Not drought tolerant.

  • Japanese Aralia

    Japanese Aralia

    Japanese Aralia is an evergreen that adds a tropical look to the landscape. It will have winter flowers, followed by black berries. Great in a shaded entryway, patio, or near a pool.

  • Corralbells

    Coralbells

    Coralbells, or alum root, sport dramatic flower spikes on wiry stems with dark purple leaves.They make great ground covers and don't obscure other flowers, and attracts hummingbirds.

  • Hybrid Columbine

    Hybrid Columbine

    Hybrid Columbine has dainty fern-like foliage and masses of showy flowers that bloom spring throughout summer.Prefers moist soil. Not drought tolerant.

  • Azalea Ancor

    Azaela

    Azalea is an evergreen and deciduous shrub that blooms in the spring. They require ample water and filtered sunlight. The leaves and nectar of azaleas are toxic to humans and animals, if ingested.

  • Cast Iron Plant

    Cast Iron Plant

    This plant is as tough as its name! It will practically grow in the dark. Excellent for those difficult to fill areas in deep shade. Spreads by underground stems. Evergreen.

  • Oxalis Red Leaves

    Oxalis Red Leaves

    Oxalis Red Leaves, or purple shamrock has purple clover-like leaves and many soft-pink flowers during the spring and summer. This plant thrives in the shade in moist soil.

  • Hostas

    Hostas

    Hostas are shade tolerant, low maintenance, and currently the most popular perennial in the U.S. Hostas come in a wide range of foliage colors and shapes. Great for edging and ground cover.

  • Fern

    Fern

    Ferns are indispensable for shady areas. Most Ferns are slow growing and can take several years to reach their mature size. Deer resistant, and prefers moist soil.

  • Begonia

    Begonia

    Begonias come in a range of colours including white, pinks and reds. Begonias flower from early summer to mid autumn, and prefer moist, rich, and well-drained soil.

  • 'Paradigm' hosta

  • Hosta Aureomarginata

  • Eternal Flame' hosta

  • 'Erythrocladum' striped maple

  • Choo Choo Train' hosta

  • Chinese wild ginger

  • 'Blue Shadow' hosta

  • Eternal Flame' hosta

  • Epimedium

  • 'Cinnamon Sticks' hosta

  • 'Yellow Wave' phormium

  • Sundowner' phormium

  • Rose Bud' azalea

  • Little Honey' oakleaf hydrangea

  • BIRCH-HERITAGE-RIVER - shade ornamental tree

  • acer-pensylvanicum

  • Little Honey' oakleaf hydrangea

  • Ligularia tissilaginea

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