Tough Texas Plants | Landscaping That Thrives During Drouths

Landscaping is a great way to boost the appearance, health, comfort, and curb appeal of your backyard. It can benefit you in the present by providing you with a happy, relaxing space and, in the future, by increasing your property value. However, you may have hit a roadblock. You have a yard that you want to install nice-looking plants into, but you don’t know which ones. Better yet, you install plants, but they keep dying. This is due to the Texas weather, which can range from cold to extremely hot or humid. Only the toughest plants can survive and thrive in variable temperatures. So, for your yard, why not go for native plants? In this article, we’ll highlight the benefits of installing native plants and which ones are the hardiest ones you can get for your yard. Learn more, and maybe you’ll consider incorporating some of our top choices into your landscaping project.

Consider Texas Lantana For Your Landscaping Project

What is Texas Lantana?

One of the best plants for your landscaping is Texas Lantana (Lantana urticoides). It is a perennial shrub native to Texas and parts of the southwestern United States and Mexico. It can grow about 2-6 feet and spread about 3-6 feet wide. It forms into large bushy mounds. You can usually tell if it is a Texas lantana due to its ability to produce rounded clusters of small tubular flowers. They change color as they mature and take on yellow, orange, and red colors. They have ovate (egg-shaped) green leaves that are arranged opposite to the touch. The leaves are rough to the touch and will shed during the winter. Texas Lantana can also produce small, round, black, poisonous berries and thorny stems to deter potential predators.

Texas Lantana are tough, hardy plants that can thrive in the full sun and are highly drought tolerant. They like well-drained, poor soils like sand, gravel, or clay. It is highly heat tolerant, which is great if you have a yard that gets extremely hot during the summer or plan to build a xeriscape. Due to their ornery thorns and their poisonous fruit, they can resist deer and other pests. However, they do attract helpful pollinators like bees and butterflies. For example, the unique Lantana Scrub Hairstreak butterfly can consume the Texas Lantana as a food source. So, if you’re looking for a low-maintenance, heat-resistant plant, Texas Lantana is a great option.

Implement Red Yucca for Your Low Maintenance Landscaping

What is Red Yucca?

Red Yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora) is one of the most popular native Texas plants. It usually grows about 3-5 feet tall and 3-6 feet wide. Its leaves form long, narrow clumps ranging from dark green to blue-green. You’ll also notice white thread-like fivers that peel from the leaf edges. However, one of its most striking features is the tall, bright red or yellow flower stalks it grows. These stocks can reach 5-8 feet high and tend to bloom in the spring through summer. They attract pollinators like bees and hummingbirds. Once these stocks are done blooming, they will wither and dry out. This plant is also known for its drought resistance and heat tolerance. They are a low-maintenance plant that requires no care after planting. This means it rarely needs additional water, fertilizer, or pest control. You’d only need to occasionally prune the flower stocks, which only grow intermittently during the spring and summer. The red yucca can also adapt to a wide range of soil types and work well in many types of yards. So if you plan on making a rock garden, building contained planters, mass planting, or adding plants to your sloped yard, red yucca would be a nice addition. Its deep roots can also help stabilize the soil and prevent erosion, which can be great for areas prone to runoff.

Other Tough Plants That Will Complement Your Landscaping

Other Additional Plants to Include

If you’re serious about creating a landscape that thrives without constant watering and maintenance, you’ll want to consider a few more Texas plants. Purple coneflower, or Echinacea purpurea, is a vibrant perennial that loves the sun and is practically made for Texas soil. Its bright blooms bring pollinators and stick around for most of the summer. Another great option is Mexican feather grass. This graceful, flowing plant adds texture and softness to any yard and handles drought like a champ. It also pairs well with stronger, bolder plants like Red Yucca or Agave, giving your landscaping a nice layered effect.

You should also consider adding Blackfoot Daisy. It’s a tiny wildflower with delicate white petals and a soft yellow center, but don’t let its looks fool you. This plant is tough. It thrives in full sun, doesn’t require much water, and blooms from spring to fall. Whether you’re building a fresh landscape design or just filling in some empty spots, these plants combine color, texture, and resilience in a way that works beautifully for Texas landscaping.

Consider These Additional Features for Your Landscaping

While your plants are the stars of the show, don’t forget about the features that support them. Things like stone borders, crushed granite paths, and well-placed lighting can pull everything together. These design details add structure and give your Texas plants the chance to shine. Using native stone or natural materials keeps things looking cohesive and helps with water drainage in areas that get sudden downpours.

If your yard doesn’t get much natural shade, you might add a pergola or covered patio area. It creates a cozy spot to enjoy your space while also helping protect nearby plants from the full intensity of the sun. Mulch is another simple detail that can make a big difference. It locks in moisture, prevents weeds, and gives your landscaping a clean, finished look. Even small upgrades like these can help turn your yard into a low-maintenance, high-impact space you’ll enjoy year-round.

Conclusion

Now that you know the best plants you can get for your landscaping, what are you waiting for? As the weather changes again, now is the ideal time to start planting! You can give your plants the best chance to establish their roots and grow by planting at the best time. But what if you don’t have enough time? What if you’re unsure about what you need to do? Luckily, you have a pretty good resource to tap into for professional landscaping. We at Southern Love LOVE creating beautiful landscapes for our clients. We create high-quality landscapes that look absolutely amazing.

We are dedicated to providing our clients with landscapes that look nice and are healthy and thriving, no matter the weather. By providing excellent customer service and working closely to meet our customer’s needs, we know we can meet project timelines, take on any setbacks, and adapt to changes on the fly to guarantee 100% satisfaction from a job well done. Interested in how we can help you get the gorgeous, robust landscape you deserve? Contact us today and we’ll provide you with a fast response to your inquiry.