Native plants for North Texas gardens

Want flowers in your yard without worrying about when it's going to rain? Selecting native Texas plants means less watering, fertilizing and pest control.

• Plus, they have a higher chance of survival in extreme temperatures.

Why it matters: Multiple plants in a backyard or one on an apartment overlook can make a difference for pollinators.

Details: With summer heat on the way, consider what's possible to plant right now. If you're not ready to plant just yet, hold off until the fall.

• It's too late for spring annuals, but you can still plant perennials, which come back every year, while annuals complete their life cycle in one year.

Here are some native perennials:

1. Rock rose (Pavonia lasiopetala)

This small shrub can thrive in sun or shade and grows 2 to 3 feet tall.

• Pink blooms last from April through November.

2. Gregg's mistflower (Conoclinium greggii)

The palm-leaf mistflower needs plenty of sun and grows about 2 feet tall.

• Small purplish flowers bloom from March through November.

3. Liatris (Liatris punctata var. mucronata)

Known as the Texas Blazing Star, this plant needs sun and gravelly, well-drained soil to flower in succession from top to bottom over several weeks.

• It reaches about 2 feet tall and blooms between August and November.

4. Mealy blue sage (Salvia farinacea)

This 2-3 foot shrub needs full sun and usually forms a mound as wide as the plant is tall.

• Blue or white tubular flowers bloom April to October.

5. Shrubby boneset (Ageratina havanensis)

The Havana snakeroot or mistflower is a drought-tolerant, rounded shrub that can grow in the sun or shade.

• It grows about 4 feet tall and blooms white in October through December.

6. Turk's cap (Malvaviscus arboreus)

For a shady yard, try this spreading shrub that typically grows 2-3 feet tall, occasionally reaching 10 feet.

• It blooms red in June through November.

7. Velvet leaf mallow (Allowissadula holosericea)

Also great in the shade, this eye-catching shrub reaches about 6 feet in height.

• It blooms yellow in May through November.

The bottom line: Watering and maintenance vary for each native plant.

• Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center has a full list of plants native to North Texas.