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Native Plants
Native plants are better suited for this region’s unique climate and soil conditions. This means they typically take less maintenance, less fertilization, and less supplemental watering once they get rooted. Planting natives helps to lessen our dependence on our most precious natural resource: water.
The following plants are found within a 50-mile radius of Denton, TX prior to European settlement. Listed plants are those commonly carried at Meador Nursery based on seasonal availability.
Sun-Loving
Shade-Loving
Sun-Loving Perennials
These perennials prefer over ~6 hours of sunlight to perform best.
- Black-eyed Susan
- Blackfoot daisy
- Blue mistflower
- Blue sage
- Butterfly weed
- Engelmann sage
- Fall obedient plant
- Four-nerve daisy
- Frog-fruit (groundcover)
- Gaura
- Giant coneflower
- Indian blanket (hybrid)
- Lemon horsemint
- Little bluestem
- Maximilian sunflower
- Mealy blue sage
- Mexican hat
- Plains coreopsis
- Prairie verbena
- Purple coneflower
- Purple prairie aster
- Sundrops
- Texas bluebell (hybrid)
- Texas bluebonnet
- Texas lantana
- Wright’s skullcap
- Winecups
This is not a complete list — ask us if you are looking for a particular sun perennial.
Shade-Loving Perennials
These perennials prefer no more than 6 hours of morning sunlight to perform best.
- Horseherb (groundcover)
- Inland sea-oats
- Pigeonberry
- Wood fern
If you have a specific shade perennial in mind and do not see it, call or stop by and ask.
Plants List Source
Additional Information
Native plants support this region’s pollinator, bird and insect populations by providing diverse habitat and food sources. They also support our Blackland Prairie ecosystem as a whole by lessening the chance of spreading invasive plants to undeveloped land. This being crucial for the conservation of the most endangered large ecosystem in North America - grasslands.
Adapted vs. Native
Adapted plants were not natively found in this region but are well-suited for the climate and soil conditions here. There are many adapted plants that thrive in this environment as well, and they can be found here.
Native does not mean invincible.
Just like the natural world, sometimes a plant will not like the microenvironment where it is placed, or a severe drought or torrential rain will affect its growth or cause it to die. Even native plants need to be observed and cared for the first couple years of growth.
Water-Efficient, Adapted
Future projections suggest a major population increase for the Dallas-Ft. Worth metroplex in the next several decades. Right now, the majority of our water goes towards irrigating landscapes. To conserve our area’s water, many homeowners are interested in making their homes and yards more water-efficient. On top of easing a growing pressure on our state’s most precious resource, water-efficient landscapes help to cut down on utility costs.
Like most plants in Texas, water-efficient plants will need to be watered regularly while they are getting established. They may also need supplemental watering in the harshest summer months. While these plants don’t require water very often, when they are watered, they should be soaked in order to penetrate the root zone.
The following list contains adapted (non-native but well-suited to the area) plants that are commonly carried at Meador’s based on seasonal availability.
Sun-Loving
Shade-Loving
Sun-Loving Adapted Plants
These perennials prefer over ~6 hours of sunlight to perform best.
Not everything we carry is shown here. Call or come in if you are looking for something else.
- Agave* (needs to be covered in winter)
- Artemisia*
- Augusta duelberg salvia*
- Autumn sage*
- Blackfoot daisy
- Butterfly weed
- Cestrum
- Copper Canyon daisy
- Coreopsis
- Damianita
- Echinacea
- Flame acanthus
- Germander
- Henry duelberg salvia*
- Lamb’s ear
- Lantana*
- Lavender (tender)
- Maiden grass
- Mexican feather grass
- Mexican oregano*
- Gulf muhly
- Palmer’s sedum*
- Prickly pear*
- Rock rose*
- Ruellia
- Russian sage
- Santolina*
- Stonecrop sedum*
- Skeleton leaf goldeneye
- Skullcap*
- Society garlic
- Sotol*
- Turk’s cap*
- Red yucca*
- Soft-leaf yucca*
- Variegated yucca*
- Zebra grass
* - Requires less frequent watering once established.
Shade-Loving Adapted Plants
These perennials prefer over ~6 hours of morning sunlight to perform best.
- Asian Jasmine
- Cast Iron plant
- Columbine
- Lenten Rose ( Helleborus )
- Turk’s Cap* (can tolerate sun as well)
*requires less frequent watering once established
Ask us if there is something you want that is not listed.
Additional Information
Having evolved to live in this area, native plants are well-suited for this region’s unique climate and soil conditions. See our native page for a complete list of native (within a 50-mile radius of Denton) plants that are commonly carried at Meador's Garden Center & Landscaping, based on seasonal availability.
Turfgrass can waste water, depending on maintenance. Using grasses like Bermuda or Buffalo Grass that are well-adapted to low-water usage, installing a drip system and using organic fertilizers are all ways to keep your turfgrass and remain water -efficient. Reducing turfgrass space in favor of xeriscaped beds will reduce water usage as well.
Updating your controller and adding a rain sensor to your irrigation system is an effective way to save on utility costs as well. A half-inch to an inch of rain usually means you can hold off on that day’s watering.
Drip lines use small pressure-compensated emitters to transport water to plants and tend to be much more water-efficient than sprinkler systems. Installing a drip system can be done before turf goes down and is relatively easy to add to a preexisting bed.
Adding two to three inches of mulch to flower beds and around trees helps to regulate temperature and moisture as well as add nutrients to the soil. Collecting and using rainwater on plants is a great way to conserve water. Rainwater contains nitrogen while city water does not.
Wateruniversity.tamu.edu
This website has information on upcoming events on water efficiency, a plant database of water-wise native and adapted plants for this region, a program to help you to do your own water efficient design, and DIY conservation guides.
Watermyyard.org
Again, put on by A&M, this website helps to determine an adequate amount of supplemental water that is needed to maintain a healthy lawn depending on a variety of influencing factors.
aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/earthkind/
Offers a wide variety of information on water conservation and adapted plant varieties to support sustainable communities.
Pollinator Attractors
Pollinator populations are declining and their importance to our natural spaces and their food chains cannot be overstated. Plants need to be pollinated in order to produce fruit. Therefore, all animals that rely on fruiting plants as a food source pollinators need to thrive. Also, the plants themselves rely on pollination in order to spread viable seed.
We are lucky enough to have a large variety of pollinators in our part of Texas. Most well-known and adored are bees, hummingbirds and butterflies. However, bats, moths, wasps, flies and beetles are imperative to our ecosystem as pollinators as well.
Listed are the plants most loved by our three favorite pollinators: bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. The list goes beyond simply perennials; there are trees, shrubs and annuals listed as well and they will be labeled as such.
Planting for Bees
When planting for bees, where the plants are located is more important than what is planted. Bees prefer flowers that are a part of a large clump (5-7 plants of the same species). Using plants that bloom successively is also important so as to not create a "feast and famine" situation for the bees. The following is a list of plants commonly carried by Meador's Garden Center & Landscaping, organized by bloom time.
Early Spring Blooms
- Forsythia (shrub)
- Flowering quince (shrub)
- Redbud (tree)
Spring Blooms
- Almond Verbena (shrub)
- Alyssum (annual; also blooms in Fall)
- Bridal wreath spirea (shrub)
- Eleagnus (shrub)
- Foxglove (biannual)
- Fruit tree varieties
- Pincushion (also blooms in Fall)
- Tomatoes (annual)
- Waxleaf Ligustrum (shrub)
Summer Blooms
- Abelia (shrub)
- Agastache/hyssop
- Basil (annual)
- Caryopteris
- Catmint (spring-fall)
- Crepe Myrtle varieties (tree)
- Eggplant (annual)
- Garlic chives (annual)
- Gaura (late spring-fall)
- Gomphrena (annual)
- Lavender (annual)
- Mint (annual)
- Monarda
- Oregano (annual)
- Peppers (annual)
- Purslane (annual)
- Salvia varieties
- Sedum "Autumn Joy"
- Squash (annual)
- Thyme
- Watermelon (annual)
Fall Blooms
- Aster
- Mexican mint marigold
- Mistflower
- Rosemary (shrub)
Planting for Butterflies
Butterflies tend to like plants whose flowers they can stand on as they drink their nectar. The following is a list of plants loved by butterflies carried at Meador's Garden Center & Landscaping, depending on seasonal availability.
- Abelia (shrub)
- Agarita (shrub)
- Aster
- Butterfly bush (shrub)
- Butterfly weed (annual)
- Caryopteris
- Flame Acanthus
- Lantana
- Milkweed (annual)
- Mistflower
- Phlox
- Pincushion flower
- Salvias
- Verbena
- Yarrow
Host Plants
Butterflies lay their eggs on different host plants depending on their species. When the caterpillars hatch they will eat the host plant. The following are several of the most sought after butterflies and their host plants.
- Black Swallowtail: parsley, dill, fennel
- Buckeye: frog fruit, snapdragon, ruellia, paintbrush
- Gulf fritillary: Passion-vine, passion-flower, violets
- Monarch and queen: All milkweed species, including butterfly weed
- Zebra longwing: Passion-vine, passion-flower
Planting for Hummingbirds
Hummingbirds prefer brightly colored tubular flowers so as to utilize their slender beak. The following is a list of hummingbird approved plants commonly carried at Meador's Garden Center & Landscaping, based on seasonal availability.
- Coral honeysuckle
- Crossvine
- Esperanza (annual)
- Flame acanthus
- Monarda
- Red yucca
- Rock rose
- Salvia varieties
- Turk’s cap
Additional Information
General Tips
- Use plants that bloom successively. To avoid a "feast and famine" situation, there should always be something blooming in a garden for pollinators (besides winter).
- Use pesticides responsibly or not at all. Most pesticides can kill pollinators, but some are worse than others. Spraying at the right times can sometimes reduce harmful effects.
- Plant in clumps and layers.
- Plant natives. Native plants support the native populations of pollinators and as a result our whole eco-region.
- Have a water source. A shallow dish in the sun will work as a place for them to get a drink.
- Use compost or organic fertilizers rather than commercial fertilizers.
Threats to Pollinators
Habitat Fragmentation
As we continue to develop natural spaces in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and the world as a whole, bees are threatened with loss of consistent food and shelter. Filling our developed landscapes with successively blooming plants can help to counter the effects of habitat loss.
Harmful Pesticides
Most pesticides are harmful to pollinators. The least threatening pesticides to pollinator populations are topical and organic such as insecticidal soaps, spinosa and neem. These should be applied in the late evening when pollinators are not visibly present.
The most threatening pesticides to pollinator populations are non-organic, systemic pesticides. These stay in the system of the plant for multiple weeks depending on the size of the plant and the pesticide used, so pollinators can be killed after extracting nectar from the plant.
Other Perennials
Other perennials we love, but may not be listed above include sun-loving and shade-loving.
Sun-Loving Perennials
- Bee balm
- Black-eyed Susan
- Catmint
- Hollyhocks
- Luna series hibiscus
- Meadow sage
- Salvia guaranitica
- Texas star hibiscus
- Verbena
Availability shifts through the year, so call ahead if you are after a particular variety.
Shade-Loving Perennials
- Autumn fern
- Balloon flower
- Bear’s breeches
- Comfrey
- Farfugium
- Foxglove
- Heuchera
- Holly fern
- Japanese painted fern
- Wood fern
If you do not see what you need, ask one of us and we will check what is in stock.
Vines
Evergreen
- Carolina jessamine - can take shade
- Creeping fig - tender perennial; shade-loving
- Crossvine - evergreen; good for privacy
- Evergreen wisteria - semi-evergreen; aubergine flowers
- Lady banks rose - nearly thornless
Call or come in if you are looking for an evergreen perennial that is not listed.
Deciduous
- Boston ivy - shade-loving
- Clematis - unique flower
- Coral honeysuckle - native; attracts hummingbirds
- Passion - showy flowers; attracts butterflies
- Wisteria - showy, fragrant flowers
This list is not exhaustive; ask us about anything you do not see.
Not everything we carry is listed here. If you are looking for something in particular, give us a call or stop by and ask.
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