Summer lasts at least six blistering months in Houston, Texas. Use these heat-tolerant plants to save money, time and energy in the garden and yard.
Want to save this post?
Enter your email below and get it sent straight to your inbox. Plus, I'll send you quick & simple plant-based recipes every week!
Jump to:
Understanding heat-tolerant plants
What makes a plant heat-tolerant
Heat-tolerant plants have certain attributes that allow them to withstand high temperatures, full sun exposure, and arid conditions. These characteristics usually include:
- Deep root systems: Many heat-tolerant plants have deep, extensive root systems that can reach water sources far below the soil surface, making them better equipped for Texas droughts.
- Drought-tolerant foliage: Some heat-tolerant plants have leaves with specialized structures, such as waxy coatings or small surface areas, which reduce water loss from transpiration.
- Ability to store water: Certain plants, like succulents, are capable of storing water in their leaves, stems, or roots, allowing them to endure extended periods of drought.
Importance of heat-tolerant plants in Texas
In Texas, where temperatures can soar into triple digits during the summer months, it's crucial for you to choose plants that can withstand the intense heat and dry conditions, if you don't want to have to buy new plants every year.
Incorporating heat-tolerant plants into your garden has several benefits:
- Reduced water usage: By using plants adapted to the local environment, you can conserve water resources, which is particularly important during the record heat waves that Texas often experiences.
- Increased plant survival: Heat-tolerant plants are more likely to thrive in Texas' harsh climate, providing you with a more resilient and sustainable landscape.
- Supporting local ecosystems: Selecting native Texas plants that are accustomed to the region's harsh conditions helps promote local biodiversity and attract beneficial wildlife to your garden.
- Money-saving: Planting flowers, shrubs, and trees that can't take the heat means you've wasted your money. Opting for heat-tolerant plants will save you money since they will last for years to come.
Popular heat-tolerant flowers and shrubs
Here are some popular heat-tolerant flowers and shrubs that may work well in your Texas yard. We've categorized these plants into three areas:
- Perennials and Annuals
- Shrubs and Trees
- Groundcovers
Perennials and Annuals
Perennials and annuals add color and life to your garden. What's a perennial? What's an annual? Check out our glossary of plant terms for the definitions.
- Red: Turk's cap, with its bright red, hibiscus-like flowers, will dazzle your garden while attracting hummingbirds.
- Yellow: Sunflowers and coneflowers are perfect choices, providing a bright yellow hue and attracting pollinators like bees and butterflies. The 'Texas Gold' Columbine is an excellent option, as it's native to Texas and is highly tolerant of heat and drought.
- Pink: Rock rose and purple coneflowers offer beautiful shades of pink that are irresistible to pollinators. Coneflowers (echinacea) can withstand the harsh Texas conditions while adding a pop of color to your garden.
- Blue: Salvia and Texas bluebonnets create a calming and cooling atmosphere with their lush blue flowers. Bluebonnets only bloom for a few weeks in spring. But, salvia can last months.
- Purple: Lavender and verbena are lovely options to attract bees and butterflies with their fragrant purple blossoms.
- White: White coneflowers provide a touch of elegance while drawing in birds and bees.
- Orange: Add a splash of orange to your garden with the heat-resistant lantana.
When planning your garden, consider incorporating edible heat-tolerant plants like okra and peppers, which can provide fresher taste than store-bought and added utility to your landscape.
Shrubs and Trees
These shrubs and trees provide structure and shade to your garden, while also doing well in the Texas heat:
- Hibiscus: With stunning flowers in red, yellow, pink, or orange, hibiscus is a great addition to your garden. It attracts butterflies and hummingbirds.
- Lantana: This hardy shrub comes in various colors, from red and orange to yellow and white, and is a favorite of butterflies.
- Red yucca: Not a true yucca, this plant has tall, red flower stalks and is very heat tolerant. This is often grown in clusters of many plants for a striking display. When driving along Houston's many streets, you'll often see these planted in the medians or near traffic lights.
- Texas Ranger: A native shrub known for its silvery leaves and purple flowers, the Texas Ranger adds a touch of beauty to your landscape.
Groundcovers
Groundcovers help prevent soil erosion, retain moisture, and suppress weeds. Some excellent heat-tolerant choices include:
- Aloe: With its spikey green leaves and occasional red or yellow flowers, aloe adds an interesting texture to your garden while being a low-water option. Aloe also has medicinal and even limited culinary uses!
- Firebush: Offering clusters of red-orange tubular flowers and lush green foliage, firebush is a beautiful addition that attracts hummingbirds and butterflies.
- Silver ponyfoot: This drought-tolerant groundcover has small, rounded silvery leaves that create a beautiful carpet in your landscape.
With these heat-tolerant flowers, shrubs, and groundcovers, your Texas garden will not only survive the intense heat, but it will also thrive and attract a plethora of pollinators and birds.
Happy planting! 🌺
❓ FAQ
In the scorching Texas heat, you need flowers that can withstand high temperatures and still bloom beautifully. Some great options for your garden include columbine, Coreopsis, Fall aster, firebush, plumbago, rock rose, several sage varieties, and the shrimp plant. These flowers prefer moist and well-drained soil and can tolerate part shade as well as sunny conditions.
To add some structure and resilience to your Texas garden, consider heat-resistant shrubs. Among the popular choices are Texas sage, yaupon holly, and rosemary. These sturdy plants can tolerate dry, hot conditions and still provide year-round interest and color.
When dealing with hot and humid Texas weather, opt for plants that can thrive in such conditions. Lantana, black-eyed Susans, and salvia are excellent selections for your garden. They not only survive hot and humid weather but also provide a pop of color throughout the summer.
A well-planned Texas garden should feature plants that provide interest throughout the year. Evergreen plants like boxwood, holly, and juniper offer year-round foliage and can serve as the backbone of your landscape. Additionally, choose perennial flowers, such as purple coneflower and daylilies, to add seasonal blooms.
For container gardening in Texas, you'll want to choose heat-tolerant plants that can adapt to being grown in pots. Plants like bougainvillea, succulents, and pentas are well-suited for container gardens, as they can handle high temperatures and provide colorful blooms or interesting foliage throughout the season.
In hot Texas climates, evergreen shrubs provide year-round color and structure. Japanese yew, southern wax myrtle, and cherry laurel are great choices for evergreen shrubs that can tolerate the heat and still maintain their foliage and appearance throughout the year.
Comments
No Comments