*Native Texas plants for the Blackland Prairies Eco System
- Trees
- Pecan
- Black Walnut
- Sycamore
- Eastern Cottonwood
- Burr Oak
- Shumard Red Oak
- American Elm
- Cedar Elm
- Common Persimmon
- Deciduous Holly
- Red Mulberry
- Carolina Buckthorn
- Huisache
- Red Buckeye
- Eastern Redbud
- Mexican Plum
- American Elderberry
- Eastern Red Cedar
- Shrubs
- American Beauty-berry
- Buttonbush
- Fragrant Sumac
- Autumn Sage
- Succulents
- Pale-leaf Yucca
- Vines
- Cross-vine
- Trumpet Creeper
- Coral Honeysuckle
- Virginia Creeper
- May Pop
- Prairie Rose
- Grasses
- Big Bluestem
- Sideoats grama
- Canada Wildrye
- Big Muhly
- Indiangrass
- Little Bluestem
- Wildflowers
- Columbine
- Purple Coneflower
- Coralbean
- Cardinal Flower
- Turk’s Cap
- Scarlet Sage
- Indian Paintbrush
- Texas Bluebonnet
- Brown-eyed Susan
We planted the following native plants- and why we choose them.:
Partridge Pea
They bloom from June to October with bright yellow flowers and have alternate divided small leaflets. Often grown as part of an ornamental wild flower garden, it is an annual legume that may reseed under the right conditions. Slow to germinate, plant as early in February as the ground can be worked, if seeding a large area aim for 15 lbs per acre. The plant grows from 1 to 5 feet tall. In additon to habitat, cover, and nesting locations, the partridge pea, a Texas native has many benefits to the wildlife:
- Small orange glands at the base of leaves product a nectar that attract and feed hairstreak butterflies. Sulphur and yellow butterflies lay their eggs on the leaves, the plant is a good food source for the larve.
- The partridge pea also attracts ants who also like to eat the nectar, turkeys and other bug eaters are able to eat the bugs from the plant.
- The leaves are eaten by rabbits and deer.
- When the plant goes to "seed" the flat brown seed pods provide a quality winter forage food that is eater by quail, dove, Northern Bobwhite, song birds, and other wild life.
- Can be used along roads and stream banks to help with erosion.
NOTE: According to the USDA," Although partridge pea foliage is nutritious, it can be poisonous and should be considered potentially dangerous to cattle."
Article about Texas cracking down on growers of Invasive Plants
http://www.todaysgardencenter.com/news/