Plants that thrive in Houston, TX
In Houston the limiting factor is drainage and humidity, not drought. The plants that thrive here tolerate wet gumbo clay, 90 percent humidity, and zone 9a heat: wax myrtle, dwarf yaupon holly, Turk's cap, inland sea oats, Gulf muhly, Louisiana iris, dwarf palmetto, and firebush. Almost every xeriscape plant list written for West or Central Texas is actively wrong here, because a plant that demands sharp drainage will drown in a Houston yard.
Houston growing conditions at a glance
- USDA hardiness zone
- 9a
- Region
- the Texas Gulf Coast
- Rainfall
- about 50 inches a year, and it can arrive 10 inches at a time
- Soil
- heavy gumbo clay with a high water table and very slow drainage
- Hardest condition to design around
- too much water, not too little. Houston plants fail from root rot and standing water far more often than from drought
Structural shrubs and small trees
Structure that tolerates wet feet, humidity, and the occasional named storm.
Wax Myrtle
Morella cerifera
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Moderate, tolerates wet
- Mature size
- 10 to 20 ft, can be limbed up as a small tree
Caveat: Fast and tough, but it suckers from the base and reseeds. It also snaps in high wind if it is grown as a single thin trunk, so keep it multi-stemmed.
Dwarf Yaupon Holly
Ilex vomitoria 'Nana'
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Low to moderate
- Mature size
- 3 to 4 ft tall and wide
Caveat: The most forgiving evergreen shrub for Houston, but it will not hold a 2 ft hedge without shearing. Space and plan for 4 ft.
Dwarf Palmetto
Sabal minor
- Sun
- Part shade to full sun
- Water
- Moderate, tolerates wet
- Mature size
- 4 to 6 ft tall and wide
Caveat: A genuine Gulf Coast native that handles standing water and hard freezes. It is slow, so buy it at the size you want rather than expecting it to fill in.
Grasses and shade groundcovers
Houston yards are shadier than most Texas yards because of the tree canopy. These handle it.
Inland Sea Oats
Chasmanthium latifolium
- Sun
- Part to full shade
- Water
- Moderate
- Mature size
- 2 to 3 ft
Caveat: One of the few grasses that thrives in real shade here, and it reseeds vigorously. Cut the seed heads before they drop if you want it to stay in one bed.
Gulf Muhly (Pink Muhly)
Muhlenbergia capillaris
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Low to moderate
- Mature size
- 2 to 3 ft, taller in fall bloom
Caveat: Needs full sun and decent drainage, so it belongs in a raised bed here. In a wet, shaded Houston bed it stays floppy and never colors up.
Asiatic Jasmine
Trachelospermum asiaticum
- Sun
- Sun to full shade
- Water
- Low, once established
- Mature size
- 6 to 12 in as a mat
Caveat: The workhorse lawn substitute for Houston shade, but it will climb anything it reaches and creeps into neighboring beds. Give it a hard edge, and shear it once a year.
Wet-tolerant accents
Instead of fighting a low, soggy corner, plant the things that want it.
Louisiana Iris
Iris (Louisiana hybrids)
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- High, tolerates standing water
- Mature size
- 2 to 3 ft
Caveat: Blooms hard for a few weeks in spring and then the foliage looks tired by midsummer. Pair it with something that carries the bed after May.
Turk's Cap
Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii
- Sun
- Part shade to full shade
- Water
- Low to moderate
- Mature size
- 3 to 5 ft tall and wide
Caveat: The best flowering shade plant for the Gulf Coast, but it spreads by root and dies to the ground in a freeze. Cut it back in late winter and be prepared to divide it.
Flowering color
Color that keeps going through a humid Houston August.
Firebush
Hamelia patens
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Moderate
- Mature size
- 4 to 6 ft in a season
Caveat: It is root-hardy in Houston but freezes to the ground most winters, so treat it as a large perennial rather than a permanent shrub. Look for the true Hamelia patens, not the compact 'Dwarf' form sold as firebush, which is a different species and less vigorous.
Mystic Spires Salvia
Salvia longispicata x farinacea 'Mystic Spires Blue'
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Moderate
- Mature size
- 18 to 30 in
Caveat: Blooms almost continuously but needs deadheading and a shear in midsummer to avoid going leggy. It also sulks in poorly drained clay, so raise the bed.
What should you not plant in Houston?
Skip Chinese tallow, Japanese ligustrum, and standard Mexican petunia, all aggressive escapees along Gulf Coast bayous. Also skip lavender, most true rosemary in-ground plantings, and desert natives such as agave and damianita. They are sold here and they rot within a season or two.
What are the watering rules in Houston?
There are no routine day-of-week watering restrictions in most of the Houston area, which is exactly why so many yards are overwatered. Grade and drainage matter more than any irrigation schedule: raise beds 6 to 8 inches and give water somewhere to go.
Water rules and rebate programs change. Confirm the current stage and schedule with your local water provider before relying on it.
Questions
What plants grow best in Houston's clay soil?
Plants that tolerate wet, slow-draining gumbo clay do best in Houston. Wax myrtle, dwarf yaupon holly, dwarf palmetto, Turk's cap, inland sea oats, and Louisiana iris all handle it without amendment. Plants that need sharp drainage, including agave, lavender, and rosemary, should be avoided in the ground or planted in a raised bed.
Why do drought-tolerant plants die in Houston?
Because Houston gets around 50 inches of rain a year onto clay that drains very slowly. Drought-tolerant plants from West and Central Texas are adapted to dry soil, and in a Houston bed their roots sit in water long enough to rot. The correct plant list for Houston is a wet-and-humid list, not a xeriscape list.
What can I plant in a shady Houston yard?
Turk's cap, inland sea oats, dwarf palmetto, Asiatic jasmine, and dwarf yaupon holly all perform in part to full shade in Houston. Turk's cap is the most reliable flowering plant for real shade, and inland sea oats is the most reliable ornamental grass.
What survives a Houston freeze?
Wax myrtle, dwarf yaupon holly, dwarf palmetto, and inland sea oats came through recent Gulf Coast freezes with little damage. Firebush and Turk's cap typically freeze to the ground and return from the roots, so plan for them to be absent from the design in January and February.
Want a plant list matched to your specific yard rather than Houston in general? See how Dream Landscaper designs against your actual conditions, or skip ahead and get your free concept.
Other city plant guides
10 plants covered. Mature sizes and water needs are typical ranges for the Houston, Texas area and vary with microclimate, soil depth, and care. Nothing here is a substitute for a soil test or local extension advice.