Hottest Days of Summer Tips

We are officially living it, the time of the year in Texas where we no longer want to summer anymore. It's consistently over 100 degrees, and just walking to the car makes you feel like your skin is melting. Those plants your paid $600 for at the big box store are withered, or maybe even disappeared completely. How are native plants different?

Truth is, some native plants aren't that different. My Maidenhair Fern has browned at the tips and has tucked itself away. Even my shady Turks Cap looks sadder than usual (but still has a ton of hummingbird visitors). But many are built for this temperature roller coaster ride - even with the additional stress of being close to concrete sidewalks, brick walls, and the lovely water restrictions we all face.

Texas Lantana - This large flowering perennial shrub blooms bright orange and yellow leaves all summer long. The blooms are starting to fade in some places, but this plant is great for holding a spot in the sunniest, driest parts of your yard.

Muhly Grasses or Big and Little Bluestem - These grasses are interesting because they change throughout the year. It's a landscape that's alive - and that's the point. These evolved with the seasons, and I look forward to seeing the wisps of pink and bronze start to show up to let me know that Fall is coming.

Red Yucca - These can look so small when you purchase them - it's wild to think about how they multiply in place, creating dozens of new plants. It's even more wild to think about how they can do this on the surface of the sun! Red Yucca is also mostly deer resistant. The deer will eat the red flowers but usually leave the green part of the plant alone.

Cedar Sedge - This is also a grass, but a lower grass that will grow in the shade. When I have an area that mud gathers (think dog paws, kids' feet), I like to plant masses of Cedar Sedge to create a ground cover that is Evergreen and sturdy.

Fall Aster - As we get closer to the wonderful Monarch migration that happens in the Fall, I love seeing Fall Aster in the garden. It's been green all season long but will burst open seemingly overnight with beautiful purple flowers that the Monarchs love to feed on. This is important timing since they are only eating, not laying eggs, on their way down to Mexico.

Hope this list of plants helps you pick out a few natives to add to your landscape! If you have any specific problem areas you are trying to navigate, feel free to drop me a line!