Native plants for El Paso County, Texas
606 native plants recorded in El Paso County, Texas
The USDA plant database has 811 plants recorded growing wild in El Paso County. 606 of them are native to the lower 48, and 67 are introduced species that this page leaves out.
By type: 255 wildflowers and herbs, 112 grasses and sedges, 95 shrubs, 86 low woody plants, 32 trees, 26 vines. USDA has rated sun, soil and water needs for 90 of them (15%), and only those can be matched to a spot below. Common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), Common pepperweed (Lepidium densiflorum) and 8 more are also recorded as introduced.
What fits each kind of spot in El Paso County
| Spot | Rated to fit | Rated not to | Unrated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun all day | 90 | 0 | 516 |
| Half shade | 86 | 4 | 516 |
| Under trees | 69 | 21 | 516 |
| Heavy clay | 50 | 40 | 516 |
| Sandy, drains fast | 71 | 19 | 516 |
| Never watered | 66 | 24 | 516 |
| Stays soggy | 24 | 66 | 516 |
Sun all day in El Paso County: 90 rated natives
36 grasses and sedges, 19 shrubs, 15 wildflowers and herbs, 14 trees, 5 low woody plants, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- California poppy (Eschscholzia californica) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Golden tickseed (Coreopsis tinctoria) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Illinois bundleflower (Desmanthus illinoensis) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Indian blanket (Gaillardia pulchella) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Missouri gourd (Cucurbita foetidissima) vines
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Plains pricklypear (Opuntia polyacantha) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Salt heliotrope (Heliotropium curassavicum) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Spreading alkaliweed (Cressa truxillensis) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Half shade in El Paso County: 86 rated natives
33 grasses and sedges, 19 shrubs, 15 wildflowers and herbs, 13 trees, 5 low woody plants, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Illinois bundleflower (Desmanthus illinoensis) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Indian blanket (Gaillardia pulchella) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Missouri gourd (Cucurbita foetidissima) vines
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Plains pricklypear (Opuntia polyacantha) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Salt heliotrope (Heliotropium curassavicum) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Spreading alkaliweed (Cressa truxillensis) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Apache plume (Fallugia paradoxa) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 6 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Banana yucca (Yucca baccata) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
Under trees in El Paso County: 69 rated natives
27 grasses and sedges, 17 shrubs, 11 trees, 8 wildflowers and herbs, 5 low woody plants, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Illinois bundleflower (Desmanthus illinoensis) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Indian blanket (Gaillardia pulchella) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Missouri gourd (Cucurbita foetidissima) vines
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Plains pricklypear (Opuntia polyacantha) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Salt heliotrope (Heliotropium curassavicum) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Spreading alkaliweed (Cressa truxillensis) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Apache plume (Fallugia paradoxa) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 6 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Banana yucca (Yucca baccata) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Heavy clay in El Paso County: 50 rated natives
20 grasses and sedges, 11 wildflowers and herbs, 8 shrubs, 6 trees, 4 low woody plants, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Illinois bundleflower (Desmanthus illinoensis) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Indian blanket (Gaillardia pulchella) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Missouri gourd (Cucurbita foetidissima) vines
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Plains pricklypear (Opuntia polyacantha) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - California poppy (Eschscholzia californica) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Golden tickseed (Coreopsis tinctoria) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Salt heliotrope (Heliotropium curassavicum) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Spreading alkaliweed (Cressa truxillensis) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Sandy, drains fast in El Paso County: 71 rated natives
27 grasses and sedges, 19 shrubs, 12 trees, 9 wildflowers and herbs, 3 low woody plants, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Illinois bundleflower (Desmanthus illinoensis) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Indian blanket (Gaillardia pulchella) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Missouri gourd (Cucurbita foetidissima) vines
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Plains pricklypear (Opuntia polyacantha) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Apache plume (Fallugia paradoxa) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 6 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Banana yucca (Yucca baccata) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Freckled milkvetch (Astragalus lentiginosus) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: slight
Never watered in El Paso County: 66 rated natives
24 grasses and sedges, 17 shrubs, 12 trees, 8 wildflowers and herbs, 4 low woody plants, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Indian blanket (Gaillardia pulchella) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high drought tolerance - Missouri gourd (Cucurbita foetidissima) vines
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high drought tolerance - Plains pricklypear (Opuntia polyacantha) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high drought tolerance - Apache plume (Fallugia paradoxa) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 6 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high drought tolerance - Banana yucca (Yucca baccata) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance - Freckled milkvetch (Astragalus lentiginosus) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance · toxicity: slight - Green prairie coneflower (Ratibida tagetes) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high drought tolerance · toxicity: slight - California poppy (Eschscholzia californica) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Stays soggy in El Paso County: 24 rated natives
14 grasses and sedges, 8 wildflowers and herbs, 1 low woody plants, 1 trees. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- American licorice (Glycyrrhiza lepidota) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - California poppy (Eschscholzia californica) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Golden tickseed (Coreopsis tinctoria) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Spreading alkaliweed (Cressa truxillensis) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Smooth beggartick (Bidens laevis) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Knotgrass (Paspalum distichum) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 0.9 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - Vine mesquite (Panicum obtusum) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
Natives El Paso County has that most of Texas does not
281 natives here are on file in no more than 13 of Texas's 254 counties. A few of them:
- Desertbroom (Baccharis sarothroides): only here
- Candy barrelcactus (Ferocactus wislizeni): only here
- Woolly bluestar (Amsonia tomentosa): only here
- Perennial rockcress (Arabis perennans): only here
- Shortleaf baccharis (Baccharis brachyphylla): only here
- Sweetbush (Bebbia juncea): only here
- Resinleaf brickellbush (Brickellia baccharidea): only here
- Veiny brickellbush (Brickellia venosa): only here
- White tackstem (Calycoseris wrightii): only here
- Graceful lipfern (Cheilanthes yavapensis): only here
Where to start in El Paso County
If you have only one spot to fill, sun all day is where El Paso County gives you the most rated choice (90 plants), and California poppy (Eschscholzia californica) is the easiest start on that list. Stays soggy is the hard one here: 24 rated plants, so for that spot it is worth asking a local native-plant society about the 516 unrated natives too.