Native plants for Sterling County, Texas
121 native plants recorded in Sterling County, Texas
USDA has only 139 plant records of any kind for Sterling County, against 4,671 natives statewide. That is a gap in who has collected here, not a shortage of plants, so treat the 121 below as a floor.
By type: 55 wildflowers and herbs, 24 grasses and sedges, 8 shrubs, 29 low woody plants, 2 trees, 3 vines. USDA has rated sun, soil and water needs for 17 of them (14%), and only those can be matched to a spot below.
What fits each kind of spot in Sterling County
| Spot | Rated to fit | Rated not to | Unrated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun all day | 17 | 0 | 104 |
| Half shade | 16 | 1 | 104 |
| Under trees | 14 | 3 | 104 |
| Heavy clay | 10 | 7 | 104 |
| Sandy, drains fast | 13 | 4 | 104 |
| Never watered | 14 | 3 | 104 |
| Stays soggy | 3 | 14 | 104 |
Sun all day in Sterling County: 17 rated natives
9 grasses and sedges, 3 shrubs, 3 wildflowers and herbs, 1 low woody plants, 1 trees. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Scarlet globemallow (Sphaeralcea coccinea) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Soapweed yucca (Yucca glauca) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Lyreleaf greeneyes (Berlandiera lyrata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Featherplume (Dalea formosa) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · perennial - Giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 8.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Black grama (Bouteloua eriopoda) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Canada wildrye (Elymus canadensis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Fragrant flatsedge (Cyperus odoratus) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Half shade in Sterling County: 16 rated natives
8 grasses and sedges, 3 shrubs, 3 wildflowers and herbs, 1 low woody plants, 1 trees. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Scarlet globemallow (Sphaeralcea coccinea) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Soapweed yucca (Yucca glauca) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Lyreleaf greeneyes (Berlandiera lyrata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Featherplume (Dalea formosa) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · perennial · high shade tolerance - Giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 8.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Black grama (Bouteloua eriopoda) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Fragrant flatsedge (Cyperus odoratus) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Green sprangletop (Leptochloa dubia) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
Under trees in Sterling County: 14 rated natives
8 grasses and sedges, 3 shrubs, 1 low woody plants, 1 wildflowers and herbs, 1 trees. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Scarlet globemallow (Sphaeralcea coccinea) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Soapweed yucca (Yucca glauca) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Lyreleaf greeneyes (Berlandiera lyrata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Featherplume (Dalea formosa) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · perennial - Black grama (Bouteloua eriopoda) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Fragrant flatsedge (Cyperus odoratus) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Green sprangletop (Leptochloa dubia) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Heavy clay in Sterling County: 10 rated natives
6 grasses and sedges, 3 wildflowers and herbs, 1 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Lyreleaf greeneyes (Berlandiera lyrata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 8.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Canada wildrye (Elymus canadensis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Green sprangletop (Leptochloa dubia) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Tobosagrass (Pleuraphis mutica) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2.3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Squirreltail (Elymus elymoides) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Broom snakeweed (Gutierrezia sarothrae) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: slight
Sandy, drains fast in Sterling County: 13 rated natives
7 grasses and sedges, 3 shrubs, 1 low woody plants, 1 trees, 1 wildflowers and herbs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Scarlet globemallow (Sphaeralcea coccinea) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Soapweed yucca (Yucca glauca) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Featherplume (Dalea formosa) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · perennial - Black grama (Bouteloua eriopoda) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Canada wildrye (Elymus canadensis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Fragrant flatsedge (Cyperus odoratus) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Green sprangletop (Leptochloa dubia) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Never watered in Sterling County: 14 rated natives
7 grasses and sedges, 3 shrubs, 2 wildflowers and herbs, 1 low woody plants, 1 trees. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Scarlet globemallow (Sphaeralcea coccinea) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high drought tolerance - Soapweed yucca (Yucca glauca) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance - Featherplume (Dalea formosa) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · perennial · high drought tolerance - Lyreleaf greeneyes (Berlandiera lyrata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 8.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Black grama (Bouteloua eriopoda) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance - Green sprangletop (Leptochloa dubia) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high drought tolerance - Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance
Stays soggy in Sterling County: 3 rated natives
2 grasses and sedges, 1 wildflowers and herbs. The first 3, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Stalkless yellowcress (Rorippa sessiliflora) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · takes saturated soil - Fragrant flatsedge (Cyperus odoratus) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Little barley (Hordeum pusillum) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1.2 ft mature · rapid growth
Natives Sterling County has that most of Texas does not
4 natives here are on file in no more than 13 of Texas's 254 counties. A few of them:
- Irion County buckwheat (Eriogonum nealleyi): 7 counties
- Glandular bundleflower (Desmanthus glandulosus): 11 counties
- Cochise scaly cloakfern (Astrolepis cochisensis): 12 counties
- Bulb panicgrass (Panicum bulbosum): 13 counties
Where to start in Sterling County
If you have only one spot to fill, sun all day is where Sterling County gives you the most rated choice (17 plants), and Scarlet globemallow (Sphaeralcea coccinea) is the easiest start on that list. Stays soggy is the hard one here: 3 rated plants, so for that spot it is worth asking a local native-plant society about the 104 unrated natives too.