native approved

understanding plant details

 

 

explore plants
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full sun

sun-loving plants

scientifically known as heliophytes, these plants include canopy trees, almost all cactus species, the dominant prairie grasses + our colorful inventory of full-sun vegetation

part sun

sunny edge plants

part sun plants are well adapted to the broken tree cover (a.k.a. savanna conditions) of the edwards plateau — these plants include most understory trees, many cactus species, most bunch grasses + an curated combination of full-sun + shade specimens

part shade

shade tolerant plants

part shade plants specialize in the mostly shady conditions that exist under taller vegetation + structures — several understory trees, a selection of bunch grasses, along with our collection of shade specialists make up this plant lineup

full shade

shade-loving plants

few plants thrive in the most shady spots in the landscape + can even create a condition we often refer to as a barren “shade desert” — fortunately, there are some understory trees, a couple of bunch grasses + a handful of shade-lovers to turn toward to brighten these darker garden corners

LEAF RETENTION

evergreen

leaves are retained year-round

 

semi-evergreen

leaves often retained with mild winter

 

deciduous

leaves drop in the fall

HABIT

habit (or growth habit) refers to the characteristic shape, general appearance, size, and branching pattern of plant specimens, describing how a plant grows + naturally structures

large, woody plants with a single main stem or trunk and a distinct canopy

woody plants that are smaller than trees + usually feature multiple stems arising low from the base

non-woody plants with soft, green stems that typically go dormant (die back) in wintertime
narrow leafed plants that fall into two general categories base upon how they spread: clumping bunch grasses or horizontal stems (either above or below ground)

almost all cacti are succulents that generally feature water-storing tissues, slow metabolisms, and structural adaptations (like compact shapes, shallow root systems + protective surface characteristics) to thrive in arid environments

plants with flexible or weak stems that cannot support themselves, using tendrils, twining stems, or aerial roots to climb walls or other plants