If everything is bigger and better in Texas — and most Texans will tell you it is — then I might argue our landscapes should live up to that same standard. What could be truer, tougher, or more beautiful than plants that are as native to this land as we are proud to call it home? And if you really believe nothing compares to Texas, then shouldn’t your yard wave that same Lone Star spirit with plants as bold, resilient, and unmistakably Texan as the great folks that live here?
Across North Texas, subtle shifts patterns are adding up– as a result of both urban sprawl and increasingly erratic weather. Texas native plants for pollinators are needed now more than ever. Monarch butterflies remain in serious trouble. Native bees no longer buzz with the same abundance. Even hummingbirds, those tireless migrants, face longer, hotter journeys where dependable nectar stopovers can mean the difference between survival and exhaustion. (Ruby-throated and Black-chinned hummingbirds are not collapsing here—at least not yet—but research warns of shifting migration schedules and nectar “mismatches” that gardens can help buffer.)
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Growing Hope
Even in the stubborn clay soils of the region—where summer heat lingers and rainfall comes in feasts or famine—a quiet revolution is underway. Homeowners, designers, and city planners are embracing landscapes that not only endure extremes but flourish in them. The model is prairie-inspired: resilient, dynamic, and beautiful. The setting is our own backyards, parks, and even commercial landscapes are joining the fight.
At the heart of this transformation is a palette of native grasses and wildflowers chosen not only for their toughness but also for their timing. Purple liatris spikes rising in late summer. Golden swaths of coreopsis in spring. The sculptural globes of rattlesnake master. The lavender haze of fall asters, closing the year. Layered together, these plants offer an ever-changing tableau that looks intentional while working hard behind the scenes: holding soil, capturing stormwater, feeding wildlife.
The hopeful news is that each and every gardener can help rewrite the story, in fact, the heritage of the land we live on depends on it. Planting natives turns ordinary yards into stepping-stones of habitat—tiny but crucial refuges that link into something larger, stronger, and more resilient.
As entomologist Doug Tallamy reminds us: “Chances are, you have never thought of your garden—indeed, of all the space on your property—as a wildlife preserve that represents the last chance we have for sustaining plants and animals that were once common throughout the U.S.” In Texas, every yard counts.
Fear Not!
And even if you live under the watchful eye of a homeowners’ association, you still have room to act! Texas SB 198 (2013) enshrined the right to plant drought-tolerant, native, water-wise landscaping. HB 3391 (2011) expanded protections for rainwater harvesting, composting, and efficient irrigation. HOAs may set design guidelines, but they cannot ban pollinator-friendly gardens, rain barrels, or the native plantings that make them thrive. (See Daniel Cunningham’s Dallas Morning News explainer.)
If you’re still concerned that a landscape which leans to the wild side might draw the ire of neighbors, consider a technique we jokingly refer to as a “mullet” landscape—like the infamous haircut, allows for business in the front and a party (for wildlife) in the back!
Backyard Examples (how YOU can help!)
1) A Powdery Blue Blockbuster
Plant a swath of Gregg’s mistflower and watch butterfly royalty float in—Monarchs front and center, along with their cousins, a kaleidoscope of Queens. (Yes, kaleidoscope is the official name of a mass of butterflies.) In peak bloom you’ll see dozens and dozens of visitors at once: butterflies, bees, and other critical pollinators working those powdery-blue flower clusters. In the Southern Plains, mistflower is repeatedly flagged as a top monarch nectar source—especially late summer into fall. Reliable nectar sources like this are essential for migration, and each of the ten plants in the list below plays a role in filling seasonal gaps.
2) Milkweed Matters (and not just for monarchs)
No Texas pollinator garden is complete without green milkweed. It’s a preferred caterpillar host for Monarchs (and Queens), and also supports common native moths. Its nectar is a cross-taxa fuel stop for migrating butterflies and native bees (like the green native sweat bee) alike—exactly what North Texas gardens need during heat and drought. And milkweed isn’t alone: coneflowers, zexmenia, four-nerve daisies, and asters all provide host plant value too—see the full list below.
3) A Late-Season Lifeline (build a fall bouquet)
When summer fades, late nectar is everything for southbound monarchs and migrating hummingbirds, these fall workhorses keep the buffet open:
- Fall aster (critical late nectar and a Pearl Crescent butterfly host)
- Gregg’s mistflower (again—an autumn magnet)
- Zexmenia (nectar now; Bordered Patch butterfly host)
- Four-nerve daisy (dependable nectar deep into fall)
- Narrowleaf coneflower (late nectar + winter seed for songbirds)
Texas sits in the migration “funnel,” so fall flowers here often punch far above their weight.
4) Bees on the Brink (why asters matter)
While the term bee often conjures fear, it’s important to note that our native bees are functionally stingless and offer no threat to humans. Those that can sting almost never do, and if they did (only if forced against your skin) the sensation of most would be more akin to an itch. Consider the Southern Plains bumble bee (Bombus fraternus). It’s native, historically present in Texas, and in serious decline across its range. Like other bumble bees, it needs continuous nectar and pollen from spring through fall—and fall asters help bridge that late-season gap. In short: keeping asters in bloom isn’t just pretty; it’s practical conservation.
Quick habitat tip: Leave stems of the plants below standing over winter through early spring (then cut back if needed). Many native bees and beneficial insects nest or overwinter in hollow or pithy stems; premature cleanup can evict next year’s pollinators.
Seedheads for Songbirds
For winter wildlife value, don’t deadhead every coneflower and aster. Let seedheads stand for finches and sparrows, and leave stems overwinter through early spring so native bees can finish developing and emerge on their own timelines. Your garden will look wilder for a few months—and infinitely more alive the rest of the year.
Texans have been championing these plants long before they were trendy. As horticulturist Benny J. Simpson liked to say, “Our native plants are survivors. They’ve been here all along, waiting for us to recognize their value in our gardens and landscapes.” That recognition starts with what we plant next.
Ten Must-have plants for North Texas Pollinators
Each of these Texas native plants for pollinators are incredibly easy to grow with little care!
Gregg’s Mistflower
- Butterflies (nectar): Queen, Monarch, Gulf Fritillary, Painted Lady, American Lady, Variegated Fritillary, Common Buckeye, Fiery Skipper, Sachem, Clouded Skipper, Eufala Skipper, Gray Hairstreak.
- Bees: Green Sweat Bee, Ligated Sweat Bee, American Bumble Bee.
- Songbirds (indirect insect food): Northern Mockingbird, Eastern Phoebe.
Pitcher Sage
- Hummingbirds: Ruby-throated, Black-chinned.
- Butterflies (nectar): Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Giant Swallowtail, Pipevine Swallowtail, Monarch, Gulf Fritillary.
- Bees: Miner Bee, American Bumble Bee.
Henry Duelberg Sage
- Hummingbirds: Ruby-throated, Black-chinned.
- Butterflies (nectar): Monarch, Gulf Fritillary, Painted Lady, Common Buckeye.
- Bees: Green Sweat Bee, Imitator Sweat Bee, Eastern Carpenter Bee, American Bumble Bee.
Wild Bergamot
- Hummingbirds: Ruby-throated, Black-chinned.
- Butterflies (nectar): Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Pipevine Swallowtail, Silver-spotted Skipper, Monarch.
- Bees: Bergamot Miner Bee, American Bumble Bee, Agile Long-horned Bee.
Fall Aster
- Butterflies (nectar): Monarch, Painted Lady, Common Buckeye, Fiery Skipper, Sachem.
- Butterflies (host): Pearl Crescent.
- Bees: American Bumble Bee, Ligated Sweat Bee, Bimaculate Long-horned Bee.
- Songbirds (seeds): American Goldfinch, House Finch, White-throated Sparrow.
Zexmenia
- Butterflies (nectar): Fiery Skipper, Sachem, Queen, Painted Lady.
- Butterflies (host): Bordered Patch.
- Bees: Green Sweat Bee, Ligated Sweat Bee, American Bumble Bee.
- Songbirds (seeds): Lesser Goldfinch, Mourning Dove.
Green Milkweed
- Butterflies (host): Monarch, Queen.
- Moths (host): Milkweed Tussock Moth, Dogbane/Delicate Cycnia.
- Butterflies (nectar): Monarch, Queen, Pipevine Swallowtail, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail.
- Bees: Honey Bee, American Bumble Bee, Green Sweat Bee, Ligated Sweat Bee.
Four-nerve Daisy
- Butterflies (nectar): Painted Lady, Common Buckeye, Fiery Skipper.
- Moths (host): Wavy-lined Emerald.
- Bees: Texas Miner Bee, Green Sweat Bee, American Bumble Bee.
- Songbirds (seeds): Lesser Goldfinch, House Sparrow.
Narrowleaf Coneflower
- Butterflies (nectar): Giant Swallowtail, Pipevine Swallowtail, Monarch, Painted Lady.
- Butterflies (host): Silvery Checkerspot.
- Bees: American Bumble Bee, Texas Leafcutter Bee, Texas Mason Bee, Long-horned Bees.
- Songbirds (seeds): American Goldfinch, House Finch, Pine Siskin.
Rattlesnake Master
- Butterflies (nectar): Monarch, Painted Lady, Common Buckeye, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail.
- Butterflies (host): Black Swallowtail.
- Bees: American Bumble Bee, Green Sweat Bee, Ligated Sweat Bee, Texas Leafcutter Bee.
- Songbirds (indirect insect food): Scissor-tailed Flycatcher.
The “EASY” Button
Finding all ten of these sometimes-hard-to-source natives separately can be a chore. Conveniently, they’re ALL bundled in Rooted In’s Go N Grow Pollinator Garden in a Box—24 starters, 10 varieties, three free “plant-by-number” designs, and a maintenance guide—so you can install a science-backed Texas native plants for pollinators in an afternoon. The current kit price is $85 (about $3.50 per plant), with multiple convenient pick-up locations across the state.
Resource starters (for readers who want to certify or learn more)
- Homegrown National Park (yard-by-yard habitat movement)
- Monarch Watch – Certified Monarch Waystation
- National Wildlife Federation – Certified Wildlife Habitat
- Texan by Nature – Conservation Partners & Certifications
- Native Plant Society of Texas – New NPSOT Yard Signs