Flowers to Plant in East Texas
- The Indian paintbrush produces colorful red spikes.Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images
Although the stereotype of Texas might bring up an image of hot, dry and dusty plains, the state actually has a wide variety of climates and conditions. East Texas receives much more rainfall than the west, and its soil tends to be more fertile. Gardeners have a good choice of flowers to plant in the eastern portion of the state. - Jewels of Opar (Talinum paniculatum) can be found in counties along Texas' southeastern borders. It is a perennial plant with green leaves and small pink flowers that bloom in the summer. It prefers poor to moderately rich soil that is well drained. It can also tolerate partial shade or full sun. It grows to a height and width of 1 to 3 feet, and is often used as a garden bed or border plant. The flowers are followed by colored seed heads that are red and gold; these seed heads resemble small jewels, which is how the plant got its common name. Jewels of Opar propagate easily from seed and and can be invasive. It thrives best in high temperatures and is generally drought-resistant.
- Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia), which is also known as sweet pepperbush, is a deciduous shrub that grows in East Texas. It grows from 4 to 8 feet tall and blooms in the summer months with clusters of small white flowers. Each flower has five petals and a pungent fragrance. The dark green leaves of the plant turn to a golden yellow in the fall. It prefers an acidic soil and is fairly tolerant to salt. It will grow in both shaded and full-sun areas. In the beginning it does best in moist soils, but once it is established it will do well in dry soil as well. It is easy to propagate from stem cuttings in the summer, or by seed. Summersweet is considered a good choice for gardens and attracts butterflies and bees. Its flowers can last up to six weeks.
- Indian paintbrush (Castilleja indivisa) also goes by Texas paintbrush and scarlet paintbrush. Native to the U.S., it grows from 6 to 16 inches high and features bright red spikes on its multiple stems. The flowers themselves are fairly inconspicuous and green. Indian paintbrush is invasive and its roots will feed off other plants in the area, including grasses. It should therefore be placed away from other plants in the garden. It prefers a full sun and acidic soil. It can tolerate sand, loam and clay. It's good for gardeners who wish to attract butterflies and hummingbirds. It blooms in March, April and May, and propagates from seed.
