Oddly enough, orange is one of the least favorite color choices when I do landscape consultations with clients. I however, happen to love the orange flowers for the Central Texas landscape and want to share some of my favorites.
Some clients with orange hued brick like to stay away from it because they believe it will bring out the orange, but in fact, the distinct orange color of the flowers can warm the tones of a dated home and bring it back to life.
As always. I particularly love our native plants, but there are also some adapted plants that hold up spectacularly in the Central Texas landscape,
Orange Esperanza (Tacoma stans ‘Orange Jubilee’)
Tacoma stans ‘Orange Jubilee’
The orange variety of Esperanza is quite uncommon but is certainly lovely. Growing to 4’w x 6’ t, it is a sun loving beauty that blooms from spring to fall. Perfect for hardiness zones 8-11.
Crossvine ‘Tangerine Beauty’ (Bignonia capreolata)
This Texas native vine is an evergreen that thrives in sun to part shade. Growing to 20+’, it blooms off and on throughout spring and fall. It thrives in zones 6-9.
Crossvine
Firecracker Fern (Rusellia equisetiformus)
This one can act as an annual in our climate so it’s best planted in pots that can be protected. The reason I love this one is because of its cascading effect and profusion of orange-red, tubular flowers.
Hummingbirds love this sun loving plant and I think it’s worth the effort to protect it from the hard freezes if it’s something you’d enjoy.
Firecracker fern, full to part sun, semi-evergreen, low water, low maintenance. 2′ x 2′, hummingbird attraction. (Perennial.)
Orange Daylily (Hemerocallis)
I don’t think people realize how incredibly hardy daylilies are in the central Texas landscape. I have used them for over 30 years and I absolutely adore them. The orange daylilies can be single or double bloom like those below. Some bloom in the cooler months and others are repeat bloomers and they are evergreen or semi-evergreen. While they are not deer resistant, they are seriously drought tolerant and require little to no maintenance. Remove the dead flower spikes to encourage more flowers, or just let them tend to themselves.
Cosmos
This is most definitely an annual in our climate, but one that can be fun to add to large beds that need a quick filler, or as cover crops. The Cosmos will die over the winter and often reseed themselves, but you can also save the seeds to be planted the following spring.
Cosmo, fun to part shade from 2-4′ x 2′. low water, low maintenance, re-seeds profusely. Deciduous. (Annual)
Shrimp Plant (Justicia fulvicoma)
You can find the shrimp plants in both orange and red colors. They are an excellent shade to sun plant for low water landscapes and are super low maintenance once established. They grow about 3’ x 3’+ and bloom throughout the summer to fall.
Shrimp Plant is a shade plant that reaches from 3′ x 3′ and provides beautiful color most of the summer months. deciduous, cut back in early spring. (Perennial)
Fruiting and flowering Pomegranate
Wonderful Pomegranate is a small tree reaching 12′ t to 8′ wide-ish. Full sun, little water and maintenance and provides oranges flowers in the spring and delicious fruit in late fall. Deciduous perennial.
Pride of Barbados (Caesalpinia pulcherrima)
Pride of Barbados-super drought tolerant xeriscape plant. Full sun, profuse bloomer in the hot summer months. 8′ x 8′. Deciduous, cut back early spring. (Perennial)
Mexican Honeysuckle Bush (justicia spicigera)
Mexican Honey Suckle, evergreen, low water low, maintenance xeriscape plant. Full to part sun, great butterfly attraction. (Perennial)
Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera, medicinal evergreen with beautiful salmon colored blooms in the summer months. super low water, low maintenance. Remove spent blooms and divide pups every few years if desired. (Perennial) Part sun. 2′ x 2′
Desert Globemallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua)
Globe Mallow is a beautiful silvery, pubescent plant that is evergreen and low water. 3′ x 3′, native in zones 6-8. (perennial)
Peach Drift Rose (Rosa ‘Meijocos’)
Peach Drift Rose. Not really “orange” per say, but very much in the orange family and loaded with color all summer long. Low water, low maintenance and evergreen. 3’w x 2.5′ tall. Full sun
Texas Lantana (Lantana urticoides)
Texas Lantana, deciduous, super low water, low maintenance. Deer resistant, full sun. 4x4ish
Firebush (Hamelia patens Jacq.)
Firebush, 3′ w x 4′ t, low water, low maintenance. Part sun, deciduous.
Flowering Quince (Chaenomeles speciosa)
A few other plants in my favorite list are the Living Easy Rose, Flame Acanthus, and of course the native Butterfly Weed that is so beneficial to migrating Monarchs.
So head out to your plant nursery and see what beautiful new native and adapted specimens you can add to your landscape this fall.
Now go get your garden on!
Lisa LaPaso
Lisa’s Landscape & Design (“like me on Facebook“)
” Saving the Planet One Yard at a Time”