
Evergreen Plants for the Austin Landscape
While in the middle of a Central Texas “winter”, you’ll quickly notice a pattern of freezing/thawing/hot/repeat. If you think it’s confusing for you, imagine how your plants feel. Evergreen plants for Austin are more interesting than you may think.
It’s especially frustrating when plants are in full bloom, then we get a hard freeze and you notice that half of your landscape looks dead and it’s 78° again. This is a good time to reevaluate your landscape and add a balance of evergreen and deciduous for all year impact.
The good news is that there is a plethora of beautiful evergreen plants for hardiness zone 8 a/b and they’re low water and low maintenance.
Evergreen shrubs
Dwarf Pittosporum, 3 x 3’,sun to shade
Upright and Trailing Rosemary, 3 x 4’ / 2.5 x 2.5, sun
Dwarf Japanese Boxwood 3 x 3.5’, sun to part shade
Dwarf Burford Holly 8 x 8’, sun to part shade
Blooming Perennial Plants
Dwarf Ruellia, 1 x 1’, sun to shade
Loropetalum ranging from 2 x 2’ – 6 x 8’, sun to part sun
Salvia Greggi, 3 x 3’, sun
Trailing Lantana, 8”x 2’, sun to shade
Interesting Textures
Texas or Grey Sotol, 4 x 4’, sun
Japanese Aurelia, 5 x 5’, shade
Shades of Green/Grey

Mix it up with a variation of silver/grey to blue, and texture can help break up the space or define the layout.
Agave and Paddle Cactus 3 x 3’ – 5 x 5’ ,sun to part shade
Russian Sage, 3 x 3’ , sun to part shade
Vines and Roses
Evergreen Wisteria 20+‘, sun to part shade
Crossvine ,15×15’, sun to part shade
Flowering Trees
Mountain Laurel Tree, up to 30’, sun to shade
Little Gem Magnolia Tree, 10 x 20+’, sun to part shade
I Can Help!
If you’d like help with your evergreen plant & tree selections, contact me @ Lisalapaso@gmail.com for an online or in person Educational ConsultationEducational Consultation or complete Landscape Design.Landscape Design.
I can assist you with xeriscape, deer resistant plant choices that are native and adapted, low water and low maintenance. There are also many great selections right here on my blog!
Lisa LaPaso
Lisa’s Landscape & Design
“Saving the Planet One Yard at a Time”
- Posted in: Austin Xeriscape ♦ Deer Resistant Plants Austin ♦ Gardening in Central Texas ♦ Landscape Consultation ♦ Native and Adapted Plants ♦ Water Wise
- Tagged: austin, Deer, Design, drought, Evergreen, inspiration, Low, resistant, tolerant, water, Xeriscape