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
Cotoneaster, 4 x 4+,sun to part shade
Texas Sage, 4 x 6’, sun to part shade
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
Blackfoot Daisy 2 x 2’, sun
PInk Skullcap, 1.5 x 2.5, sun
Loropetalum ranging from 2 x 2’ – 6 x 8’, sun to part sun
Texas Betony 2 x 2.5’, sun to part sun
Pink Yarrow, 2 x 2’ , sun to part sun
Purple bearded iris, 2 x 2’, sun to part shade
Four Nerve Daisy, 1 x 1’ , sun
Pink Creeping Phlox, 6” x 1’, sun
Salvia Greggi, 3 x 3’, sun
Gopher Plant 2 x 2’, 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
Yucca Rostrata, 4 x 6’+ , sun
Leatherleaf Mahonia, 3 x 4’, shade
Paddle Cactus, 5 x 5’ , sun to part shade
Foxtail Fern, 2 x 2’, sun to 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
Powis Castle Artimesia 2 x 2.5’ , sun to part shade
Jerusalem Sage 3 x 3’ , sun to shade
Dusty Miller, 2 x 2.5 ,sun to part sun
Russian Sage, 3 x 3’ , sun to part shade
Twistleaf Yucca 2 x 2’+ , sun to shade
Vines and Roses
Evergreen Wisteria 20+‘, sun to part shade
Crossvine ,15×15’, sun to part shade
Peggy Martin Rose, 20 x 20’, sun
Peach drift rose and the Drift Rose series, 3 x 3’, sun
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”