Flowers! They can stimulate a wide range of emotions. They express love, mark celebrations, offer condolences, play a role in religious rituals, and contribute to emotional well-being and mental health. Flowers remind us that beauty can grow from the smallest seed with a little care and patience.

I remember the hope that flowers gave me as a young, stay-at-home mother of two small children whose husband worked away from home Monday to Friday. I mentally survived a long, cold winter by visually dreaming of prize daffodils blooming in spring. And I would read to my children the story about a sick little boy who gazed at his window box of flowers and became well when they bloomed.

Gardening and growing flowers in Texas isn’t always easy — between the scorching heat, surprise cold snaps, and tricky soil, it can feel like an uphill battle. Choosing native flowering plants, though, can be a rewarding option. These plants are built for the Texas weather, often need less water and maintenance, and bring tons of color and life to your yard.

Stephen Bruegerhoff, who manages the Brazos County Master Gardeners chapter and is the Horticulture Agent for Brazos County Extension, is an authority on gardening practices for homeowners. We asked for his recommendation on flowering plants that would be appropriate for growing in central Texas gardens. Below is a list of five of his favorites, which also happen to be listed as part of the “Texas Superstar Program.”

Salvia ‘Henry Duelberg’

A winner for the home garden and joy to see, this easy-to-grow perennial plant is a cultivated form of Texas native Mealyblue Sage (Salvia farinacea). It renders 3-feet tall dark blue spiky flowers from spring throughout summer and attracts pollinators. Once established, it is drought lenient and gorgeous, listed as a Texas superstar. Bonus – it is deer resistant.

Esperanza (Tecoma stans)

A native full-sun shrub, often over 6 feet tall, that yields amazing clusters of large butter-yellow flowers from early summer to fall. Hummingbirds and bees love it as a great nectar source. It can be used as a seasonal screening plant or lone plant. Some prefer planting in containers on patios or porches.

Turk’s Cap (Malvaviscus arboreus var. Drummondii)

Another great nectar source for hummingbird migration, root-hardy Turk’s Cap produces deep red turban-shaped flowers in spring and fall. It is a course-textured, fast-growing Texas native. This elegant plant grows 4-feet high and wide, and is a shade and drought-tolerant shrub. Native to south Texas, it claims perennial status, but north Texans boast annual status. The soft pink ‘Pam Puryear’ is stunning, and the variegated ‘Fiesta’ has outstanding yellow and white-splotched leaves. Turk’s Cap tolerates both sun and shade but does better in sun (foliage shows better with some shade).

Cape Plumbago (Plumbago auriculata)

If you love sky blue flowers, Cape Plumbago (a/k/a “sky flower”) will be a delight in your garden.  This perennial grows 3-feet tall and spans 5-feet wide. It is a great nectar source for butterflies, blooming from early summer to fall. Be sure to prune dead flowers to encourage more blossoms. It is as pretty as Bonnie Blue’s eyes, Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler’s daughter in “Gone With the Wind.”

Mystic Spires (Salvia longispicata x farinacea)

A compact form of the salvia known as “Indigo Spires,” this plant blooms from spring to summer with blue flowers. It is often used for bordering in well-drained soil. A suggestion – use this great pollinator with contrasting yellow-flowering plants or foundation planting. It tolerates heat and humidity well and pests, diseases, and deer dislike it.

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Cover photo Wendi Baird

Minnie Payne grew up in South Carolina but because of her husband’s government job, lived in many different U.S. cities. Having lived in Texas 38 years, she claims it as home and appreciates the many opportunities and advantages that the Lone Star State provides.