Native Plants
![](../_images/smarty_plants.gif)
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
![](../_images/mr_smarty_plants_logo_web_200w.jpg)
rate this answer
![](../_images/star_00.gif)
Tuesday - October 06, 2009
From: Round Rock, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Non-Natives, Container Gardens, Herbs/Forbs
Title: Plants for hanging baskets in Austin
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
Can you suggest some plants for winter hanging baskets in the Austin, TX area?ANSWER:
The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is committed to the use, care and propagation of plants native not only to North America but to the area in which the plant is being grown, in this case, Central Texas. The plants you ordinarily see in hanging baskets are often non-natives to this area. There are some natives that possibly would do well in hanging baskets (we assume this is for outside?) that are going to be dormant in the winter. If you are looking for indoor hanging baskets, there are few plants that can endure artificial heat, low light and dryness of the indoor climate; the ones that can are generally non-native tropicals. We did find some plants that might work for you, either flowering all year or starting very early in the year, evergreen or semi-evergreen, even some ferns that are evergreen but don't, of course, flower.
We would add one caution: Since this is not something we have considered before for native plants, we do not know how hardy the roots of these plants would be in the winter. Roots of a plant in the ground are insulated by the warmth of the Earth, as well as mulch or decomposing organic matter. A plant in a planter is more vulnerable to freezing weather because it has so little insulation, just some potting soil and the container. To carry this one step further, a plant in a hanging basket is really exposed, not only to freezing weather and cold wind, but to drying out.
Possibilities for Hanging Baskets in Central Texas:
Callirhoe involucrata (purple poppymallow) - evergreen or semi-evergreen, blooms white, pink, purple March to June, but has attractive trailing foliage
Glandularia bipinnatifida var. bipinnatifida (Dakota mock vervain) - blooms pink, purple March to October, an annual that sometimes perennializes
Oenothera speciosa (pinkladies) - semi-evergreen, blooms pink February to July
Tetraneuris scaposa var. scaposa (stemmy four-nerve daisy) - evergreen, blooms January to December
Adiantum capillus-veneris (common maidenhair) - evergreen
Polystichum acrostichoides (Christmas fern) - evergreen
Thelypteris kunthii (Kunth's maiden fern) - semi-evergreen
From our Native Plant Image Gallery:
More Non-Natives Questions
Pruning of non-native abelias in Fair Oaks Ranch, TX
January 24, 2011 - I have some old established Abelias that are leggy at the bottom. Can I cut them back, and if so, how far and best time to do so?
view the full question and answer
Looking for an apple tree to plant in Austin, TX.
December 08, 2010 - I want to plant an apple tree in my yard that bears fruit and will provide habitat and shade. Are any varieties that will do well in the South Austin area? And do I have to plant two trees to get fru...
view the full question and answer
Dietes bicolor invasive from Brisbane Australia
April 01, 2013 - We have dietes bicolor growing in our garden. I am changing the type of garden and cannot seem to kill it. I've dugged it out, spent too many weekends pulling out every new shoot, used poison, but t...
view the full question and answer
Decline of non-native weeping willow
June 30, 2008 - I live in Breckenridge, Texas and last year I planted a Weeping Willow tree on my property. It grew fine and seemed to be very healthy until this month. All of a sudden it has steadily lost all its ...
view the full question and answer
Are Texas Sage plants being harmed by nearby Rosemary.
June 08, 2015 - For 6+ years I've been growing Rosemary shrubs interspersed with Texas Sage. For the past two years the Texas Sage has been looking sickly and have not produced any flowers and the Rosemary is becom...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |