Redbud Trees grow quickly and reach 20-30ft in height at maturity. The abundant purple-pink Redbud flowers appear in April, just before the leaves, on irregular ornamental branches. The trunk branches low to give a shrub like appearance even on single trunk trees.
Compact Texas Sage
Grow Texas Sage in southern climates. Texas sage or compact Texas sage is a shrub that grows well in zones 8, 9 and 10. The scientific name is Leucophyllum frutescens 'Compacta' and it has silver leaves and lavender flowers. It blooms often in adequate rain or water, and is drought resistant but non-blooming with inadequate water.
Magnolia Tree
This is an evergreen tree reaching 60 to 80 feet tall and 30 to 50 feet wide. The large, lustrous foliage is evergreen. Its large, white flowers are very fragrant. Magnolia Trees will take full sun to partial shade.Plant in early spring using plants with balled and burlapped roots or those grown in containers. Select site with wind protection to protect large leaves from wind damage. Requires good soil drainage, and prefers acid soil. Leave a lot of space for the plant to develop.Easy to maintain. Tree litter can be a nuisance in high traffic areas. Very strong smelling!
Althea
The Althea shrub is ideal if you have a sunny entranceway just begging for the right shrub. It is popular, colorful and an excellent choice for any area. Make a spot for the beautiful Althea shrub, better known as Rose of Sharon. With an interesting choice of colors this beautiful shrub is best known for its large showy flowers (in single or double flowering form, with solid colors or bicolors) that bloom all Summer long. Rose of Sharon can reach a height of 8'-10' with a spread of 4'-6' making it an excellent and beautiful choice for hedges.
Golden Rain Tree
Golden rain tree is a fast-growing, deciduous tree reaching about 30' in height. At maturity, it has a rounded crown, with a spread equal to or greater than the height. It has compound leaves that give it an overall lacy appearance. The leaves turn yellow before falling. The bark is light gray-brown and becomes furrowed with age. Golden rain tree is perhaps most striking in the fall with its large clusters of showy yellow flowers. These are followed by 2" red-purple seed pods, which are equally dramatic! The fruit is a papery three-compartment, bladder-like structure full of seeds.
Mexican Buckeye
Mexican-buckeye, an 8-12 ft., deciduous tree, can reach 30 ft. in height. It is often multi-trunked with with light gray to brown bark, smooth on young branches, becoming fissured with age. Leaves up to 12 inches long, with a central axis supporting 2 to 6 paired leaflets and a terminal one; leaflets up to 5 inches long, ovate to narrower with an elongate tip, rounded base, and serrate margins. Pinnate foliage turns golden yellow in fall. Clusters of bright-pink, fragrant flowers appear before or with the leaves from the axils of the previous season. Fruit distinctive, a light reddish brown when ripe, 3 lobed capsule containing 1 to 3 dark brown to black, shiny seeds 1/2 inch in diameter, seeds are poisonous.From a distance the plants in full flower resemble redbuds or peaches. The sweetish but poisonous seeds are sometimes used by children as marbles. Livestock seldom browse the toxic foliage, but bees produce fragrant honey from the flowers. Although not a true buckeye, it is so called because of the similar large capsules and seeds.
Mimosa
This fast-growing, deciduous tree has a low branching, open, spreading habit and delicate, lacy, almost fern-like foliage. Fragrant, silky, pink puffy pompom blooms, two inches in diameter, appear from late April to early July creating a spectacular sight. Mimosa is popular for use as a terrace or patio tree for its light shade and tropical look. Mimosa is most commonly pink but yellow does exist.
Crape Myrtle
Crape Myrtles are naturalized plants from China that are easily the most copious summer blooming trees and shrubs for Texas. Crape Myrtles bloom best in full sun and watered only when required, starting in the late spring and can persist till fall. Over watering will end the blooms early and produce an abundance of seeds that weigh down the branches. Trim in the winter before new growth appears, as blooms only appear on new growth. Larger, mature specimens have attractive bark that ex-foliates. In the fall, Crape Myrtles naturally have nice fall color, ranging from red, orange and yellow leaves. 'Dynamite' is an improved powdery mildew resistance cultivar with dark rich red blooms.
Vitex
The Vitex tree is attractive, with clusters of colorful purple flower spikes in Summer to Fall. It has aromatic gray-green leaves, and is a rapid grower. It can reach heights of 15 to 25 feet, and prefers Summer heat for more colorful blooms. This tree is drought tolerant and deer resistant.
Olive Tree
Olive trees, known botanically as Olea europaea, are subtropical evergreen trees that are native to the coastal areas of the Mediterranean Basin. Olive trees grow best in climates that experience hot, dry summers and mild winters with warm days and cool nights. Located in the northern part of South Texas, the city of San Antonio to Kerrville is one of the few regions in the state of Texas that has a climate that is suitable for growing olive trees. With proper site selection and care, you can successfully grow an olive tree.
Chinese Pistache
The Chinese pistache is a medium to large deciduous hardwood tree that will fit into larger home landscapes. The leaves are compound pinnate (a long leaf stem with 11 to 17 leaflets) and alternately arranged. It has impressive fall color (scarlet, crimson, orange, sometimes yellow), even in milder climates. The tree’s canopy can reach 40-50 feet in height and 30 feet in width at maturity. It is virtually insect- and disease-free (although it is susceptible to Texas root rot). The Chinese pistache is dioecious: plants are either males producing pollen (with little or no allergenic qualities) or female producing attractive (but inedible) berries that attract birds. Once established, it is very drought, wind, and heat tolerant. The Chinese pistache is a close relative of the pistachio nut tree (Pistacia vera), but is much hardier. The wood is very hard and rot resistant. Young Chinese pistache trees should be planted in spring or fall. They must have full sun and do best in well-drained soil. However, they tolerate a wide range of soils, some alkalinity, and can live a very long time (several centuries). If there is a down side to the Chinese pistache, it’s that young trees appear spindly and awkward. Trees planted from five and fifteen gallon containers will probably need staking and grow slowly for the first three to five years after planting. Some structural pruning may also be necessary in the early years to develop an even canopy and proper branch spacing. Once they are established, they can grow two to three feet per year.
Mountain Laural
Popular Texas native tree known for its extremely fragrant blue-purple flowers in the spring. Specimans normally grow to 30 feet tall and 20 feet wide; evergreen & responds very well to regular care. Roots are very shallow, and will require adequate drainage. The orange-red seeds have a very hard shell covering a very poisonous seed.