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Native Plant and Seed Sources
Despite the abundance of agriculture in Texas, it's nearly impossible to walk into a commercial garden center or even a local nursery and find plants native to the area.
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Whenever possible, look for local vendors through the Native Plant Society of Texas (NPSOT) and LBJ Wildflower Center. There are seasonal sales, swaps, and giveaways seasonally and throughout the year. Plus, many hyperlocal (Central Texas specific) vendors host pop-up shops at local markets.
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Follow our Instagram at @replant_the_prairie to keep up with the most recent local plant sales and swaps!​
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When in doubt, use the NPSOT or Wildflower Center database to plan your space. Then this page will give you the resources to make it a reality!
Plan For Your Plants!
If you're anything like me, you could spend an entire week in a plant nursery and never get bored. An artistic display of tropical-looking flowers or a funky succulent arrangement will always stop me in my tracks. Nurseries are supposed to be intoxicating that way - in the end, they are businesses that need to make money like the rest of us.
There's nothing wrong with that, but it does mean that when you're buying plants, you should be an informed buyer just like you would with anything else you intend to keep around for a long time.
Here's how to be successful shopping for native plants at your local nursery!
01
shop small, shop local
Buy from local nurseries that grow or source their plants in our region. The larger the store, the more exotic (and often invasive) the plant selection is. Avoid big box garden centers whenever you can...and by any means possible.
03
ASk questions
Don't be afraid to ask nursery staff to help you find a specific plant, where they source their plants from, or what kind of pesticides they use. It's important information, and they should know!
02
Come prepared
Know the latin name of the plant you're looking for. Many plants have similar common names, like "Butterfly Bush," that refer to completely different species! Don't worry, you don't need to pronounce anything correctly.
04
shop around
If you don't find what you're looking for at the first place you shop, keep looking! Believe me, I know it's hard to walk away empty handed. But plants are a commitment, which means they are worth the extra effort.
Native Plant Specialists
These growers and vendors specialize in plants native to Central Texas, mostly from the Austin and San Antonio region.
Pop-up shops in south Austin with only natives, including species collected by the Native Plant Rescue Project.
Native plant seed specialists in New Braunfels. Order online or visit in person.
Online vendor located and specialized in Central Texas natives and adapted plants.
PS: look for plants propagated from seeds collected by the Native Plant Rescue Project. This is a project associated with the Native Plant Society of Texas that gathers native plants on development sites before they are disturbed. Several of the vendors above sell these plants, including Kimberly's Native Plants and Pollinatives!
NICE Nurseries
The Native Plant Society of Texas partners with nurseries in the areas to provide well-labeled sections of native plants. These are known as NICE partners: Natives Improve and Conserve Environments.
This list includes nurseries in the Bastrop and Hill Country areas. Please note that most of these nurseries sell exotic plants as well.
Barton Springs Nursery
3601 Bee Caves Rd, Austin, TX 78746
Tillery Street Plant Company
801 Tillery St, Austin, TX 78702
Native Wildlife Federation
Garden for Wildlife
Find native plants and curated collections online through the National Wildlife Federation's Garden for Wildlife Program. All plants are sourced from regional growers.