Plants Tested and Selected forSuperstar Performance in the Texas Landscape

Based on information from www.texassuperstar.com, accessed 1/2015

texassuperstar.com

What are Superstars®?

• Plants that have been tested and selected for “superstar performance” in the Texas landscape

• Highly recommended by Texas A&M AgriLife Research & Extension

• Suited for most areas of Texas

Hardiness Zones in Texas

• -10 to -5: 6a in far north panhandle

• 25 to 30: 9b in far south Texas

• 15 – 20: 8a (since 2012)

How Are Texas Superstars® Selected?

• Plants undergo several years of extensive field trials by Texas AgriLife Research and the Texas AgriLife Extension Service, both part of the Texas A&M System.

• They must be proven to be super-performing plants under Texas growing conditions.

• During the field trials, plants receive:

– Minimal soil preparation,

– Minimal water and

– No pesticides

Former Superstars

• List changes as better-performing plants are tested

• Examples on earlier lists but not on 2015:

– Coleus: Burgundy Sun, Plum Parfait Coleus

– Purslane

What Kinds of Plants Are Included?• Annuals

• Perennials

• Per-Annuals

• Woody Shrubs

• Trees

• Specialty Plants

http://texassuperstar.com/press/Superstar_13_rev2.pdf

What Kinds of Plants Are We Going to Talk About?• Annuals

• Perennials

• Most suited to our area

Angelonia SerenaTM Series • Annual

• Full sun

• 12-18” tall

• Summer – Frost

• All areas

• Heat tolerant

Baby's Breath Euphorbias

• Annual

• Full sun

• 12-18” tall

• Summer – Frost

• 'White Manaus', 'Breathless White', 'Silver Fog‘, 'Hip Hop'

Texas Bluebonnets• Annual

• Full sun

• 12” high by 12” wide

• March-MayMaroon Lady Bird Johnson Royal Blue

Cool Season Euphorbia• Perennial

• Full sun to partial shade

• 12-24” high

• Spring blooms, fall leaf color

• ‘Tiny Tim’ ‘Blackbird’ ‘Rudolph’ ‘Tasmanian Tiger’ or ‘Glacier Blue’

Gomphrena, Glove Amaranth

• Bachelor’s Buttons

• Annual (may reseed)

• Full sun to moderate shade

• 1 to 4 ft high & wide

• Heat-loving summer annual

• Well-drained soil

'Dakota Gold' Helenium

• Reseeding annual

• Full sun

• 6-8” high

• Spring - Autumn

Larkspur -- Bunny Bloom • Winter annual

• Full sun

• 3’ high by 1’ wide

• Spring

• Comes back on its own, easy to grow

Rio Series Mandevillas• Summer annual in all but

south Texas

• Full sun, likes afternoon shade

• 1 to 2 ft high & wide

• Early summer

• Well-drained soil high in organic matter

Mari-Mum• Tagetes erecta 'Antigua'

• Annual

• Full sun

• 1’ high by 1’ wide

• September -Frost

• To avoid spider mites, plant transplants, not yet in bloom, in early-mid August

Laura Bush Petunia• Reseeding annual

• Full sun

• 2’ high by 3’ wide

• Spring - Frost

• Heat tolerant, does well even in alkaline soils, cut back by 20% each month

Tidal WaveTM PetuniaCherry

Silver

• Full sun

• 18-20” high by 4’ wide

• Spring –Frost

• Well drained soils; fertilize weekly with water soluble fertilizer (20-20-20) or a slow release mix (19-5-9). Flowers are more vibrant if not watered overhead.

Butterfly Deep Pink Pentas• Tropical annual

• Full sun to partial shade

• 2’ high by 2’ wide

• Spring –Frost

• Highly heat, soil and pest tolerant; needs well-drained soil, mulching, summer irrigation

Vinca Cora and Nirvana Series(Periwinkle)

• Annual

• Full sun to partial shade

• 14-18” high

• Late Spring – Summer

• Resistant to the aerial Phytophthora fungus, drought tolerant, but does best with good drainage, regular water and fertilization at moderate levels

Texas Gold Columbine

• Cool season perennial

• Dappled shade

• 2 ft high & wide

• 3-4 weeks, early to mid spring

• Hardiness zone 5

Hibiscus

• Perennial

• Full sun

• 4 to 5 ft high & wide

• Summer –Frost

• Low maintenance

Flare Lord Baltimore

Moy Grande

New Gold Lantana

• Perennial

• Full sun

• 2’ high by 4’ wide

• Spring –Frost

• Highly heat, drought tolerant, deer resistant

Trailing Lantana

• Perennial

• Full sun

• 1’ high by 4’ wide

• Spring –Frost

• Highly heat, drought tolerant, resistant to lantana lace bug

Malvaviscus, Turks Cap

• 'Pam Puryear' has soft pink flowers; 'Fiesta' is variegated with yellow and white splotched leaves.

• Root-hardy perennial

• Flowers heavier in full sun but foliage better with some shade

• 3-6’ high by 3-6’ wide

• Summer –Frost

‘Princess Caroline’ Napier Grass

• Pennisetum hybrid

• Perennial in all but far north Texas

• Full sun

• 4 to 6 ft tall

• Plant in Spring

• Does not flower; N fertilizer makes it green

Dwarf Mexican Petunia

• Self-seeding perennial

• Full sun to partial shade

• 1’ high by 1’ wide

• Early summer –Frost

• Heat tolerant, highly pest resistant, quickly fills in as ground cover

Perennial Phlox

John Fanick

Victoria

• Hardy perennial

• Full sun

• 3’ high by 2’ wide

• Summer

• Heat, drought, powdery mildew tolerant

Plumbago• Tender perennial

• Full sun, partial sun

• 3’ high by 5’ wide

• May - Frost

• Heat tolerant, disease, pest and deer resistant; can ramble if not pruned; prune spent flowers to increase rebloom.

Mexican Bush Sage

• Perennial in southern half of state

• Full sun

• 3’ high by 3’ wide

• Fall

• Protect brittle stems from high wind

'Henry Duelberg' Salvia

• Perennial

• Full sun

• 3’ high by 3’ wide

• Fall

• Low maintenance, heat tolerant native, more floriferous than other cultivars

Mystic Spires Blue Salvia

• Perennial

• Full sun

• 18-30” high

• Summer - Fall

• Low maintenance, heat tolerant native, more floriferous than other cultivars

Blue Princess Verbena• Perennial

• Full sun

• 10’ high by 3’ wide

• Early spring – Late fall

• Easy care, resistant to powdery mildew, shear between bloom cycles to promote rebloom

Where to Find Texas Superstar®

Plants

Nearby RetailersRegion III

• Bruce Miller Nursery, 4350 VZCR 1903, Edgewood

• Chamblee's Rose Nursery, 10926 US Highway 69 North, Tyler

• Emerald Gardens, 5006 Judson Rd., Longview

• Lockhart (J.R.) Companies, Inc., 15291 State Highway 155 South, Tyler

Nearby RetailersRegion IV• Bruce Miller Nursery, 1000 E. Beltline Rd.,

Richardson• Blue Moon Gardens. 13062 FM 279,

Chandler• Calloway's Nursery:

– 1000 Preston Rd., Plano– 1621 Custer Rd., Plano– 4050 West Eldorado Pkwy., McKinney – 2100 North Plano Rd., Richardson– 7410 North Greenville Ave., Dallas– 14120 Marsh Lane, Addison– 4220 North Galloway Rd., Mesquite– 723 South Cockrell Hill Rd., Duncanville

• Covington Nursery, 5518 Liberty Grove Rd., Rowlett

• Gardenland Nursery, 810 Frisco Rd., Sherman

• Greenery (The), 3708 North Highway 77, Waxahachie

• Nicholson-Hardie Nursery & Garden Center– 5725 West Lovers Lane, Dallas– 5060 West Lovers Lane, Dallas

• North Dallas Garden Design, Box 111667, Carrollton

• North Haven Gardens, 7700 Northaven Rd., Dallas

• Rosemeade Market & Greenhouse, 3646 E Rosemeade Parkway, Carrollton

• Shades of Green, Inc., 8801 Coit Rd., Frisco

• Texas Seasons Nursery & Landscape, 7823 N. St. Hwy 289 (Preston Road), Celina

• Treeland, 1208 Sharp Rd., Gunter• Twin Oaks Nursery, 2107 Highway 691,

Denison

Kaufman County Master Gardeners Association

www.kcmga.org