PUBLISHED: September 2025 by Ron Butler, Nursery Technician

As a nursery technician at Houston Parks Board — and someone who loves plants — I have found that many species of native plants within our Gulf Coast prairie region survive and thrive in planter boxes or decorative pots. Whether you are looking to spruce up your patio space or are renting and don’t have a lot of space to work with, why not go native?

Below, I have selected five plants that thrive in planter boxes or decorative pots.

Yellow star grass (Hypoxis hirsuta)

This is not your typical perennial grass, nor is it a lawn grass. This small-sized grass, grown from small underground tubers, has bright-yellow, six-petal, star-shaped flowers that appear from spring through fall. Also, because of its small growth habit, the yellow star grass is extra cute in small ceramic or colorful glazed pots. This grass will fill a pot nicely and can be separated as needed.

Plant size: 6” to 10” tall and wide

Flower size: ¼” to ½”

Light requirements: Sun to partial shade (water more in full sun)

Small Coast germander (Teucrium cubense)

This perennial is easy to grow, though it is a little bit taller than the yellow star grass. The Gulf Coast germander will provide some height, but never enough to be unmanageable in a medium-sized container. The unique stocks of white flowers look like small white butterflies. This blooms late spring through fall; for continuous blooms through the season, cut all the finished flower stocks back.

Plant size: 12” to 18” tall and wide

Flower size: ¼”

Light requirements: Full sun to partial shade (water more in full sun)

Lanceleaf blanketflower (Gaillardia aestivalis)

Not to be confused with the common blanketflower (Gaillardia pulchella), this prairie plant has a uniquely shaped daisy flower and is a reliable perennial. The plant blooms from spring through fall, like the other two native plants mentioned above. The growth habit is the same as the Small Coast germander, but if you remove spent flowers regularly, it will branch out and keep flowering. This beauty is excellent for medium-sized pots and does well in large pots as well.

Plant size: 16” to 20”

Flower size: 1”

Light requirements: Full sun (for best performance)

Inland sea oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) — Accent Plant

This woodland/understory grass provides great benefits. This grass is commonly seen in shady landscapes across the Houston area and is low-maintenance. The grass has a short, bamboo-like growth habit called “clumping.” During the wintertime, when the stalks and the seed heads turn brown, they can be cut and used in dried arrangements in a vase or left in the pot as a winter interest on your patio. This grass is excellent as a standalone plant in a medium-to-large-sized pot.

Plant size: 12” to 24” (depending on pot size)

Flower size: 1” to 1.5” (seedheads that turn brown)

Light requirements: Morning sun or all shade (continuous sun bleaches and kills the plant over time)

Leavenworth’s sedge (Carex leavenworthii) — Accent Plant

This woodland/understory sedge is an excellent native grass substitute for the fiber optic grass, which is found at various commercial nurseries around the country as an accent plant. Leavenworth’s sedge looks very similar to the fiber optic grass, but it can grow slightly taller in size. The flowers or inflorescence of Leavenworth’s sedge are also bigger in size, but still get the job done. This sedge is great for small-to-medium-sized containers as a standalone plant, or it can be partnered with other woodland/understory native plants in a suitable container or planter.

Plant size: 8” to 16”

Flower size: ¼” size green seed heads that turn tan when mature

Light requirements: Shade to partial shade

Consider these plants if you are interested in adding a native touch to your garden! Most, if not all, should be available at your local native plant nursery. We recommend contacting your preferred store to check availability beforehand.

Note: All photos are found in the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center plant database.