Need a tree this fall? How about trying a native variety? Here’s a list of some of our favorite native trees for San Antonio, Texas. Fall is the best time to plant your trees and let their roots develop into a strong, sturdy system through winter. It’s our hot, San Antonio, summer sun that we most need to worry about. Planting in fall gives trees a great growing start so that they will be able to survive their first scorching season. Native trees are listed from tallest to smallest.
For a pdf print out of this native tree list click here, and for more native plant lists, click here.
20 Native Trees
Pecan
- Average Height: 60-75+ feet
- Width: 60-75 feet
- Type: Deciduous
- Seasonal Interest: Fall, nuts
- Light Exposure: Sun
- Pollinators: Host to Gray Hairstreak butterfly
- Water Needs: High, especially during July – November when kernels fill in. Deep soil or poor drainage areas best.
Bur Oak
- Average Height: 50-70 feet
- Width: 30-50 feet
- Type: Deciduous
- Seasonal Interest: Spring, acorns
- Light Exposure: Sun
- Shade Tolerance: Tolerates part shade
- Pollinators: Host for many Hairstreak butterflies as well as multiple species of moths
- Water Needs: Moderate
Cedar Elm
- Average Height: 50-70 feet
- Width: 40-60 feet
- Type: Deciduous
- Seasonal Interest: Fall, yellow foliage
- Light Exposure: Tolerates part shade
- Pollinators: Host to Mourning Cloak and Question Mark butterflies
- Water Needs: Moderate
Chinquapin Oak
- Average Height: 50-70 feet
- Width: 30-40 feet
- Type: Deciduous
- Seasonal Interest: Spring, inconspicuous flowers, fall acorns and red/orange/yellow foliage
- Light Exposure: Sun to part shade
- Pollinators: Host Gray streaks, hummingbird attractor
- Water Needs: Medium
Texas Ash
- Average Height: 30-45 feet
- Width: 30-45 feet
- Type: Deciduous
- Seasonal Interest: Fall, yellow/bronze foliage
- Light Exposure: Part Sun
- Pollinators: Host for Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
- Water Needs: Low
Lacey Oak
- Average Height: 30-50 feet
- Width: 20-30 feet
- Type: Deciduous
- Seasonal Interest: Spring-fall, blue-green foliage
- Light Exposure: Sun to part shade
- Pollinators: Host for local pollinators
- Water Needs: Very low
Desert Willow
- Average Height: 15-20 feet
- Width: 15-20 feet
- Type: Deciduous
- Seasonal Interest: Spring to fall, white, pink or lavender flowers
- Light Exposure: Sun to part shade
- Pollinators: Host to White-Winged moth, nectar plant
- Water Needs: Very Low
Eve’s Necklace
- Average Height: 15-20 feet
- Width: 10-20 feet
- Type: Deciduous
- Seasonal Interest: Spring-fall, light pink flowers
- Light Exposure: Sun to part shade
- Pollinators: Nectar attracts bees and butterflies
- Water Needs: Very low
Mexican Plum
- Average Height: 15-20 feet
- Width: 15-20 feet
- Type: Deciduous
- Seasonal Interest: Early spring, white fragrant flowers. Summer to fall, purple edible plums
- Light Exposure: Sun to part shade
- Pollinators: Host to Tiger Swallowtail, Cecropia moths, nectar source bees and butterflies
- Water Needs: Low
Rusty Blackhaw Viburnum
- Average Height: 15-20 feet
- Width: 10-15 feet
- Type: Deciduous
- Seasonal Interest: Late spring, white flowers, followed by edible blue fruit drupes. Fall yellow/orange/pink/red foliage.
- Light Exposure: Sun to part shade
- Pollinators: Attracts bees and butterflies, fruit drupes attract birds
- Water Needs: Low
Texas Persimmon
- Average Height: 12-20 feet
- Width: 10-15 feet
- Type: Deciduous
- Seasonal Interest: Spring, small white flowers. Late summer to early fall, black edible fruits on females
- Light Exposure: Sun to part shade
- Pollinators: Host to Gray hairstreak, Henry’s Elfin butterflies, Nectar attracts bees and butterflies
- Water Needs: Very low
Roughleaf Dogwood
- Average Height: 12-20 feet
- Width: 15-20 feet
- Type: Deciduous
- Seasonal Interest: Spring, white flowers followed by white berries. Fall, purple/red foliage
- Light Exposure: Part shade to shade
- Pollinators: Attracts bees and butterflies
- Water Needs: Adaptable but best with moderate water
Carolina Buckthorn
- Average Height: 12-20 feet
- Width: 10-15 feet
- Type: Deciduous
- Seasonal Interest: Summer to Fall, red berries. Fall-Winter, yellow foliage
- Light Exposure: Part shade
- Pollinators: Host to Snout butterfly
- Water Needs: Low
Mexican Buckeye
- Average Height: 10-20 feet
- Width: 10-20 feet
- Type: Deciduous
- Seasonal Interest: Early spring, pink flowers
- Light Exposure: Tolerates part shade
- Pollinators: Nectar source for local pollinators
- Water Needs: Well-drained soil
Goldenball Leadtree
- Average Height: 10-20 feet
- Width: 10-15 feet
- Type: Deciduous
- Seasonal Interest: Late spring to early fall, yellow flowers
- Light Exposure: Part shade
- Pollinators: Nectar plant
- Water Needs: Very Low
Texas Mountain Laurel
- Average Height: 10-20 feet
- Width: 8-12 feet
- Type: Evergreen
- Seasonal Interest: Early spring, cascading highly fragrant flowers
- Light Exposure: Sun to part shade
- Pollinators: Nectar attract bees and butterflies
- Water Needs: Very low
Mexican Redbud and Texas Redbud
- Average Height: 10-15 feet/15-20 feet
- Width: 10-15 feet
- Type: Deciduous
- Seasonal Interest: Early spring, pinkish-magenta flowers
- Light Exposure: Prefers part shade
- Pollinators: Host to Henry’s Elfin butterfly. Nectar attracts bees and butterflies
- Water Needs: Low/Very Low
Flameleaf Sumac
- Average Height: 12-15 feet
- Width: 10-20 feet
- Type: Deciduous
- Seasonal Interest: Summer, white flowers. Fall, red berries for wildlife and fiery red/orange foliage
- Light Exposure: Sun to part shade
- Pollinators: Host to Red-banded Hairstreak, Banded Hairstreak butterflies
- Water Needs: Very low
Evergreen Sumac
- Average Height: 8-10 feet
- Width: 10-15 feet
- Type: Evergreen
- Seasonal Interest: Summer to winter, white flowers. Winter, fuzzy orange/red berries for wildlife
- Light Exposure: Sun to part shade
- Pollinators: Attracts bees and butterflies
- Water Needs: Low
Kidneywood
- Average Height: 6-12 feet
- Width: 6-10 feet
- Type: Deciduous
- Seasonal Interest: Spring to fall, blooms off and on white fragrant flowers
- Light Exposure: Sun to part shade
- Pollinators: Host to the Dogface butterfly. Nectar attracts bees and butterflies.
- Water Needs: Very low
~The Happy Gardener, Lisa Mulroy
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