Thought I'd start a thread about Texas Native Plants. I've got a variety of microclimates on my property from full sun to full shade, so I'm experimenting with a lot of different plants as well as propagation techniques of same.

No help here, I've only dropped in to Texas as a flight connection (seems really brown to me, I'd like to explore it a bit to get a better perspective). But this site has a definite Texan influence, so I imagine you'll get some good responses. I do love the idea of incorporating natives whenever possible.

I'm not in Texas, but there is a big difference between my east-facing front yard and my west-facing back yard. And the side yards, too! I generally see a difference of 5 degrees between front and back (front has the higher lows and back has the higher highs). So I'll just watch this thread and see if I learn anything.

@ricelg
Like Deb said, there are quite a few Texas gardeners that post on this website. I, too, live in the Texas Hill Country and have gardened here for 17 years. We do have our own special challenges with the rock, cactus, caliche, limestone, and critters (deer and armadillos are the main offenders). My gardens consist mainly of Texas natives because they're tough plants and look natural for the area. Plus the deer 'usually' don't eat them.
Would like to hear more about what you've planted or plan to plant.

Yeah, outside of the heat, deer were one of my big reasons for big reasons for choosing native plants.

So far in full sun I've had success with several types of Salvia, Flame Acanthus, Purple Coneflower, 2 varieties of sunflowers, Blue Mist, Pincushion, Esperanza, Jerusalem Sage, Lavender, Red Yucca and Blackfoot Daisy. I also have a cactus garden with nearly all cacti from either Texas or northern Mexico - this also includes a couple of types of Agaves. I've also planted a couple of trees - Texas Mountain Laurel, Texas Redbud and some olive/citrus.

In more shady areas, I've planted 2 varieties of Shrimp Plants, Turk's Cap, Columbine, Cardinal Flower, Cedar Sage, Chile Pequin and Pigeonberry. I also have a rock swale where we direct the flow of water from heavy rain and I've recently planted some Mealy Blue Sage up high and some Inland Sea Oats more in the middle.

The property is also blessed with many native (both known and unknown to me)...lots of juniper, oak, Agarita, Frost Weed...plus more I haven't discovered. My strategically not mowing certain portions I'm able to sort of see what naturally springs up.

Your yard sounds a lot like my yard!!! Good choices! My neighbor has a deer corn-feeder that goes off twice a day And for dessert, the white tails jump the fence to eat the blooms off of my cedar sage and Turk's Cap. They don't bother the lantana.
Are you hoping to attract butterflies? If so, Gregg's Mistflower and Cowpen Daisies are great additions.

I actually just recently planted some Gregg's Mist...it is doing VERY well. I've only got blackfoot daisies so I'll have to look Cowpen up. Fortunately our deer haven't bothered my sages or Turk's Cap - yet. Last year it got worse when the mommas were pregnant...even worse for me, 2 were birthed in my back yard. So no way my wife was letting me "shoo" them on :(

They really seem to love the blooms from my red yuccas...can't hardly keep a flower before they much. Have tried Liquid Fence & Critter Ridder with minimal success but you have to frequently apply.

Fences are all that have worked well for me to keep deer out. I have some special amsonias I'm trying to increase, but so far they're only out on the property. Early last spring something munched on one plant and it wasn't even able to bloom. The othets did, however. What gets me is I'm pretty sure amsonias are toxic! But we are still in a bad drought, however, and desperation can cause animals to risk their lives. I should add that the seed pods are munched on occasionally even in times of plentiful rain. Even my A. texana flowers out on the property are occasionally munched on in spring by deer. Just because a plant is toxic that doesn't mean that its flowers or seeds are necessarily toxic to animals. I'm thinking I'll try to plant some of the amsonia seeds in the yard where they'll be safer.