When choosing trees and shrubs for your Flower Mound, Highland Village, or West Plano, TX home, you want options that not only look great but perform well, too. You likely don’t want trees and shrubs that you constantly have to care for and ultimately become a struggle to maintain.
For that reason, you might be looking for low maintenance plants that are going to look and function their best on your North Texas property. Since drought conditions are likely in our region, that includes selecting drought-tolerant varieties.
Whether you’re adding a brand-new plant bed or filling in some holes in your landscape, making smart plant choices is key to the success of your project. To help get you started in the process, we’ve rounded up a list of some of the best low maintenance trees and shrubs that could work wonderfully on your property.
Choosing low maintenance bushes that will be aesthetically pleasing while also performing well with your specific site conditions is critical. Here are some of our favorite choices.
This beautiful flowering shrub is originally native to Italy. Due to its ability to tolerate at least some drought, it’s a relatively low maintenance choice. It can perform in full sun to partial shade and is tolerant of most soil types, too. It has attractive foliage that has a long bloom time.
This low maintenance shrub offers year-round golden foliage. It has a dense, upright form and is therefore often used as a hedge. It is hardy and only has moderate watering needs. In order to bring out as much of its bright yellow color as possible, occasional pruning is also ideal.
This low maintenance bush is a special variety of holly with leaves that are not as prickly as other varieties. The Dwarf Yaupon can make a formal hedge or an excellent foundational planting. It features beautiful red berries in the early fall and has dark green foliage which turns lime green in the spring.
This native plant is both hardy and attractive. It features gorgeous silvery foliage and bright purple flowers. This is a great choice for dry areas as it is well-adapted to the local conditions.
Adding low maintenance trees to your property that won’t need a tremendous amount of TLC to continue performing optimally is also important. Here are some that we’d suggest.
This Asian species makes a lovely ornamental tree that will brighten up your property with its colorful foliage. It is considered a mid-size ornamental and reaches approximately 25 feet in height. The Shantung Maple is easy to grow here in Texas and won’t require a lot of extra attention.
The Texas Redbud is a heat- and drought-tolerant deciduous tree that features round, glossy leaves. The foliage is red in the fall, has purple berries in the center, and it blooms with pink-purplish flowers. It also happens to provide good shelter for pollinators and birds.
This gorgeous summer-flowering deciduous small tree is a favorite here in North Texas. In addition to featuring attractive blooms in shades of white, pink, red, and lavender, it has the added benefit of being a low maintenance tree. It adapts well to its site conditions, including tight spaces. Crape Myrtle is considered mostly drought-tolerant (though early on, it will require irrigation until established).
This dwarf version of the South Magnolia features smaller, dark green foliage and has a compact and narrow shape. It’s a charming tree that can be used as a standout specimen tree or to add evergreen appeal to a backdrop. The Little Gem Magnolia can adapt to different soil types and is moderately drought tolerant.
Selecting low maintenance trees and shrubs for your North Texas property can help ensure that you have a gorgeous landscape that doesn’t need constant care in order to perform well. Of course, you still want to choose plants that are attractive and unique. Oftentimes, when the words “low maintenance” or “drought-tolerant” come up, people assume that they’re going to have a landscape filled with cacti or succulents.
But in reality, many of the drought- and heat-tolerant choices will still give you the gorgeous foliage or color that you’re seeking.
Of course, the success of any of these plants hinges on the idea that they’re installed properly. There’s a saying in the landscape industry that goes, “right plant, right place.” It means that even a drought-tolerant or low-maintenance choice could perform poorly if not installed in the ideal spot on your property. There are still sun and soil conditions, as well as other factors to consider.
Fortunately, when you partner with a landscape professional, those worries are out of your hands. You can feel confident that the right plant is being selected and installed in the right place.
By making a smart choice in professional landscape companies here in North Texas, you can ensure that your low maintenance landscape is everything you want and need it to be.
Image Sources: Abelia, Sunshine Ligustrum, Dwarf Yaupon Holly, Texas Sage, Shanting Maple, Texas Redbud, Crape Myrtle, Little Gem Magnolia