“Native” is Local to Ecological Region
Vascular plants have been around for hundreds of millions of years. That’s plenty of time for plants to develop partnerships with soil microbiology, flowers to their pollination partners. Natural disturbances over time have informed and adapted their DNA to result in the most resilient of plants. Historically, nature has thrown at them drought, floods, hurricanes, fires, freezing spells – even stampeding herds of bison. They have survived it all.
In the 21st century suburban ecosystem, native plants are up against an increasingly fast-paced and destructive disturbance: people.
The Texas State wildflower, bluebonnet, grows, blooms, and produces seed in a short time December through April. It is an annual, not a perennial, and thrives with degradation and disturbance. Like other peas in the plant family Fabaceae, this first succession plant aims (in nature) to quickly repair damaged soil.
The timing of a native bee’s life cycle is closely aligned with her flower. She has only a short time to collect pollen from her evolved flowers to provision offspring before she dies. This is a millions-of-years perfected and mutually beneficial partnership. “Wildflower patches,” though, have been disappearing from urban landscapes – the native bees’ and our shared backyards.
Have Questions? We Have Answers!
We can all help by restoring these plants in our yards, balconies, and natural spaces. These have been our most frequently asked questions on seeds and wildflowers.
Q1: Where can I find seeds native to our ecological region (Gulf Prairies and Marshes)?
Reach out to local Texas Master Naturalists who not only share their knowledge but often share local seed stores too. Sign up for seed-collecting events through Coastal Prairie Conservancy and hand-harvest your own. Join a local chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas; attend one of their native landscaping classes. Become a Master Naturalist! Knowledge is power, and it is also free, abundant, and accessible. Select species can be bought at Native American Seed.
Q2: Won’t any seeds work?
That depends, but usually, no. Box stores know that wildflower seeds prominently marked as “Texas Wildflowers” are easily sold. Texas is a very large state with 10 distinctly different ecological regions, and each region is distinguished by soil, precipitation, climate, and the plant community. Seeds from flowers evolved in a different region may not germinate much less thrive without significant effort. Packages marked simply “wildflowers” will not yield the functional bloom (for pollinators) you intended to pay for.
Flower species from the other side of the planet – pansies, petunia, periwinkle – are exotic species to our wildlife. They all lack what our native pollen-collectors need. Female bees will simply fly right by them, not recognizing them as a nectar reward, much less “her baby’s plant” from which to collect pollen.
Q3: When is the best time to over-seed with wildflowers?
The best time to sow seeds is today! Learn about the species you chose at Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center. Place seeds in direct contact with soil where seedlings won’t get mowed or hand-weeded; lightly mulch with leaf litter. If you live in an apartment or don’t have a yard, start them in a container instead. They will germinate into beautiful flowering and functional plants when conditions are right for them. Rainfall is the best way to get them started (to germination). Seeds “know” what to do!
Q4: I picked up FREE seeds at a Coastal Prairie Chapter event. What are they?
Our chapter’s give-away packets include black-eyed Susan, two kinds of Coreopsis sp., and firewheel. Native flowers are not only beautiful, but they also sustain entire life cycles of pollinators in an otherwise urbanized ecosystem. In planting them, we are greatly helping our wildlife neighbors.
Learn More! Resources, Upcoming Events
- Become a Master Naturalist | There are a few spots remaining for our Spring 2026 Training Course
- Suburban Winter-to-Spring Wildflowers Succession | A color timeline of what’s growing wild in Fort Bend County yards by Coastal Prairie Chapter
- Native Plant Society of Texas | Houston Chapter is our conservation partner
- Don’t Mow … Let It Grow! | Wildflower blog and resources from February 2023
- Plant for Pollinators | A resources page by Coastal Prairie Chapter
- Coastal Prairie Chapter Public Events | A calendar full of opportunities for you to learn about nature near you