Plant Information | The Gardens at Texas A&M University

Have a question about a specific plant at home, or want to learn more about one of the plants you see here? Visit
https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/ and use the “custom search” feature to find more information.

Landmark Nurseries Tree Park

We currently have two dozen trees in the Tree Park that are busy growing into a rich canopy to create a relaxing, shaded plot. Looking to identify a particular species in the Tree Park? Below is a list of all the trees we are growing, as donated by Landmark Nurseries.

Bur Oak / Quercus macrocarpa: A deciduous* tree that can exceed 100 feet in height and width. This species has the largest acorns of all the native oaks.

Chinkapin Oak / Quercus muehlenbergii: A deciduous tree with leaves up to eight inches long with wavy margins. The Latin species name honors Henry Ernst Muehlenberg (1753–1815), a Pennsylvania botanist.

Monterey Oak / Quercus polymorpha: This tree grows native between Val Verde County in west Texas and south through Mexico to Guatemala. Resistant to oak wilt, this is a hardy evergreen** oak tree.

Shumard Red Oak / Quercus shumardii: A pyramidal tree, growing 50–90 feet, with leaves that typically turn scarlet in the fall. Named for Benjamin Franklin Shumard / 1820–1869, state geologist of Texas.

Cathedral Live Oak / Quercus virginiana: This species grows upright with a dominant trunk, which is ideal for street tree planting.

Cedar Elm / Ulmus crassifolia: An oval-rounded tree growing 50–70 feet. The common name refers to the leaves, whose texture resembles the scale-like leaves of a cedar. The Latin species name means “thick leaf.”

*Deciduous – The tree sheds its leaves each year.
**Evergreen – The tree keeps green leaves all year.

The Texas A&M Forest Service provides more information on how to identify and plant Texas trees.

Mary Helyn’s Rain Garden

Rain gardens turn rain collection methods and drought preparation into a sensible and eye-catching creation. If you want to learn how to design a rain garden, visit https://rainwaterharvesting.tamu.edu/raingardens/ on the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension page.

Below are some of the plants most often used in rain gardens

American Beautyberry / Callicarpa americana

Berkeley Sedge / Carex divulsa

Black-Eyed Susan / Rudbeckia hirta

Cardinal Flower / Lobelia cardinalis

Crinum Lily / Crinum augustum

Daylily / Hemerocallis ‘Lemon’

Giant Turk’s Cap / Malvaviscus arboreus ‘Big Mama’

King Tut Umbrella Sedge / Cyperus articulates ‘King Tut’

Lousiana Iris / Iris giganticaerulea ‘Sinfonietta’

Purple Coneflower / Echinacea purpurea

Russelia / Russelia equisetum

Seashore Mallow / Kosteletzkya virginica

Spider Lily / Hymenocallis liriosme ‘Tropical Giant’

Spiderwort / Tradescantia x andersoniana

Switch Grass / Panicum virgatum

Stephens Family Texas Superstar® Garden

Texas Superstar® flowers, plants, and trees are those that have been certified as the toughest, most reliable, and most beautiful plants to grow in Texas. Below, you will find a basic list of some Texas Superstar® plants. For a full list, visit texassuperstar.com.

Here is a list of the perennial Texas Superstar® plants in our garden.