🌿 PlantWise
Plant Guide

Best Plants for Austin, Texas

📍 Austin, TX 🌡️ USDA Zone 8b 🌱 337+ compatible plants

Gardening in Austin

Austin falls in USDA Hardiness Zone 8b, which means your plants need to survive winters with minimum temperatures in the 10°F to 20°F range. The 337+ plants below are proven performers for your zone — including deer-resistant varieties, pet-friendly options, and pollinator-attracting species.

Top Plant Picks for Austin

Halcyon Hosta
Halcyon Hosta
Hosta 'Halcyon'
Striking blue-green leaves with a smooth texture create a calming, attractive focal point all summer long. This shade-tolerant, low-maintenance perennial thrives in USDA zones 3-9.
Zone 3–9🐝 Pollinator
View care guide →
Bosc Pear Tree
Bosc Pear Tree
Pyrus communis 'Bosc'
Glossy green leaves highlight the Bosc Pear Tree’s elegant shape, producing russet-gold fruit in late summer. Hardy in USDA zones 4-9, it thrives with low maintenance and attracts beneficial pollinators.
Zone 5–8🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
View care guide →
Black Gum
Black Gum
Nyssa sylvatica
Brilliant scarlet and orange foliage lights up fall, creating stunning seasonal color. This low-maintenance tree thrives in USDA zones 4-9 and attracts vital pollinators.
Zone 4–9🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
View care guide →
Invincibelle Spirit Smooth Hydrangea
Invincibelle Spirit Smooth Hydrangea
Hydrangea arborescens 'Invincibelle Spirit'
Showy pink-to-white blooms from June to September light up gardens with vibrant color and texture. This low-maintenance shrub attracts pollinators, thrives in zones 4-9, and tolerates full sun to part shade.
Zone 4–9🐝 Pollinator
View care guide →
Fire Light Tidbit Panicle Hydrangea
Fire Light Tidbit Panicle Hydrangea
Hydrangea paniculata 'Fire Light Tidbit'
Bright pink and white panicle blooms light up your garden from June to September with vibrant, long-lasting color. This low-maintenance shrub attracts pollinators and thrives in zones 4-9 with medium water needs.
Zone 4–9🐝 Pollinator
View care guide →
Leyland Cypress
Leyland Cypress
× Cuprocyparis leylandii
With its dense, vibrant green foliage year-round, this evergreen adds striking vertical interest to any landscape. Low-maintenance and pollinator-friendly, it thrives in USDA zones 4-9 under full sun.
Zone 4–9🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
View care guide →
Rudbeckia Goldsturm
Rudbeckia Goldsturm
Rudbeckia fulgida Goldsturm
Bright golden-yellow blooms light up late summer gardens with cheerful, daisy-like flowers. This low-maintenance, deer-resistant perennial thrives in USDA zones 3-9 and attracts pollinators.
Zone 3–9🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
View care guide →
Hardy Geranium Rozanne
Hardy Geranium Rozanne
Geranium Rozanne
Vibrant violet-blue blooms carpet gardens from late spring to fall, creating a stunning, long-lasting display. This hardy geranium thrives in USDA zones 4-8, is low maintenance, and attracts pollinators.
Zone 5–8🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
View care guide →
Azalea Encore
Azalea Encore
Rhododendron Encore series
Vibrant blooms in shades of pink, red, and white brighten spring through fall, offering nonstop color in your garden. This low-maintenance, deer-resistant shrub thrives in USDA zones 6-9 and attracts pollinators.
Zone 6–10🦌 Deer-Resistant🐝 Pollinator
View care guide →
Candytuft
Candytuft
Iberis sempervirens
Bright white blooms burst in spring, creating a stunning carpet of color that lasts for weeks. This evergreen perennial thrives in USDA zones 3-9 and attracts pollinators while staying low maintenance.
Zone 3–8🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
View care guide →
Pawpaw
Pawpaw
Asimina triloba
Fragrant, maroon-purple blooms appear in spring, followed by unique tropical-flavored fruit in late summer. This low-maintenance tree thrives in USDA zones 5-8 and attracts pollinators while being deer resistant.
Zone 5–9🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
View care guide →
Prairie Dropseed
Prairie Dropseed
Sporobolus heterolepis
Delicate, airy golden seed heads dance above fine-textured foliage, creating stunning fall interest from summer to autumn. This low-maintenance, drought-tolerant grass thrives in USDA zones 4-9 and attracts pollinators while resisting deer.
Zone 3–9🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
View care guide →

Get a Personalized Plant List for Austin

Answer 4 quick questions about your yard — sun, soil, deer pressure, and pet situation — and get a custom list of plants that will thrive in Zone 8b.

Start the Plant Advisor →

Other Cities in Zone 8b

Dallas, TX Fort Worth, TX Charlotte, NC Seattle, WA El Paso, TX Portland, OR Atlanta, GA Arlington, TX

Browse All 337+ Plants for Zone 8b

The 12 picks above are a sample. Use the full directory to filter by sun, water, deer resistance, and more.

View All Zone 8 Plants →

† "Pet-friendly" means not listed as toxic by ASPCA for dogs and/or cats. Always supervise pets around plants. ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435.