By Christina Hill

Just as a paragraph needs punctuation, so does the landscape. In the landscape accent plants add punctuation and expression to the work. Accent plants are often used to draw the eye, soften sharp lines or to distract from undesirable features. There are many native Texas plants that are low maintenance accent plants in north Texas landscapes. The Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria) has become a staple in many Texas landscapes. Growing well with minimal care, they are typically maintained in tree form. Yaupon’s placed in corners or at the end of beds, add height and depth to the area. These easy-growing evergreens attract birds in the fall and winter, with an abundance of bright red berries. The Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis), is a great choice for the hot, dry corner that every yard seems to have. Their airy growth habit, drought tolerance and abundance of white to pink flowers, make them an excellent small tree for the north Texas landscape. A group of plants called the sumacs also function well as accents. One example, the Flameleaf Sumac (Rhus lanceolata), with it’s lacey fern-like foliage and white spring blooms. They typically form multi-trunk clusters making them great for wide areas in the far reaches of the landscape. They burst into brilliant fall colors of yellow, orange and red, making them a highly visible exclamation in any landscape. Many others such as the Mexican Plum (Prunus mexicana), Possumhaw Holly (Ilex decidua) and Smoke Tree (Cotinus obovatus), can also be used to subtle or dramatic expression throughout the landscape. Hardiness, insect and disease resistance, drought tolerance and low maintenance, make native Texas accent plants an obvious choice for local homeowners and landscape contractors.