Master Gardener: Texas Superstar Spotlight: Woody Shrubs

Published 5:20 am Saturday, June 10, 2023

If Mother Nature wreaked havoc on your landscape (again!) and you’re looking for some new beautiful blooming shrubs, look no further than the Texas Superstar® selections. If you are a gardener in Texas, you’re probably very familiar with the Texas Superstar® program. If you are new to Texas – or new to gardening – you might need a brief introduction. Dating back to the 1980s (though the name Texas Superstar® wasn’t applied until 1997), it’s a program that involves the promotion of outstanding plants with proven performance in most regions of Texas. Only the most reliable and best-looking plants make the cut. After going through extensive field trials, plants must meet a number of criteria before being selected. One such requirement is that the plant must consistently perform well for most Texas consumers regardless of their gardening expertise and growing locations. The Superstar® plants are categorized in six groups, and the group of woody shrubs includes eight stellar selections.

Half of those selections are roses, which is great for those of us living in the “Rose Capital.” Belinda’s Dream Rose (Rosa ‘Belinda’s Dream’) was the first rose to be named a Texas Superstar® and is a gorgeous shrub rose with large, fragrant, and very pink double blossoms. Grandma’s Yellow Rose (Rosa ‘Nacogdoches’) repeatedly blooms deep yellow from spring until the first hard frost. Knockout® Rose (Rosa ‘Radrazz’) produces fluorescent cherry-red blooms until the first frost. And Marie Daly Rose (Rosa ‘Marie Daly’) is an easy-care shrub rose with few thorns and lots of very fragrant double pink blooms.

Though not actually a rose, the Rock Rose (Pavonia lasiopetala) was added to the list in 2021. It is a native ornamental plant related to native hibiscus species that produces 2-inch diameter pink flowers from spring to frost. Blue Angel™ Shrub Althea (Hibiscus syriacus ‘Greba’), also known as Rose-of-Sharon, is a vigorous-growing shrub or small tree with an extended blooming season featuring blue trumpet-shaped flowers. There is also a white-blooming cultivar – White Angel™ Shrub Althea (Hibiscus syriacus ‘Grewa’). Another great choice is Lynn’s Legacy Cenizo (Leucophyllum langmaniae ‘Lynn’s Legacy’), which features profuse lavender blooms against a sage-green foliage backdrop. Unlike other Texas sages, it is not as dependent on changes in humidity and can bloom more often than other sages. The final selection is Vitex (Vitex agnus-castus). Also known as Texas Lilac or Chaste Tree, it’s a deciduous large shrub that can be trimmed up as a small tree. Large spikes of lavender flowers bloom in early summer, attracting butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. Diligent deadheading will result in repeat blooms.

So whether you’re looking for gorgeous blooms of pink, yellow, blue, white, red, or lavender, there’s a Superstar® shrub for you! To see these beautiful shrubs for yourself and for much more information on these and other Texas Superstar® plants, visit https://texassuperstar.com.