My adventure as a Grayson County Master Gardener sprouted in January 2018. I quickly learned that Master Gardeners love native plants. The concept of native plants was new to me. Since my early days as a Master Gardener, I have grown to love these native plants that are tough enough to endure the brutal Texas climate. Native plants survive the relentless scorching days of August without impacting my water bill.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture a “native plant” is “a plant that lives or grows naturally in a particular region without direct or indirect human intervention.”[1] What a concept, a plant that does not mind my neglect of care. These plants do not require special soil preparation, nor do they require fertilizer or frequent watering. Even pesty insects do not seem to destroy them—my kind of plant.

I met my first native plant at Eisenhower Birthplace in Denison, Texas, Gregg’s Mistflower, Eupatorium, Conoclinium greggi. The plant was named after Josiah Gregg, an American merchant, explorer, naturalist, and author. The plant displays a cluster of fluffy purple flowers.

The flowers are a magnet to the Queen and monarch butterflies as they migrate through North Texas in the fall. The Gregg’s Mistflower is a perennial plant that blooms from March through November.

Gregg’s Mistflower is a versatile plant that prefers part shade or filtered sun but will grow in direct sunlight. The plant requires minimal water and is quite adaptable to the long dry summers that North Texas offers. Gregg’s Mistflower makes a gorgeous groundcover and will thrive as a potted plant.