5 showy subtropical shrubs
Gardeners can choose from a variety of subtropical shrubs that thrive in San Antonio, including prime picks for xeriscape landscapes. Many of these plants also attract butterflies but not deer. Five plants that are really showing off their blooms right now are vitex, Gold Star esperanza, thyrallis, poinciana and bougainvillea.
Vitex: This is one of the most attractive plants in full bloom right now. It is also called the Texas lilac because of the blue or violet blooms that it produces on its large shrub form. The blooms attract butterflies, hummingbirds and other pollinators. You can grow vitex in sun or shade, and if you would prefer a blooming machine rather than a classic lilac-type shrub, that is an option as well.
Some gardeners prune back the bloom stems after their initial bloom to stimulate a longer bloom period and to discourage the vitex from growing to its 30-foot tall-andwide capacity. Deer do not eat vitex.
There is a special version of the vitex now on the market if you like violet foliage. The Arabian selection is available at limited locations. If you would like a smaller version of vitex with colorful leaves, you will want to try to find it. Arabian still has blooms, but they are not as showy as the foliage.
Gold Star esperanza: This is blooming both at the nursery and in area landscapes. In fact, the key to recognizing the Gold Star selection over the oldfashioned versions is that the Gold Star blooms at the nursery and in the garden when it reaches about 18 inches tall, while its old-fashioned relatives often do not bloom until they reach 8 feet in late summer.
Plant esperanza in full sun. It is not fussy about soil other than the need for it to be welldrained. Since the beginning of xeriscaping, Gold Star esperanza has been a key ingredient. It is very drought-tolerant, and in most neighborhoods, the deer do not eat it. Expect esperanza to freeze back to ground level every winter and then grow back in the late spring.
Thyrallis: This is another subtropical plant with showy yellow blooms that deer do not eat, and it is also droughttolerant. Plant it in full sun just like the Gold Star esperanza and expect it to freeze back every winter. Thyrallis grows 7 feet tall in a typical summer, just like the esperanza, and their blooms and foliage complement each other when planted side by side.
Poinciana: If you are looking for another subtropical plant that fits in a small planting with esperanza and thyrallis,
consider poinciana (also called Pride of Barbados). It has a different form than thyrallis and Gold Star esperanza, but the sun, soil and water
requirements are the same.
The glow-in-the-dark orange blooms are borne on an airy structure of compound leaves that match the other plants’ attraction for butterflies and pollinators. Again, this is a blooming plant that thrives under the hot summer sun that is not eaten by deer in most neighborhoods.
Bougainvillea: This is a subtropical plant that grows in full sun, but unlike the other species in this article, we usually grow it in a hanging basket. It is different in other ways, too. Bougainvillea requires full sun to bloom, but it blooms best when it is stressed. Let it dry out between watering or it won’t bloom. It also blooms best when the plant’s root system has fully filled its container with no more room to develop.
Expect bougainvillea to prosper in hot, dry conditions like the other plants blooming now, but unlike them, it won’t survive the winter unless it is protected from the cold.