Stephen Brueggerhoff, CEA – Horticulture, Brazos County AgriLife Extension; published 3/03/2026
All images unless otherwise noted by Stephen Brueggerhoff
I received questions from residents about tree recommendations appropriate for the home landscape. I ask my clients to make a base map of their property and include documentation of existing conditions: size of the lot, use of the outdoor environment, buildings adjacent to the home regarding height and casting shadows, existing vegetation, H.O.A. and municipal restrictions, and location of water source. I also ask the client their intent for planting a tree; is the reason aesthetics such as seasonal leaf color or flower, food source for animals, erosion control, cooling the house by shading, etc.
There Is A Useful App for Tree Choices
On average, homes are built on a quarter acre lot. The size of the property and house, as well as footprint of the open space are foundational to the kind and size of tree that can be planted. Texas A&M Forest Service offers design and tree choice tools from Texas Tree Planting Guide (https://texastreeplanting.tamu.edu). The link to Tree Planting and Care section offers design considerations when choosing the right tree for the right place in your landscape. The site also offers a Tree Selector section with choices for large, medium or small trees, as well as for leaf duration (deciduous or evergreen) and native trees. Imagine that you would like a unique small Texas native tree offering seasonal flowers or fruit for wildlife. Two that immediately come to mind are Mexican plum (Prunus mexicana) and Redbud (Cercis canadensis).
Mexican Plum for Flower and Fruit
Mexican plum is a deciduous tree naturally distributed from Kansas to Missouri, on down to Louisiana and into Central to Texas southeast Upper Gulf Coast Bend. Habitat and soil type is variable, found at woodlands edge in river bottoms to pastures. They are often single-trunked, non-suckering trees considered to be a small stature tree to 35-ft. I have seen mature specimens in the city measured 25-ft tall, and I keep in mind that tree height can be affected by local environmental conditions and stressors such as soil compaction via foot traffic, or drought and malpruning and not reach its full potential. This tree’s bark varies as it matures; from a smooth and shiny mahogany color like a mature cherry tree, to contrasting striations presented within large, stacked chunky plates. The canopy can become somewhat dense, and each leaf tends to curl with age. Leaves turn a copper-red color in fall, standing out amongst a mosaic of yellow and brown colors typically seen from other plants in fall.
Mexican plum flowers prior to foliage emergence at this time of year, providing a much-needed nectar resource for insects at winter’s end. I adore the simple open petals expressed from each flower. The fragrance offered by Mexican plum flowers depends on your personal experience. I have caught a scent that is fresh like baby powder from a single tree and have been bowled over from a cloud of sweetly pungent fragrance offered by a crowd of these trees. Pollination gives rise to 2-inch diameter berries that turn golden yellow color to magenta, and ripen August to September. The berries are edible and you can make an excellent jam with them, or if you prefer, a tolerable adult beverage.
Redbud for Limited Space
Redbud is a smaller tree and may be a better choice for your yard. The definition of the height for small trees is those reaching up to 20 feet and only require a 60 square-foot planting area. These beauties can reach 30 feet, are sparse-branched and produce heart-shaped leaves. A profuse number of blooms develop prior to spring leaf emergences along the branches rather than at the ends of stems, a phenomenon called cauliflory. They also provide an outstanding nectar resource for insects in early spring. Redbud will bear flowers by the fourth year after transplant.
There are three Redbud species naturally distributed in our state. Eastern redbud (C. canadensis var. canadensis) is found from the Atlantic coast towards central Texas and is more commonly available from nurseries. The Texas redbud (C. canadensis var. texensis) ranges from Oklahoma through central Texas and into northern Mexico, and Mexican redbud (C. canadensis var. mexicana) is distributed west of the Pecos River down into northern Mexico. There is a Texas redbud selection named ‘Oklahoma’ that performs quite well in our region. This species was discovered in the Arbuckle mountains of Oklahoma in 1964 and released to the public soon thereafter. ‘Oklahoma’ redbud is more compact in growth and perfect for small spaces, topping at maturity with an estimated 18 feet. The flowers are a deeper magenta color than the Eastern redbud, and the foliage retains species characteristics of thick and wavy waxy leaves, making this selection a bit more drought tolerant. There are many more small native trees that are appropriate for your needs, and resources such as Texas A&M Forest Service Texas Tree Planting Guide is a valuable tool. Always focus on your intent for planting a tree, be flexible with your choice dependent on existing site conditions and your aesthetics in choosing the right plant for just the right space. We can always talk about trees on Garden Success, my live call-in garden radio show every Thursday at 12 pm on KAMU-FM 90.9. Tree cheers to you, take care and I’ll see you in the garden.