List of White-Blooming Shrubs in Central Texas

To 12 Feet Tall

• In spring, the anacacho orchid tree (Bauhinia lunariodes) produces clusters of orchid-like white to pink flowers. This Central Texas native grows 6 to 12 feet tall and draws pollinators with its blossoms. Plant the anacacho orchid tree on the south side of your home to shield it from winter wind. It's hardy to U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone 8 and prefers slightly alkaline soil. The evergreen sumac (Rhus virens), a Texas native, grows 8 to 10 feet tall with a similar spread. This evergreen shrub has glossy foliage that turns maroon in winter. It blooms with fragrant, white flowers in late summer through fall, followed by red, wildlife-attracting fruits. The evergreen sumac is hardy to USDA zone 8.

To 15 Feet Tall

• A white-blooming native, the Texas kidneywood (Eysenhardtia texana) grows to 15 feet tall and 8 feet wide. It produces fragrant white flowers from spring through fall, often blooming profusely after rainstorms. This deciduous shrub tolerates heat and drought and is hardy to USDA zone 8. The hop tree (Ptelea trifoliata) grows to 15 feet tall with a similar spread. This Texas native blooms with fragrant, white-green flowers that attract butterflies. The hop tree is named for its fruit, which can be substituted for hops when brewing beer. This deciduous shrub is hardy to USDA zone 4 and tolerates drought and a range of soil types.

To 20 Feet Tall

• The yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria) grows as a small tree or large shrub, reaching heights to 20 feet. This evergreen blooms with white flowers in spring, followed by bright red berries that contrast with the shrub's small, dark green leaves. Plant the yaupon holly in sun or light shade in USDA zones 7 to 10. In spite of its Latin name, the plant doesn't actually induce vomiting; in fact, American Indians used it to brew a tea. Another member of the holly family, the possumhaw (Ilex decidua) reaches heights from 12 to 20 feet and blooms in early spring with small, white blossoms. It has dark, lustrous leaves and draws wildlife with its red berries. The possumhaw is native to North America and is hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9a.

More Than 20 Feet Tall

• The Texas persimmon (Diospyros texana), a Central Texas native, can grow up to 35 feet tall in its native habitat, but usually reaches heights to 15 feet in the home landscape. This semi-evergreen blooms in spring with aromatic, cup-shaped flowers, followed by edible, black fruits summer through fall. It's hardy in USDA zones 7 to 9. The desert willow (Chilopsis linearis) grows 15 to 40 feet tall. This deciduous shrub has linear, light-green foliage and grows well in sunny, dry sites. Desert willows bloom with large flowers in shades of solid white, maroon and pink, or in combinations of these, from spring through fall. These south-central Texas natives are hardy in USDA zones 7b to 11.