Tree · North Texas care guide
Chilopsis linearis
Nursery Pro tip: Orchid-like blooms all summer on almost no water. Hummingbirds love it.
A small, airy native with orchid-like pink to burgundy trumpets from May through frost, loved by hummingbirds. Willow-like leaves, multi-trunk habit, and almost no water needs once established. 'Bubba' is the darkest and most compact.
Full sun and sharp drainage — the hot, dry west bed where everything else struggles is where it shines. Poor drainage is the one thing that kills it. 15–25 ft tall, 10–20 wide.
Spring through early fall so it establishes in warmth. Wide shallow hole, ball a little above grade, native soil (add expanded shale in heavy clay), Root Stimulator, thin mulch.
Weekly the first summer, then a deep soak every two to three weeks at most. Overwatering means lush growth, few flowers and root rot.
None needed. Fertilizer makes it leafy.
Late winter. Remove seed pods and thin for a graceful multi-trunk shape. Cutting spent flower clusters in summer keeps it blooming.
Root rot in wet soil (fix the drainage or plant elsewhere). Otherwise pest-free. Leafs out late in spring — don't assume it died.
Xeriscape and pollinator gardens: Texas sage, lantana, blackfoot daisy, Gulf muhly, agave and yucca.
Written for Rockwall's black clay, heat and winters by the Landscape Source team. Every yard is different — bring a photo by, or ask LS-Ai, and we'll tailor it to your spot.