Native to China, leatherleaf mahonia is an evergreen clumping shrub with multiple upright branches and a loose growing habit. Leaves are pinnately compound, whorled around the stem with spined hollylike leaflets.

Fragrant yellow flowers appear in late winter on erect racemes, forming clusters of green berries in spring turning blueish-black in summer, providing food for wildlife.

Mahonia prefers to be grown in shaded areas, flowering best when giving partial shade.  It also appreciates regular watering in well-drained soils. Regular pruning of the taller stems helps regulate the irregular growth pattern and maintain a uniform shape. 

Annuals with strongly scented leaves and flowers. Big bushy plant with double flowers 2-4" wide, in yellow or orange. Like it hot and dry, will rot in wet conditions. Found in the salad section in grocery stores to add to salads.

Spring 2022 Cultivars
Janie Bright Yellow
Janie Deep Orange

A Texas deciduous shrub that provides beautiful blooms and fall color.  It is commonly found along the river and creek beds of central Texas, and grows well in poor soils and limestone areas, provided there is adequate drainage.  

Mexican Buckeye is generally multi-trunked, but can be pruned regularly to maintain a single trunk like a small tree.  Clusters of bright pink flowers emerge before the leaves in the spring and are slightly fragrant. Before the blooms are spent, light bronze leaflets begin to emerge, turning light green. The pinnate leaves can be up to 12 inches long, with up to six pairs of leaflets, each up to five inches long. They turn a rich yellow color in the fall, falling at the first frost. New branches are smooth, however become fissured with age.

Distinctive tri-valved seed pods develop through the summer, splitting open before fall to reveal the black seeds.  It earned its name due to the seeds looking very similar to buckeyes, however, it is not related to Aesculus, and is the only species in the genus Ungadia. 

Quick growing Mexican native perennial that reaches only twelve inches tall and wide returning in the spring if mulched heavily. Small attractive purple flowers appear in the early summer that stay till winter.

Attracts bees and butterflies easily.

Native to Mexico, the Tropical Milkweed has easily adapted to the southern United States. One of the most popular perennials in any garden for attracting Monarch caterpillars that later become Monarch butterflies.

Milkweed has striking clusters of flowers ranging from scarlet red, orange, to yellow. They appear spring to fall, enjoying full sun to part shade. Although the blooms are highly attractive, the main reason to grow Milkweed is to attract Monarch caterpillars in abundance, which will consume the majority of the foliage. Simply cut back the plant when it's ravaged, and it will return and rebloom.

Aphids can be a serious pest infestation. Luckily enough, aphids can be sprayed off with a hose, or killed with soapy water solutions.

Mortellaro's Nursery will at times have some miscellanous plants around the nursery to sell, and this page is simply a place holder for one of those plants. Assume these plants are of limited quantity, and will not be sold in the future.

This page will NOT be updated with information about this plant, you will only see the name of the plant below if it is in stock, and what size, and what price (if you are logged in)

For more information, you may call the office.

Mortellaro's Nursery will at times have some miscellanous plants around the nursery to sell, and this page is simply a place holder for one of those plants. Assume these plants are of limited quantity, and will not be sold in the future.

This page will NOT be updated with information about this plant, you will only see the name of the plant below if it is in stock, and what size, and what price (if you are logged in)

For more information, you may call the office.

Mortellaro's Nursery will at times have some miscellanous plants around the nursery to sell, and this page is simply a place holder for one of those plants. Assume these plants are of limited quantity, and will not be sold in the future.

This page will NOT be updated with information about this plant, you will only see the name of the plant below if it is in stock, and what size, and what price (if you are logged in)

For more information, you may call the office.

Mortellaro's Nursery will at times have some miscellanous plants around the nursery to sell, and this page is simply a place holder for one of those plants. Assume these plants are of limited quantity, and will not be sold in the future.

This page will NOT be updated with information about this plant, you will only see the name of the plant below if it is in stock, and what size, and what price (if you are logged in)

For more information, you may call the office.

Mortellaro's Nursery will at times have some miscellanous plants around the nursery to sell, and this page is simply a place holder for one of those plants. Assume these plants are of limited quantity, and will not be sold in the future.

This page will NOT be updated with information about this plant, you will only see the name of the plant below if it is in stock, and what size, and what price (if you are logged in)

For more information, you may call the office.

Mortellaro's Nursery will at times have some miscellanous plants around the nursery to sell, and this page is simply a place holder for one of those plants. Assume these plants are of limited quantity, and will not be sold in the future.

This page will NOT be updated with information about this plant, you will only see the name of the plant below if it is in stock, and what size, and what price (if you are logged in)

For more information, you may call the office.

Mortellaro's Nursery will at times have some miscellanous plants around the nursery to sell, and this page is simply a place holder for one of those plants. Assume these plants are of limited quantity, and will not be sold in the future.

This page will NOT be updated with information about this plant, you will only see the name of the plant below if it is in stock, and what size, and what price (if you are logged in)

For more information, you may call the office.

Mortellaro's Nursery will at times have some miscellanous plants around the nursery to sell, and this page is simply a place holder for one of those plants. Assume these plants are of limited quantity, and will not be sold in the future.

This page will NOT be updated with information about this plant, you will only see the name of the plant below if it is in stock, and what size, and what price (if you are logged in)

For more information, you may call the office.

Mortellaro's Nursery will at times have some miscellanous plants around the nursery to sell, and this page is simply a place holder for one of those plants. Assume these plants are of limited quantity, and will not be sold in the future.

This page will NOT be updated with information about this plant, you will only see the name of the plant below if it is in stock, and what size, and what price (if you are logged in)

For more information, you may call the office.

Mortellaro's Nursery will at times have some miscellanous plants around the nursery to sell, and this page is simply a place holder for one of those plants. Assume these plants are of limited quantity, and will not be sold in the future.

This page will NOT be updated with information about this plant, you will only see the name of the plant below if it is in stock, and what size, and what price (if you are logged in)

For more information, you may call the office.

Mortellaro's Nursery will at times have some miscellanous plants around the nursery to sell, and this page is simply a place holder for one of those plants. Assume these plants are of limited quantity, and will not be sold in the future.

This page will NOT be updated with information about this plant, you will only see the name of the plant below if it is in stock, and what size, and what price (if you are logged in)

For more information, you may call the office.

Mortellaro's Nursery will at times have some miscellanous plants around the nursery to sell, and this page is simply a place holder for one of those plants. Assume these plants are of limited quantity, and will not be sold in the future.

This page will NOT be updated with information about this plant, you will only see the name of the plant below if it is in stock, and what size, and what price (if you are logged in)

For more information, you may call the office.

Mortellaro's Nursery will at times have some miscellanous plants around the nursery to sell, and this page is simply a place holder for one of those plants. Assume these plants are of limited quantity, and will not be sold in the future.

This page will NOT be updated with information about this plant, you will only see the name of the plant below if it is in stock, and what size, and what price (if you are logged in)

For more information, you may call the office.

Mortellaro's Nursery will at times have some miscellanous plants around the nursery to sell, and this page is simply a place holder for one of those plants. Assume these plants are of limited quantity, and will not be sold in the future.

This page will NOT be updated with information about this plant, you will only see the name of the plant below if it is in stock, and what size, and what price (if you are logged in)

For more information, you may call the office.

Mortellaro's Nursery will at times have some miscellanous plants around the nursery to sell, and this page is simply a place holder for one of those plants. Assume these plants are of limited quantity, and will not be sold in the future.

This page will NOT be updated with information about this plant, you will only see the name of the plant below if it is in stock, and what size, and what price (if you are logged in)

For more information, you may call the office.

Popular evergreen clumping grass with foliage that only reaches twelve inches tall. Monkey Grass spreads by the roots, becoming an ideal groundcover for shady areas. Dwarf cultivar, 'Nana' reaches only 3 inches and spreads slowly.

Extremely popular native found throughout the southern half of Texas.  Naturally grows as a multi-trunked shrub or small tree with fragrant spring blooms.

Texas Mountain Laurel is a slow growing evergreen that absolutely requires adequate drainage. Being native to rocky limestone areas, roots are not as robust and wide-growing as other trees, making container transplanting a cautious process.  The dark green compound leaves can have up to 9 leaflets, and cast a reasonable shade underneath that allows some under planting. Naturally grows as a multi-trunked shrub, however can be trimmed into a small tree form.  Very drought tolerant once established.

Large pendulous clusters of violet-lavender blooms appear early in the spring, reaching up to 10 inches in length. The smell is notably that of grape-koolaid, and sadly they only last for two to three weeks. Legume seed pods contain bright red to orange seeds with a very resilient seed coat – it could take years for germination to naturally occur! The cotyledon (white part inside the seed) inside is highly toxic, however not easily digested if the seed coat is fresh.

Mountain Laurel does fine without regular maintenance, however appreciates spring fertilization. 

Native to the east Texas wetlands, Southern Wax Myrtle easily adapts to poorer soils, hot and dry conditions, and salty areas. It is a multi-trunked large shrub or small tree, spreading easily with an extensive underground root system. Naturally forms an open, irregular form, but responds well to pruning into a formed hedge or bonsai habit.

Wax Myrtle is dioecious; males display small  yellow-green catkins up to an inch long in the early spring, while in the late summer females have small inconspicuous flowers followed by small blue berries. The lime green leaves can be up to four inches long but only half an inch wide and are slightly aromatic when bruised. Small yellow glands are on the leaves, sometimes mistakened for a pest or disease.

A dwarf cultivar, ‘Nana’, reaches only five feet high and wide. 

The bright green stems and branching habit of the Nandina earned it the name Heavenly Bamboo, however it does not belong in the same plant family. Native to China and Japan, Nandina is a semi-evergreen plant species with several cultivars that allow it to fill several roles in the landscape. ‘Compacta’ is a cultivar that only reaches 4 feet in height, making it more manageable in smaller landscapes. The distinctive compound leaves have several leaflets that grow out on non-branching stems. Nearly all species of Nandina spread outward with underground rhizomes that will give the Nandina clumping form over time.

New foliage in the spring has a light red tint, turning green in the summer before turning red to red-bronze in the fall and winter. Large panicles of small white flowers appear on the ends of stems in the late spring, forming multitude of red-orange berries that provide handsome color in late summer and into winter. Birds seek the berries out for food in the winter, however they are mildly toxic to pets and livestock.

All Nandina species are highly tolerant of poor soil condition and quality, as long as it’s given adequate drainage and not sand; when given at least mediocre care, it’s also highly pest and disease resistant. It is an ideal plant for rarely maintained landscapes. 

The bright green stems and branching habit of the Nandina earned it the name Heavenly Bamboo, however it does not belong in the same plant family. Native to China and Japan, Nandina is a semi-evergreen plant species with several cultivars that allow it to fill several roles in the landscape. The distinctive compound leaves have several leaflets that grow out on non-branching stems. Nearly all species of Nandina spread outward with underground rhizomes that will give the Nandina clumping form over time.

New foliage in the spring has a light red tint, turning green in the summer before turning red to red-bronze in the fall and winter. Large panicles of small white flowers appear on the ends of stems in the late spring, forming multitude of red-orange berries that provide handsome color in late summer and into winter. Birds seek the berries out for food in the winter, however they are mildly toxic to pets and livestock.

All Nandina species are highly tolerant of poor soil condition and quality, as long as it’s given adequate drainage and not sand; when given at least mediocre care, it’s also highly pest and disease resistant. It is an ideal plant for rarely maintained landscapes. 

The bright green stems and branching habit of the Nandina earned it the name Heavenly Bamboo, however it does not belong in the same plant family. Native to China and Japan, Nandina is a semi-evergreen plant species with several cultivars that allow it to fill several roles in the landscape. ‘Gulfstream’ is a cultivar from Hine’s Horticulture Inc. that is more compact and symmetrical in growth habit, making it the most manageable compact Nandina. The distinctive compound leaves have several leaflets that grow out on non-branching stems. ‘Gulfstream’ Nandina does not spread outward with underground rhizomes.  

New foliage in the spring has a flush of red color, turning blue-green in the summer before turning red-bronze in the fall and winter. ‘Gulfstream’ does not bloom heavily, and seldom sets berries.

All Nandina species are highly tolerant of poor soil condition and quality, as long as it’s given adequate drainage and not sand; when given at least mediocre care, it’s also highly pest and disease resistant. It is an ideal plant for rarely maintained landscapes. 

The bright green stems and branching habit of the Nandina earned it the name Heavenly Bamboo, however it does not belong in the same plant family. Native to China and Japan, Nandina is a semi-evergreen plant species with several cultivars that allow it to fill several roles in the landscape. ‘Nana’ is a very compact cultivar with a spherical growth habit. The distinctive compound leaves have several leaflets that grow out on non-branching stems.

New foliage in the spring has a flush of bright green, turning bright yellow-green in the summer before turning crimson-red in the fall and winter. Rarely blooms and produces berries.  

All Nandina species are highly tolerant of poor soil condition and quality, as long as it’s given adequate drainage and not sand; when given at least mediocre care, it’s also highly pest and disease resistant. It is an ideal plant for rarely maintained landscapes. 

Bur Oak (also spelled Burr) is the most cold and drought tolerant of the oaks, able to thriveas far north as Alaska. A white oak, Bur Oak is a slow growing deciduous tree, averaging one foot per season. Naturally forms a wide open crown, growing wider than tall in the landscape, only starting to be taller than wide after reaching heights over 50 feet.

The deeply ridged bar is ash-gray to dark brown in color, with fissures getting deeper with age. Leaves can grow up to nine inches in length, narrow but with deep lobes at the base, becoming much wider at the end.

Bur Oak is monoecious, and blooms right after the leaves appear in the spring; yellow-green male catkins are up to four inches long, while female flowers are green and appear in short single spikes. The largest acorns of the oaks follow shortly thereafter – measuring up to two inches across. They are enclosed in a large cap with overlapping scales and sport an attractive fringe; it looks very much like the bur of a chestnut, giving this oak its name. Avoid planting Bur Oak in parking lots, as the acorns can damage vehicles. 

Chinquapin (or chinkapin) oak is a white oak reaching heights of 70 feet while developing a natural round crown. Native to central Texas along the Guadalupe River, it tolerates limestone soils very well.

The simple elliptical leaves have a sharp toothed pattern with no bristles, making it easily distinguishable amoungst other oaks. Yellowish catkin blooms cover the male trees in the spring, and can be a nuisance if planted near swimming pools. The acorns are some of the sweetest of all oaks, and can be eaten after being roasted.

Native to central and south Texas, the Lacey Oak is known by many names – Quercus glaucoides, Blue Oak Canyon Oak, Encino Oak, Mountain Oak, Smokey Oak, or Rock Oak.  It was previously awarded the title of a Texas Superstar for its wide tolerance of soil types (as long as well drained) and conditions and ease of transition into any Texas landscape.

New foliage is slightly pubescent and peach colored, turning blue-green in the summer and brown to yellow in the fall. They are thicker to the touch than other oak leaves, and have shallow lobes.  The tree exhibits an upright branching habit, and when grown in the wild can produce multiple trunks; nursery stock is often pruned for single trunk. Forms an irregular round crown, with shallow furrows and scaled ridged bark.

Maturing at 35 feet, Lacey Oak is an ideal shade tree for the small backyard. 

Live Oak is not only a predominate icon of the Southern landscape, but a popular addition to many landscapes thanks to being fast growing, highly durable, and its longevity. It’s also resistant to salt spray, drought, and poor soil qualities. They are highly attractive found growing horizontally along the ground before reaching upward, however nearly all landscapers and homeowners choose a single, upright trunked specimen. Live Oak can also host other plants on its trunk and branches: ball moss, Spanish moss, mistletoe, and resurrection fern.

Although Live Oak is evergreen, it will heavily defoliate in the late winter when new foliage begins to emerge.  Leaves are stiff and leathery, shiny dark green on top and pale gray on the underside. Green catkin flowers up to four inches in length appear in the spring, dumping pollen that is easily spread by the wind. Acorns vary in size, averaging one inch in length and are tan-brown until turning black in the fall.

The dark brown to black bark is thick and slightly furrowed, forming large alligator-scale bark plates as it ages. The wood is some of the heaviest of the oak family, commonly used for carpentry, fuel, and grilling.

Sprouts from the roots can become a nuisance; dense saplings can surround the main trunk, requiring constant pruning if you wish to avoid a clump of trees. A fungus has also been identified as the culprit in oak wilt disease, killing many live oaks that have grown in the countryside throughout Texas.  

Native to Texas and Monterrey, Mexico, the Mexican Live Oak is a fast growing oak tree with a pyramidal growth habit topping out at 80 feet. It is a white oak, making it is resistant to the oak wilt disease.

Creates a nice windbreak or shade with the thick leathery olive-green leaves; although evergreen, it will drop half the leaves in the late winter when new leaves begin to emerge. The bark is dark gray to brown and scaley.

The acorns are a good source of food for squirrels, birds and deer. Although it prefers rich deep soil, it adapts to more unfavorable conditions. 

Texas native Shumard Oak is commonly found along creeks and swamps where it prefers moist well-drained soils. Reaching heights over 100 feet and up to 60 feet in width, forming a broad pyramidal crown; it is one of the largest red oaks available, so plant with consideration.

New growth is light grey and very smooth. With age, the trunk and branches begin to darken, developing ridges and becoming only slightly furrowed. The broad leaves are lobbed with distinctive points, growing up to eight inches in length. They are dark green on top, light green on the bottom, and turn shades of yellow, red and brown in the fall. Under late summer heat stress or drought conditions, leaves will die and fall premature.

Acorns are up to one inch in diameter, but take up to three years to fully mature; they are common food source for birds, squirrels, and deer. 

Sierra Oak, a red oak, naturally grows in a pyramidal shape while it is young, developing a broader canopy after several years. With a mature size of 30 feet tall, it is an idea oak tree for the medium sized Texas landscape, and can grow in any area throughout Texas.  

Although it's classified as an evergreen, it will shed a majority of its leaves in the late winter much like Live or Mexican Oak. New foliage is red before turning a rich green color, turning red again in the fall. Laves are up to three inches long, and resemble a holly leaf. 

Native to the Mediterranean, Olive trees have quickly found their place in the Texas landscape. They are utilized for their hardiness with the weather, tolerance to poor soils, and manageable size. Some of the olive trees overseas are known to be over 1,000 years old.

The Olive tree often has multiple trunks, however often trained to have a single trunk; if it severely damaged or cut down, new trunks will emerge from the roots. The grey-green leaves are thick and leathery, with stomata on the undersides that aid in water conservation. Flower buds are borne on the axils of leaves, often budding up a year before they open. The inflorescences average 15 to 30 flowers, but are often inconspicuous, but with a slight fragrance.

The drupe olive fruits start green, and turn black when they ripen in the fall. It is commonly believed they are toxic, however they are simply extremely bitter and often get cured before being eaten. 'Arberquina' is from Spain.

The Mexican Olive is native to southern areas of Texas, but will not grow north of Austin due to its low tolerance to freezing temperatures. A large shrub that is easily pruned into small tree form, it averages twenty feet high, making it ideal for small landscape areas. It is also drought tolerance once established, and tolerates any quality of soil as long as it’s adequately drained.

Soft, dark-green leaves are a wonderfull backdrop to the clusters of showy white trumpet-shaped flowers that appear throughout the spring and summer. The fleshy fruits that follow feed the birds, deer, and cattle that find them, but they are slightly toxic and not for us to eat.

Pest and disease free, Texas Olive’s only real issue is tenderness to freeze damage; it can recover from a light freeze, but only waiting till the growth comes back in the summer will you be able to tell if it didn’t make it.  

Native to the Mediterranean, Olive trees have quickly found their place in the Texas landscape. They are utilized for their hardiness with the weather, tolerance to poor soils, and manageable size. Some of the olive trees overseas are known to be over 1,000 years old.

The Olive tree often has multiple trunks, however often trained to have a single trunk; if it severely damaged or cut down, new trunks will emerge from the roots. The grey-green leaves are thick and leathery, with stomata on the undersides that aid in water conservation. Flower buds are borne on the axils of leaves, often budding up a year before they open. The inflorescences average 15 to 30 flowers, but are often inconspicuous, but with a slight fragrance.

The drupe olive fruits start green, and turn black when they ripen in the fall. It is commonly believed they are toxic, however they are simply extremely bitter and often get cured before being eaten.