Plants

Sotol plants in bloom.

NPS/CA Hoyt

Over 1200 species of plants are found within Big Bend National Park--an astonishing diversity considering the hot, dry desert climate and the rugged landscape. But the sheer ruggedness of that landscape creates a variety of habitats for plants. In the shade of a canyon orchids bloom. Along the river, willows thrive. In the low desert, the hardiest of plants find a way to survive and even to thrive. Explore these pages to learn more about the plants of Big Bend National Park.

 

Spring wildflowers.

NPS/CA Hoyt

What Did I See?

At nearly any time of year, you'll find something in bloom in Big Bend National Park. But there are better times than others. Want to see the bluebonnets? February and March are your best bet. Cactus? Visit in April and May. The summer monsoons bring out the yellow flowers and many tiny desert treasures. When we get rain in the winter (a rarity down here) we may have a superbloom. Those are the glorious springs when the desert floor is carpeted with wildflowers. On these pages, dig into a sample of the plants most often seen and when they bloom.

 

A path winds through the pecan trees at Sam Nail Ranch.

NPS/CA Hoyt

Hikes for Plant Enthusiasts

Got a plant geek in the crowd? Here are some hikes where you can immerse yourself into the plant life of Big Bend National Park. Delve into oaks and sumacs along the Pine Canyon Trail. Discover wetland plants at Rio Grande Village. Hike to an Ice Age forest in the Chisos Mountains. Take a tour of these pages to learn about trails and the plants you might encounter along the way.

 

A screenshot from an iNaturalist submission.

NPS/CA Hoyt

Get Involved

Big Bend needs you! As a citizen scientist, you can help us learn more about the plants in the park. It's easy! Upload sightings to iNaturalist, participate in programs such as the annual Wild Plants of Texas Bioblitz, or simply attend a ranger program. These pages will help you get involved.

 

Candelilla in bloom.

NPS/CA Hoyt

Plant Stories

Plants have stories. Here, you'll learn about candelilla wax, forests on the move, desert ferns, plants that talk, and more. Check back often. Is there something you'd like to learn about? Let us know and you may find your story on this page!

 

×

Species Attribute Definitions

Definitions

Occurrence

Occurrence values are defined below. One or more Occurrence Tags may be associated with each Occurrence value.

Present: Species occurs in park; current, reliable evidence available.

Probably Present: High confidence species occurs in park but current, verified evidence needed.

Unconfirmed: Species is attributed to park but evidence is weak or absent.

Not In Park: Species is not known to occur in park.

---

Occurrence Tags

Adjacent: Species is known to occur in areas near to or contiguous with park boundaries.

False Report: Species was reported to occur within the park, but current evidence indicates the report was based on misidentification, a taxonomic concept no longer accepted, or other similar problem of error or interpretation.

Historical: Species' historical occurrence in park is documented. Assigned based on judgment as opposed to determination based on age of the most recent evidence.

---

Abundance

Abundant:

• Animals: May be seen daily, in suitable habitat and season, and counted in relatively large numbers.
• Plants: Large number of individuals; wide ecological amplitude or occurring in habitats covering a large portion of the park.

Common:

• Animals: May be seen daily, in suitable habitat and season, but not in large numbers.
• Plants: Large numbers of individuals predictably occurring in commonly encountered habitats but not those covering a large portion of the park.

Uncommon:

• Animals: Likely to be seen monthly in appropriate habitat and season. May be locally common.
• Plants: Few to moderate numbers of individuals; occurring either sporadically in commonly encountered habitats or in uncommon habitats.

Rare:

• Animals: Present, but usually seen only a few times each year.
• Plants: Few individuals, usually restricted to small areas of rare habitat.

Occasional:

• Animals: Occurs in the park at least once every few years, varying in numbers, but not necessarily every year.
• Plants: Abundance variable from year to year (e.g., desert plants).

Unknown: Abundance unknown

---

Nativeness

Native: Species naturally occurs in park or region.

Non-native: Species occurs on park lands as a result of deliberate or accidental human activities.

Unknown: Nativeness status is unknown or ambiguous.

×

List Differences

The Checklist contains only those species that are designated as "present" or "probably present" in the park.

The Full List includes all the checklist species in addition to species that are unconfirmed, historically detected, or incorrectly reported as being found in the park. The full list also contains species that are "in review" because their status in the park hasn't been fully determined. Additional details about the status of each species is included in the full list.

The checklist will almost always contain fewer species than the full list.

Select a Park:

Big Bend National Park

Select a Species Category (optional):

All Amphibians Birds Fish Mammals Reptiles Vascular Plants

Get Checklist Get Full List List Differences

Species attribute definitions

Search results will be displayed here.

Visit NPSpecies for more comprehensive information and advanced search capability. Have a suggestion or comment on this list? Let us know.