A pine savanna is characterized by widely spaced pines with a native grass and wildflower understory.
May 29, 2025 - When most folks think of East Texas pines, they imagine dense forests where light barely reaches the forest floor. But long before commercial pine plantations and fire suppression altered the land, much of eastern Texas was home to an open, sunny, and remarkably diverse ecosystem known as the pine savanna. These savannas were filled with towering pines spaced widely enough to allow sunlight to reach the ground, where a vibrant mix of grasses and wildflowers thrived. Today, they serve as a powerful reminder of how our historic landscape can shape and inspire the way we garden.
Historically, both longleaf and shortleaf pine savannas once dominated large portions of the South, including East Texas. These fire-dependent ecosystems evolved with frequent low-intensity fires, often occurring every two to five years. These fires, whether sparked by lightning or set intentionally by Native Americans, kept shrubs and vines in check, reduced tree density, and encouraged a rich understory of native vegetation to flourish beneath the pines.
In Northeast Texas, the shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata) and in Southeast Texas the longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) were the stars of these savannas. Beneath them grew a tapestry of little bluestem, switchgrass, Indian grass, and hundreds of wildflower species like blazing star, goldenrod, and milkweed. This combination of scattered trees and a herbaceous understory created ideal habitat for wildlife, supported pollinators, and contributed to some of the highest levels of biodiversity in North America.
Sadly, fire suppression, land conversion, and modern forestry conversion to closed canopy loblolly pine plantations have drastically reduced the acreage of these ecosystems. But fragments remain in East Texas and Western Louisiana. Remnant pine savannas can still be found in places like the Angelina National Forest, Davey Crockett National Forest, Fairchild State Forest, Kisatchie National Forest, Sabine National Forest, and private lands managed for conservation. Though a fraction of the original acreage, these examples not only preserve vital habitat but also provide a valuable blueprint for sustainable East Texas gardening and Earth-Kind landscaping.
As gardeners and landscapers, we can draw from the pine savanna’s natural design and function. Instead of tightly packed evergreen shrubs or thirsty exotic plants, we can space out trees and underplant with drought-tolerant native grasses and perennials. This approach, what many now refer to as ecological gardening, mimics nature’s patterns and builds resilience into our landscapes.
Planting or preserving widely spaced native pines like shortleaf, longleaf, or the more commonly available loblolly and surrounding them with native grasses like little bluestem, splitbeard bluestem, and switchgrass creates a layered, naturalistic look. These grasses are not only graceful but also provide critical habitat and reduce the need for water, fertilizer, or pesticides. Adding native wildflowers like black-eyed Susans, coneflowers, and sunflowers brings seasonal color while supporting birds, bees, and butterflies.
The key is diversity and function. Pine savannas thrive because every plant plays a role in the ecosystem. In the same way, our gardens can become more than decorative, they can serve pollinators, filter stormwater, sequester carbon, and reconnect us with the natural world. The pine savanna may mostly be a relic of the past, but it holds enduring lessons for the future.
Greg Grant, Ph.D., is the Smith County horticulturist and Master Gardener coordinator for the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. He is the author of Texas Fruit and Vegetable Gardening, Texas Home Landscaping, Heirloom Gardening in the South, and The Rose Rustlers. You can read his “Greg’s Ramblings” blog at arborgate.com, read his “In Greg’s Garden” in each issue of Texas Gardener magazine (texasgardener.com), or follow him on Facebook at “Greg Grant Gardens” or “Rebel Eloy Emanis Wildlife Sanctuary.” More science-based lawn and gardening information from the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service can be found at aggieturf.tamu.edu and aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu.
