Due to the Covid pandemic we are temporarily unable to distribute or sell plant guides to mail or pick up at our office.  Please check back here for updates.

As of September 12, 2014, the priority for the distribution of Native & Adapted Plant Guides, paid for by Austin citizens, are Grow Green nurseries and program partners. As a courtesy, we sell them to businesses and entities outside of Austin, but we reserve the right to limit the sale, when the inventory is low or an anticipated high demand period is expected. When sales are allowed, the maximum number of boxes will be 2 per organization

Formalized on October 14, 2013

The City of Austin Grow Green program partners with Austin nursery businesses to provide the public with information about earthwise landscaping and management of common landscape pests. The information is intended to help protect water resources by reducing the amount of pesticides that enter our waterways.

The materials are provided and distributed free to Austin-area businesses that sell plants, pesticides or both. They are provided at the point-of-sale to educate people about plant selection and integrated pest management alternatives, with emphasis on the least toxic, most effective solution. Materials are also all available electronically at www.growgreen.org.

Program Materials:

  • Grow Green Native and Adapted Landscape Plant guide – The plant guide highlights native and adapted plants that do well in Central Texas’ environment.
  • Grow Green Fact Sheet series/display - The Grow Green fact sheet series provides least toxic options for the most common Austin-area landscape pests and other general landscaping information topics.
  • Landscape Design templates – Design templates for landscape designs such as Child Friendly, Classic, and Shade Friendly.
  • T-shirts – are provided annually to staff at partnering nurseries

Business Category:

  • Plants only: If a business only sells plants they can receive the Grow Green Native and Adapted Landscape Plant guide and have the option to display the Grow Green Fact Sheets and Landscape Design Templates.
  • Plants & Pesticides: If a business sells plants and pesticides they are required to carry both the Grow Green Native and Adapted Landscape Plant guide and the Fact Sheets. They have the option to distribute the Landscape Design Templates.
  • Plants and only Least-toxic pesticides - if a business only carries products with the least toxic designation (i.e. the lady bug icon featured on the Fact Sheets), they may opt out of carrying the fact sheets. Qualifying businesses that select this option must send the Grow Green Program Coordinator a list of the pesticide products carried at the beginning of the agreement and provide a current list of the pesticides they sell each October. If any pesticides that do not have the least toxic icon are sold then the business will begin to display the Fact Sheets or forfeit receiving any of the Grow Green program materials.

Store Responsibilities

  • Identify a Grow Green Single Point of Contact (SPOC)
    • The SPOC will:
      • let the Grow Green program coordinator know at least one week in advance which program materials need restocking. This information can be emailed or left on a voicemail message at denise.delaney@austintexas.gov or 512-974-2581.
      • keep the display organized and clean.
      • report any damage to the display.
      • contact the Grow Green program coordinator to remove any program materials or displays from the store if participation in the program is no longer desired.
  • Stock less-toxic integrated pest management products
  • Allow Grow Green training of employees
  • Provide feedback on the program

Grow Green Coordinator Responsibilities

  • Provide & set up displays
  • Provide program materials for restocking displays
  • Coordinate trainings
  • Follow-up with stores as needed to answer questions
  • Provide map of Grow Green partners on the website www.growgreen.org