Smooth Sumac, Rhus glabra, Anacardiaceae (Sumac Family)
This beautiful deciduous shrub or tree, sets the landscape aflame in the Fall of the year creating scene that rivals a Monet.
It also has the honor of being the only tree species native to all 48 contiguous states, which is quite an accomplishment.
It loves the blackland prairie where it grows with abandon spreading by root suckers.
Not very tall, it may reach only ten feet, but is packs such a tremendous punch that it should be a must in all native gardens.
The flowers grow in a cone shaped cluster, and the seeds are excellent food for many birds and small mammals and is also a larval host for the Hairstreak butterfly.
This plant is happy with very little water, likes sun, shade or in between, it is also resistant to insects and disease. All plants should be this healthy and accommodating!
Pictures taken at The Molly Hollar Wildscape.
Beautiful color!!!
Thank you Marie, as much as i hate to see the growing season come to a close, the Fall colors are a consolation.
That is a fabulous picture.
The colors are great.
Spring and Fall, love
those seasons best.
Charleen
Gorgeous! Thank you for sharing the pics and info with us Josephine.
Yes, lovely! The fall colors here aren't that good yet.
Thank you all, the Sumac is exceptionally beautiful this year, some years when it has been too dry the leaves just shrivel up without turning color.
Thank you Frostweed for posting this.
As I have been driving around I have spotted some of these bush/trees that are so beautiful now, and wondered what they were. You answered my question......YEAH....thank you again!
You are welcome, I am glad I gave you the answer.
Love it! I remember seeing it when I lived in Canada too. Is it easy to propagate?
Very easy from root suckers, I haven't tried the seeds.
SnoBall Virburnum
Martha Gonzales
Very Pretty Antiquedrose.
For you Frostwood, snapped this Nacogdoches rose an hour ago. Good Morning.
Oh!! thank you, you are so sweet!! and a good morning to you!!
That is a beautiful rose and a gorgeous color too.
Josephine.
The Copper Canyon Daisies are showing off their color.
The Oak Leaf Hydrangea have put on their fall display of color.
The American Beauty Berry is ready for the birds.
The Native Button Bush I purchased a month ago is turning.
Very nice Sheila, fall can be good in spite of the dreary days, like today.
Yes Josephine, and my White Mistflower (Eupatorium havanense) you gave me is putting on some beautiful blooms too.
Oh, that is so neat, they are so beautiful, I am glad it is doing well for you.
Actually the pics were from yesterday, but I am slow..
The butterflies were abundant then too. This Hot Lips Salvia was providing nectar to this Painted Lady.
The Mexican Milkweed is still full of blooms with Monarchs and Queens around.
Great Sheila, the Painted ladies have been abundant this fall along with the Snouts around here too.
Yes, I hate to say it, but what would we do without the Mexican milkweed? It seems to be the only one that we can provide a lot of for them.
That is right there were some Snouts and Skippers flitting around yesterday too. I am enjoying them while I can, I am sure a freeze will soon be in our forecast. It worries me that the Paper Whites and Daffodills are pushing up so quickly. I hope they don't set blooms too soon.
Yes, everything is kind of confused this year, we will just have to make the best of it, but all in all it is not too bad.
Speaking of Milkweed, have you had any luck with Swamp Milkweed, Asclepias incarnata?
I surely haven't after trying for two years, but I keep on trying in hopes of having something other than a non native to offer the Monarcs.
No, my Swamp MW A. incarnata, grew to about 14" then shriveled up. I planted tuberosa also but didn't see any foliage that I could id, much less a bloom. My 'Silky Gold' (annual) did set blooms and may give me a few seeds; but the mexican (A. curassavica) is the only one that really thrived for me. Like you said, without it we wouldn't have much to offer the Monarchs around here.
I am not digging the swamp MW up, going to wait and see if it comes back from root then move it to a less sunny spot. I also think I saved back a few seeds.
Yes, those two seem to be very difficult around here, my incarnata had a few strong stems, but never bloomed, well, maybe next year we will get lucky.
I guess I'm lucky. A. texana (Texas Milkweed) does fairly well in this area. And A. asperula (Antelope Horns) if it makes it long enough to have a really deep taproot...it really needs that to survive. Most of them seem to die before they get to that point. Many A. asperula seedlings came up this year on the hillside back of my shed where I'd planted seeds. We'll see if they survive. So far I haven't had much luck with other milkweeds, but I keep trying. Except, like you said, Mexican Milkweed, it does well, but a few die most winters if planted in the ground.
I keep large pots of A. curassavica that I bring in through the winter when they forcast a freeze.
This way I have milkweed ready for the monarcs when they come up in the spring, and they can lay eggs right away. The plants in the ground take a lot longer to come up, so we would miss the early butterflies' eggs. This has worked very well for me.
The Asclepias texana you so kindly gave me bloomed the first year but didn't make it to the next.
We have Antelope Horns along the roads in the rural areas here, but it isn't spreading at all; just a plant here and there.
Oak with 'fro plant, aka Baby's Breath Spiraea
Very pretty, keep them coming.
Okay! Here's two more.
