There is a lot of wild mustard in California. It came with the Spanish explorers and settlers.
Gardening with Native plants and Wild flowers of Texas.
Well Julie, yes it did feel strange the two times that I went back. I left at age 22 and I am now 66 so I have been here twice as long as there. I was an only child and my parents passed away a long time ago. I do have a cousin there, and a good friend with whom I correspond at Easter and Christmas. I really don't miss Spain, this is my home now, and I am very happy here, but I would like to go with my husband sometime, since he has ever been there.
Josephine.
This is a beautiful native tree, Red Buckeye (Aesculus pavia ) It is not very common around here, but it really should be. They have more of them in East Texas. When I first saw a picture of this tree I fell in love with it and I looked at different nurseries with no luck. But one day I went to Veterans Park, this is a place that has a xeriscape and native plant garden here in Arlington, that is maintained by the Arlington Organic Gardening club. Well I found one of them in bloom there, and I was awe'struck because it was so beautiful. While I was there looking at it, an older gentleman came by and asked if I new what it was. I did tell him the name and he said he had never seen anything like it, at which point I told him that I had wanted one for a long time and had not been able to find it. After he left something told me to go to the nursery and check again and what do you know, they had one, only one, I was so excited I was jumping up and down, and I told the lady that God had sent me there that day. I said I wanted it, but when we looked for the price it didn't have a price tag, so she said, " well, let us go and see how much God wants for it" As it turned out it was only $30.00 so I was very happy.
Here is a picture of the seed, ( buckeyes ) with one planted.
A picture of the small plant, it takes about three months for them to sprout and they are not very reliable, but I am trying to develop these trees so other people can have them too.
What cute little seedlings. I would love one of the buckeyes one day. I just need to wait until I have the room.
PS.... Frostweed, would you start a part 2 of this thread. It's starting to get long to load for me on DSL and it's a great thread that I hope continues on and on.
A picture of the tree I bought at the nursery, which we have had for 4 years. It is about 10 feet tall and never gets very big, maximum 25 feet. It likes lots of water and semi-shade.
Check this out. Then click the pic for a full screen view. You are pointing out some really great plants for us to consider frostweed. This is a really important thread!
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/ornamentals/natives/aesculuspaviavarpavia.htm
John
A close up of the flower spike about 8 inches long and a gorgeous red. I guess you can tell I love this tree and can not figure out why it is not more available.
Red Buckeye, (Aesculus pavia )
John, that was a great picture on the link you sent us, thank you for doing that.
Sweezel, How do I start over on the tread, call it part 2? Please advise. Thanks.
Josephine.
Just go back and start a new thread on the Texas Forum page. Make the subject "Gardening with Native plants and Wild flowers of Texas - Part 2" then copy an html link to this thread in a reply here so people know where to continue the conversation. Also maybe in the first post of the new thread, copy the link to this thread with "Continued from..." It's just a new thread, but makes it a lot faster to load, especially for people on dial-up. I could do it for you, but I don't want to be credited for the wonderful idea of starting the thread in the first place. :)
WOW, now that's a pretty tree!!!!
Josephine, I hope you and your husband get to visit Spain together one day. I bet it would be wonderful for both of you :-)
-Julie
Josepine, TAMU says Aesculus pavia is an understory tree. Is your growing in partial shade or out in the full sun. I found one for sale at Ecolage. I love hummingbirds and am always on the look out for plants that attract them. How long did it take your tree to bloom? This is a great resource, but sweezel is right. Even with DSL this is taking time.
John, you are making me homesick. The yellow mustard flowers, always one of the first signs of spring were all over the foothills around San Jose. Just when I thing I have gotten used to living in Texas, something triggers that little tug in my heart.
Veronica
You remember that, too? I was born in Alameda, raised near Modesto. Went to college in Butte County and San Luis Obispo.
Bettydee, my tree is in partial shade and it does like a lot of water. It bloomed the second year after planting, and it is a slow grower, but it is worth the extra care. Another thing that is neat about it is that so few trees have red flowers.
I will get my husband to help me tonight with the new thread so it gets done correctly, I am not very good at things of that sort, and don't want to mess it up.
Josephine.
Small world! I grew up in Fremont, went to college at CSU at Hayward. Met my husband in Vallejo and eventually moved to San Jose. Our two sons are still there. It' s the children who are supposed to move out of the house. We did just the opposite. We moved, they stayed.
Ha! I lived in Newark for a short whille. Even managed a Little League team while there.
Josephine, where can I buy a Paw-paw tree?
John
Hello, Because this thread has become too long, it has been suggested that a we continue our discussions on a new thread.
Please place your future post on the Part 2 thread by clicking on the following link http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/491824/
Sincerely, Josephine