Gardening with Texas Native plants & Wildflowers. Part 5

dI've sent about 10 photos to A & M. I'll give them a chance to ID it first. It took forever to upload these photos.

Josephine had a list of native Texas trees a short while ago toward the end of Part 4. I'd like to add to it. It's a big shrub/small tree to 25 feet called the Common Hop-tree, Ptelea trifoliata. I have seen a few that tall near creeks, but the 3 I have, are about 12 feet tall, All three trees are growing near our creek. They have a rounded shape. In the past various parts of the tree ave been used medicinally. It is supposed to have some disagreeable odors. I don't go around squashing leaves. The leaves are a bright gree which makes it stand out. The flowers are small. It's the "hops" that make it an attractive tree. It has been planted as an ornamental. The tree also has food value to wildlife.

Veronica

A photo close-up of a branch showing some hops cluster. The clusters remain on the tree for quite a while, like cream colored Christmas ornaments.

A close-up of 2 hops clusters. The leaves are shiny. The tree appears to be very healthy.

The last photo shows the trunk. It has a variety of splotches in several colors. I wish this were closer to the house. A neighbor has two growing right in the creek bed. The creek is seasonal, but last year, it had water in a great part of the year without any damage. Must like water.

Veronica, that sure is a lovely tree, I had never seen it, I suppose the hops are the seeds.
May be you can save us some. Thank you for showing it to us, you and Trois sure have a lot of interesting plants around your property. I suppose it is deciduous?

Yes, it's deciduous. The hops are the seeds. I'll have to keep an eye on them. I'm not sure when they mature.

Here are three different views of the Wildflower slope in June. View #1 with my cat Angel.

View #2

View #3, shwoing the Thistle in bloom with one Texas Star and Coneflowers.

And a close up of the Texas Star hibiscus.

A beautiful close up of the bloom of a Desert Willow, ( Chilopsis linearis ) What a lovely tree.

frostweed, I was in Ft. Davis this past weekend for a family reunion and since they have had 3 months of rain........it was Gorgeous! The tree that I fell in love with was growing outside our room at the Hotel Limpia. Got a book and looked it up and here you are showing a bloom of the same tree. I was going to check with a trusted, local nursery if I could get one to grow "over" here. Here's what the West Texas version looked like.

PS: Yes, that was the color of the sky the whole weekend !!!

This message was edited Jun 11, 2005 10:20 PM

And an image of the bloom. Smelled beutiful.

I have two of these growing in half barrels. The color of the blooms is more purple. We are very impatient for growth and more blooms.
Very beautiful trees.

Kipper, you need to look at the trees while they are blooming to get the color you want since the color can vary quite a bit. That pink color is outstanding. I've found that grasshoppers and katydids will quickly denude a Desert Willow. I've found it frustrating to grown one here because of that. Overwintering is no problem at all.

We have thousands of Anoles that never allow a grasshopper to grow here. They just run around all day eating bugs. We seldom have problems.

stunning trees, I have a rooted cutting going onday I will have a tree like that... dreaming

Mitch, it won't take very long, they are fast growers.

Kipper2, thank you for telling us about your visit to west Texas. That tree by your hotel room is gorgeous. I hope you will plant one in your garden to enjoy for a long time.

Josephine.

Josephine, It was really more than that one tree. The whole area of the Davis Mountains is in full bloom from the prickly pears, cholla cactus, red sages, century plants and every type of wildflower that you can think of. Some time this weekend I will find the time to post just a few of the 65 images on the "Photo" forum. Will let ya'll know.

Still wishing I was out there but somebody's got to make a living.

Those buds are probably flowering now! Gives a link to your images over there, ok?

Oh my, what is that...tree? I have a tiny little branch from a Desert Willow from Josephine that is growing very nicely! :)

Hello Kipper2, that is a wonderful Century plant blossom, we had one volunteer by our place of business here in Arlington, that was really impressive too. Aren't they amazing?

Texas is such a wonderful place, God really gave us a great share of His marvelous creation.
I have never been to the Davis mountains, but I hope to some day.

Please post to your heart's content, we are all eagerly awaiting.
Josephine.

Stunning plants I have a pair of them I picked up when the local Arbys dug them out... they are not to large but one day... I have a few young ones I am bring to the Dallas Swap

Century plants, Mitch?

yep two of them - they were really small ones I could not fit the bigger one in the car - LOL They only send the stalk up and bloom once and then the bigger plant dies - the great thing they have tons of little ones around the edge to share! Just be careful the sap will get you like the P. Ivy - or so Ihave found. They had them in a sandy rock mix I have them in soil for now that is grated to help pull the water away... Planted by my little yucca in the Texana area... still need that cow skull to really pull it off...

Have you googled for a skull? Shouldn't be hard to find. I've had them over the years.

yea - I had one for a while but it was a zebra and it did not feel right ... got to get out there and find one but I want one with horns this time, my wife is going to hate it at first but ummm maybe with time... I am heading to San An. in July and hope to find one there. Maybe at Buceys Flea Market they have a great plant guy there to... getting ideas here...

Mitch, too bad you're not going to San Antonio next weekend. Saturday (6/18), a bunch of us will be going to a couple of nurseries, with lunch in between. http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/515327/

oh I know - I thought about it but I have to go up to OK to look after the family acres up there. Maggie can you send me the one or two best in San An so I can hit them in July? Beyond the Flea market I have no idea where to go...

The consensus of the San Anotonians was that Milberger's (3920 North Loop 1604 East) and Rainbow Gardens (2585 Thousand Oaks Dr) were the best. There is actually another Rainbow Gardens - I think on Bandera - but this one is closer to Milbergers, which makes it easier (time wise) to get from one to the other. I'll sure let you know which of the two I liked better.

In July (16th), some of us are getting together to visit some nurseries in Austin: http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/519305/ I think one that we'll be going to is The Natural Gardener. They are all about natives and organic gardening - the guy who owns the place also owns the Lady Bug line of organic products: http://www.naturalgardeneraustin.com/ The day we're going they have a class on successful butterfly gardening in Central TX, but I figure the concepts should hold true for any butterfly garden.

Oh, wow, wish I could do that July 16 class!

Now I might make it to the 16th good to check in with the wife and see what is going on! Thanks maggie - they both sound good... just want to make good use of my time... Mitch

We might make the 16th.

My daughter lives there so we could spend the night with her.

Meanwhile, back at the Ranch, I have a few to post.

1. The first blooming Pride of Barbados. This one is planted in a sheltered place and does not freeze back. The only light it gets is straight up, so it blooms on top of the house.

2. EvergreenWisteria is blooming very well now.

3. Another view, different light.

Is that the Indigo plant Trois? With pink spires.....?

mel

4. We have a lot of these plants. They reach about 12 to 15 feet, and are evergreen. Any ideas?

5. Yellow Fringed Red Mexican Cosmos.

OOohhhh. I want some of those Mexican Cosmos! Can they be planted from seeds?

mel