John, just be there for the Nov RU!! I'd really like to meet you and your wife.
Gardening with Texas Native plants & Wildflowers. Part 6
That is the plan! :-)
Here is a picture of a lovely Texas native, Western Ironweed, ( Vernonia baldwinii )
This plant just showed up in my garden, and what a gift from mother nature it was.
It is a perennial up tp 5 feet tall, and the flowers look like little soft purple brushes.
It likes full sun, but will tolerate some shade, it is also drought resistant.
Blooming now on the slope. I love this plant.
A close up of the flower cluster.
Wish stuff like that would just show up for me!
I guess a lot depends on the area where you live, and if there are native populations of certain plants around you. I hope the starts I gave you made it, if not, I can give you more at another time.
You might try leaving a small area exposed, and don't remove what shows up untill you are sure it is not wanted, you might have to wait a whole year, to see what you get, but it can be a fun experiment.
I am doing that with a strip adjoining my property! I will have to do an inventory again one of these mornings. It has been a fun experiment!
Great John, be sure to let us know what you find out.
You just might have some rare plants there.
Thats how I got my goldenrod - sad part I left it thinking it was Iron Weed, oh well it looks stunning! Trying to spot out a few in the field worth finding seeds of.... crossing fingers!
I need to go down to the resaca and take a picture of a pink weed thats blooming now, it's kind of pretty, but don't know how it would behave in the garden. The flowers resemble ironweed, except they are pink.
Also need to take a picture of a vine, I think it might be bindweed. It had little white flowers with pink centers.
Watch out for gators!
The Ironweed is beautiful! I can't wait to see mine next year!
You have it? ;-P
HotnSpicy, mustang grapevines don't need to be near a river or pond. Cuttings taken during late winter or early spring are usually recommended. Ours came with the property. In fact, we are trying to get rid of some because they can smother trees if allowed to cover the canopy. If you want some, I can see if I can root some for you. I do have one extra plant of the deeply lobed mustang grape in the ground. Would you like it? Plants with the normal shaped leaves seem to produce more fruit.
Josephine, I'm going to take a chance with them planted in the ground. I saw a beautiful specimen in Brenham. I love the look of the Western Ironwood. How wide does the plant get?
Not very wide, usually one stem, but it does turn into clusters of stems with age.
I can save you some seed if you like, they are hardy, and very pretty.
Yes would you please.
Veronica
Yes...yes...yes please bettydee...I cannot even tell you why I am so determined to have the mustang but I moved home to TX after living in MA for 6 years and we lived on 4 acres...but right smack dab in the middle of town and 3 acres were designated wetlands although there was rarely ever water there except when the snow was melting...anyway...the 3 acres were covered in wild grapes and I used to love seeing them at the edge of my yard and every year I picked grapes until I could hardly walk or climb to get them...anyway...I thought the vines were just beautiful and I have lots of fence to cover so I am determined to have some mustang grape vines....please ...please please...I would love the plant and a few cuttings too if you would do that for me...
Ruthie
Ruthie,
Are you in the address exchange? If not, e-mail me your address.
Veronica
I have both types of grapevines growing in my yard, but not a sign of a grape anywhere. Are some vines barren and some not - male/female thing or what?
Unlike most grapes which have both sexes on the same plant, the mustang grape has the sexes on separate plants. Sugarfoot, if you have had the vines for several years and it hasn't produced grapes you probably have male plants. If you would like cuttings from female plants let me know.
Ruthie,
I don't know the sex of the really lobed leaf grapevine plants, but I will send cuttings of plants that I know the sex of.
The best time to root grapevine cuttings is late winter or early spring. So if the ones I send out don't make it let me know and I'll send out some in January.
Veronica
Thanks so much...I am really excited about having them. I was out this am with the husband cleaning a little area in our circle drive that was very overgrown and thick with yucky things...dead branches and way too many little junipers etc....and I cleaned an area that I intend to make a bed for all natural plants...The rocks are already there and a few plants too so it should do really well...
Melonie and Mike stopped by for a very hot, short tour of the place.
Returning from the Bayou, before Mel melted, with her DH, Mike.
Just before they left, and after Mel was revived, a group. From the left, Dw, me, Mel, and Mike.
If any ine is in the Dallas area and would like to meet to go to a Nursery Date check out the new post in the Texas area - my goal is to get to see a few places up here that carry natives. Check it out would love to meet a few of ya I have not yet and hang with the few I have! Mitch
While on the short tour, Mexican Water Primrose Willow.
A group shot of the Mexican Willow Water Primrose.
A smaller than normal Hibiscus type plant. Is this a Rock Rose?
The wild Guara is starting to bloom.
Mel and Mike were able to see only the second Salt Marsh MG to bloom this year. The plants are half sized, as is the bloom.
The first West Texas Mist flower has started blooming. Last year they were everwhere, this year only where we water.
Great Pics! very sharp, stunning flowers
Thanks. I hope TXMel recovers from her heat attack and forgives me. They will be going on a cruse tomorrow. She can rest.
trois, I don't think that is a Pavonio, rock rose. While the leaves look much like it, and the blooms do look much like a hibiscus, the petals in your pick are much more separated than any I've ever seen in mine. But then, I'm hardly an expert, we'll see. Bettydee or frostweed or htop may be along soon.
Don't you love guara?
Yep, love the Guara. Last year we had thousands of the wild ones. So far this year only a few. Dry, dry.
I was looking at the weather reveiw of June, and except for June 1st, we've been middle to upper 90's every day, and only one day (the 14th I think) did we have any rain, but it wasn't much. Hot, hot, dry, dry!
You have had rain we didn't get. I remember.
We did not get any here is Red Oak- yard dying.... plants wilting...
When I get un-depressed about it, I'll start a thread about what happened in my yard this last week ...
sorry maggie :-(
That doesn't sound good...I'm getting a little worried about all of my stuff. I think I've had the water hose running all day every day for the last few days. I started mulching today and will try and get it finished asap. It's just so HOT so I have only a few hrs at night to work.