Common Ragweed, Annual Ragweed, Short Ragweed, Annual Bur-Sage (Ambrosia artemisiifolia)
The foliage ...
Texas Native Plant Pictures by color ( Other & Bicolor )
Indian Blanket, Blaket Flower, Fire Wheel (Gaillardia pulchella), Asteraceae Family, native, blooms midspring through early fall
For more information, see its entry in the PlantFiles:
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/347/index.html
The petal arrangement and colors vary - a close view of the view of one petal color combination ...
Indian Blanket, Blaket Flower, Fire Wheel (Gaillardia pulchella)
Flower not fully open ...
Aristolochia tomentosa Dutchmans Pipe
Family: Aristolochiaceae
Common name: pipe vine
Synonym(s): woolly dutchman's pipe
A larger leaf and faster growing version of Dutchman's Pipe Vine
It is a larval host for the Pipevine Swallowtail.. A beautiful Butterfly that is often mistaken for the Black Swallowtail, yet it is poisonous to their preditors, unlike the Black Swallowtail.
I have seeds and will plant this in my host garden in 2007, then I will have my own photos of this plant, however until then here is what I can post now with permission.
Photo courtesy of Steven J. Baskauf at:
http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/species/arto3.htm
http://bioimages.vanderbilt.edu/
Alright Deb!!! You are really rocking!! I may have to get some of that from you once you get it going.
Josephine.
Narrowleaf marshelder, narrow-leaf sumpweed (Iva angustifolia), Asteraceae Family, native, annual or biennial, blooms flowering occurs from July to October or September thru October depending upon how far north its habitat is
Narrowleaf marshelder is located in all vegetational areas of Texas except the Panhandle Region. In areas of high rainfall, it tends to be habitate elevated, well-drained areas; whereas, in regions of low rainfall, it can be found in drainage ditches, along creek beds and low-laying areas. It inhabits roadsides, disturbed areas, fallow fields, fallow rice fields, wet fresh water marshes, wet meadows, around ponds and lakes and wet prairies.
Narrowleaf marshelder is usually an annual , but can be a biennial. It has fibrous roots and can grow to 6 feet tall; however, it usually reaches half this height. The stems are hairy, erect and branched. The stems of young plants are often purplish. The 2-5" long, 1/2-3" wide leaves are hairy, mostly opposite, simple, oval-shaped, entire or only slightly serrate along margin and pointed at end tips. They are reduced to bracts in the head-bearing area. The yellowish green to cream in colored flowers with no petals are in small heads with several heads arranged in a group of crowded racemes up to 15cm long, each head up to 4mm long. The heads are crowded and inserted in the leaf axils. The flower parts can not be seen with the naked eye. The pollen may cause serious hay fever, asthma snd allergic conjunstivitis. The leaves produce a skin rash in some people. Being a member of the sunflower family, the fruits are achenes. The inconspicuous dry fruits are 2-3mm dark brown, flat, triangular-shaped which contain 1 seed. Narrowleaf marshelder has a scent similar to ragweed and can be mistaken for it. The seeds are eaten by small ground feeding birds, puddle ducks, pheasants and bob-white quail.
Caution: Narrowleaf marshelder is toxic in its early stages of growth. The toxin in is unknown. Being a very abundant plant, it is unavoidably heavily grazed. It has been documented that when cattle ate large amounts of the young plants in the 2- to 8- leaf stage of growth, consumption has been associated with abortions at 4 to 8 months of gestation. Cows in mid-gestation should not be placed in dry pastures that contain areas heavily infested with narrowleaf marshelder. To avoid pre-mature birth during mid-gestation, the time of breeding can be altered so that plants are large enough for cows to ingest with no ill affects. In experiments, rabbits consuming the plant as half of their diet either had stillborn pups or gave birth prematurely or had weak pups that died by 3 days old.
Texas ditribution:
http://plants.usda.gov/java/county?state_name=Texas&statefips=48&symbol=IVAN
For more information, see its entry in the PlantFiles:
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/82046/index.html
Narrowleaf marshelder, narrow-leaf sumpweed (Iva angustifolia)
Cheeseweed Mallow, Little Mallow, Small-flowered Mallow (Malva parviflora), Malvaceae Family, naturalized, annual/biennial/perennial, blooms late winter through mid-spring, considered a weed by many
Cheeseweed mallow can grow in semi-shade, such as a light woodland area, or full sun.. It requires moist soil, but is noit picky about soil type nor soil pH. Its foliage is a beautiful deep green and the leaves have a lovely shape having 5 to 7 toothed, rounded lobes. The .25 inch wide bloom is may be white, pale blue-lilac or pale pink. They are hermaphroditic (having both male and female organs). The flowers emerge from the leaf axils are are not easilt seen unless you are looking for them. The fruits are disk-shaped, wrinkled and have sections. They resemble a sliced wheel of cheese; hence, one of the plant's common names, "cheeseweed". This "weed" is very attractive and obviously needs no care, but it requires a large space in which to grow. In addition, rabbits don't eat it (don't know about deer). Sow seed in early spring in situ.
The leaves and seed are edible. The leaves may be eaten raw or cooked as a potherb. Some people use the leaves as a sustitute for lettuce. They have a pleasant mild taste. IImmature seeds may be eaten raw or cooked and they are used to make a creamed vegetable soup similar to pea soup with a few leaves thrown in for coloring. Because the seeds are so small, not many people bother with collecting them. They have a nut-like flavor.
A hair rinse to remove dandruff and to soften the hair has been made from the leaves and roots. Cream, green and yellow dyes can be produced from the plant and the seed heads. The whole plant has been employed as a poultice on swellings, running sores and boils.
Caution: This plant is listed as a poisonous plant in the PlantFiles which is a bit misleading. Many crop and weed plants accumulate nitrate to potentially toxic concentrations when growing under certain adverse environmental conditions such as drought. The following weeds are nitrate-accumulating: pigweed (Amaranthus spp.), lambsquarter (Chenopodium spp.), dock (Rumex spp.) and nightshades (Solanum spp.). The following c rop plants are nitrate-accumulating: corn, sorghum, oats, barley, beet tops and wheat. Fertilizers containn itrate and it is a common contaminant of water. If exposure ito these sources is of a sufficient amount, nitrate intoxication can occur. Soooo, watch what you eat and know from where it has come.
Distribution:
http://plants.usda.gov/java/county?state_name=Texas&statefips=48&symbol=MAPA5
For more information, see its entry in the PlantFiles:
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/64033/index.html
The 1/4 of an inch bloom:
Cheeseweed Mallow, Little Mallow, Small-flowered Mallow (Malva parviflora)
This is what you see as you look for the blooms which emerge from the leaf axils.
Cheeseweed Mallow, Little Mallow, Small-flowered Mallow (Malva parviflora)
The plant in its native habitat in early spring growing in almost pure caliche ... it is much larger now. Cheeseweed mallow needs a lot of spce in which to grow. Although the blooms may be considered insignificant especially for such a large plant, the plant is beautiful. It reseeds easily ... so if you want to try growing it, watch out. It may take over your yard. :o)
Matelea reticulata (Engelm. ex Gray) Woods.
Green milkweed vine, Net vein milkvine, Netted milkvine, Pearl milkweed Vine
Asclepiadaceae (Milkweed Family)
From the Native Plant Information Network
on the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center website
www.wildflower.utexas.edu/
USDA Symbol: MARE4
USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.
Plant Characteristics
Duration: Perennial
Habit: Vine
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Size Notes: 6-12'
Height (in feet): 6-12
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: White, Green
Bloom Time: Apr, May, Jun
Distribution
USA: TX
Native Habitat: Thickets on rocky hillsides; found in Bell, Burnet, Palo Pinto, and Parker counties, as well as Brown, Comanche, Eastland, and Johnson counties. Central, south and west Texas. (This photo was taken in west Bexar county).
Recommended: Southwest
Growing Conditions
Water Use: Low
Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry
Cold Tolerant: yes
Heat Tolerant: yes
Conditions Comments: Green milkweed vine is not a bold plant but the green star-shaped flowers with a pearly irridescent center are lovely and curious. Use as a novel woodland-edge garden feature. Blooms best with plenty of sun, but does well in some shade also. The Large interesting seed pod open up to release silky seed threads and many seeds. Members of the Milkweed family are host to Queen and Monarch butterflies.
Benefit
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Deer Resistant: High
Propagation
Propagation Material: Seeds
My comment: Can be invasive if given garden conditions
Additional resources
USDA: Find Matelea reticulata in USDA Plants
ITIS: Find Matelea reticulata in the Integrated Taxonomic Information System
FNA: Find Matelea reticulata in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Matelea reticulata
Metadata
Record Modified: 2007-01-01
Research By: LMD, NPIS
Native Plant Bibliography: 286
Thank you KayeTx for your addition to the thread.
Josephine.
Gulf Indian Breadroot, Brown-Flowered Psoralea, Redflower Scurfpea (Pediomelum rhombifolium), Papilionaceae Family, native, perennial, blooms March through July
Gulf Indian breadroot a native of the South Texas Plains and Edwards Plateau is typically found growing in sandy soils; however, it also is found in rocky soils as well. It is a trailing herb that grows from a large tuber and branches at the crown. The branching can be up to a meter long and it grows to about 6 inches tall. The leaves are pinnately trifoliate (have 3 leaflets) and vary in shape depending upon what part of the branch the leaves are located. Some are sort of arrow shaped, others are roundish-oval and others are of various shapes inbetween. The bloom clusters are small; however, they are worth a close look. The colors are very unusual. It waa difficult to find the plant's identity due to it having a bloom color that is so different from other members in the Pediomelum genus as well as its differing growth habit. I finally found it at a website based in Mexico. The corolla may be brick-red, rust colored, an orangey-rust, an orangey-pink or very rarely white with the banner (top petal) having a nice splotch that sets off the other colors. The banner is a somewhat paler or lighter color than the other petals. A beautiful plant that is very suitable for wildscapes, rock gardens and other landscape uses. I don't know if it would be suitable for containers unless they are very deep due to its deep growing rootstock.
Distribution:
http://plants.usda.gov/java/county?state_name=Texas&statefips=48&symbol=PERH2
For more information, see its entry in the PlantFiles:
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/139084/index.html
A very small bloom cluster - notice that the upper petal (the banner petal) is a somewhat lighter color than the other petals.
This message was edited Apr 30, 2007 2:23 AM
Gulf Indian Breadroot, Brown-Flowered Psoralea, Redflower Scurfpea (Pediomelum rhombifolium)
The inflorescence may be elongated and interrupted with the flower clusters at distinct intervals as shown here.
Gulf Indian Breadroot, Brown-Flowered Psoralea, Redflower Scurfpea (Pediomelum rhombifolium)
A view from the top ...
Gulf Indian Breadroot, Brown-Flowered Psoralea, Redflower Scurfpea (Pediomelum rhombifolium)
Thw leaves have three leaflets that vary in shape. This leaf looks large; however, the leaflets are quite small.
Gulf Indian Breadroot, Brown-Flowered Psoralea, Redflower Scurfpea (Pediomelum rhombifolium)
It is a trailing herb that can form a dense groundcover. You can see the small bloom clusters if you look closely.
Basket Flower, Basketflower, American Star Thistle, American Knapweed, Thornless Thistle, Powderpuff Thistle, Cardo del Valle, Shaving Brush (Centaurea americana), Asteraceae Family, native, annual, blooms from May through August
I am always so happy to see the basket flower begin blooming. I think that the bloom buds are as beautiful as the fully opened blooms. The flower grows in sandy or clay-loam soils in edges of fields, prairies disturbed areas, over-grazed pastures, roadsides in all regions, but especially in the Edwards Plateau and South Texas Plains. It is most commonly found growing in prairies. Basket flower is the most common wildflower in the state and is considered by many as being the showiest (besides the bluebonnet, of course).
It may grow as tall as 5 or 6 feet with a 3 foot or more width, but typically reaches a height of 4 feet. It has a solitary stem that is marked by grooves or ridges. The spineless stem is thick and sturdy with many branches in the upper section. The 2.5 to 3.5 inch, alternate, stalkless leaves are lance-shaped. They may be shallowly toothed or entire. The up to 4-inch in diameter flowerhead is constructed entirely of disk flowers. Each one has an extremely long corolla. The pink to lavender, rarely white, petals look somewhat like a thistle with a cream colored center. They are held in a basket-like structure made up of distinctive green, prickled phyllaries. Itt has a basket weave pattern to it; hence, the most widely used common name of the plant. Butterflies relish the blooms and the seeds serve as food for dove and quail. The blooms are frequently used in fresh as well as dried floral arrangements.
Note: The basket flower plants near me bloomed right on time - May 1st. The plants and blooms are huge this year. It sure makes a difference when the wildflowers are blessed with lots of rain.
Distributon:
http://plants.usda.gov/java/county?state_name=Texas&statefips=48&symbol=CEAM2
For more information, see its entry in the plantFiles:
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/1626/index.html
The breathtaking bloom ...
This message was edited May 4, 2007 3:39 AM
Basket Flower, Basketflower, American Star Thistle, American Knapweed, Thornless Thistle, Powderpuff Thistle, Cardo del Valle, Shaving Brush (Centaurea americana)
A different angle ...
Basket Flower, Basketflower, American Star Thistle, American Knapweed, Thornless Thistle, Powderpuff Thistle, Cardo del Valle, Shaving Brush (Centaurea americana)
A white bloom which is seen much less frequently than the other colors ...
Basket Flower, Basketflower, American Star Thistle, American Knapweed, Thornless Thistle, Powderpuff Thistle, Cardo del Valle, Shaving Brush (Centaurea americana)
Young flower bud ...
Basket Flower, Basketflower, American Star Thistle, American Knapweed, Thornless Thistle, Powderpuff Thistle, Cardo del Valle, Shaving Brush (Centaurea americana)
More mature flower bud which I find is fascinatingly beautiful ...
The basket flowers are doing great this year! Last year few came up. I just love them!
yes, they are beautiful, I have never had luck with them.
Linda, I have seen some that are already about 5 feet tall. I guess you have too. I was wondering today why I see many of the basket flowers all by themselves when they produce so many seeds. I thought maybe the ones I see that are solitray have been "planted" by animals or wind so they are not by the mother plant.
I wonder, Josephine, why you haven't had any luck with them. Did you sow the seeds in the fall?
I haven't given them a try for quite a while, so I can't remember when I planted them, but I think I will try them again this year, we shall see.
Narrowleaf Goldshower (Galphimia angustifolia), Malpighiaceae Family, endemic, perennial, subshrub, blooms from April through September
Narrowleaf goldshower usually grows in rocky limestone soils from the Edwards Plateau Region south to Mexico in open or lightly wooded areas and open rocky slopes. Preferring to be sheltered from the hot afternoon sun, it requires some morning sun to prosper so it can be found at the edges of woodlands. It typically occurs in very small colonies. A subshrub that has a semi-woody base, it has a hard woody root, numerous erect stems and attains a height between 6 and 12 inches. Being a plant that is small in stature and having small blooms, it is easily overlooked.
The 25-50 mm long, linear lanceolate, opposite leaves are sessile (lacking stems) or nearly so. The racemes are about 15 cm long and produce 5-petalled, windmill-like blooms that are about 1/2 inch in size. They each may be one of the following colors: yellow, orange, gold, red, red-orange or yellow-orange. The blooms appear to turn red with age. This variety of bloom colors which frequently occur on the same raceme adds interest to the plant. The blooming period begins in April and continues through September or so. The blooms are followed by tiny (3-4 mm), roundish in shape, 3-lobed capsules which split when dried to release the seed.
This plant would make an interesting addition to wildscapes, xeriscapes and rock gardens. It is a very interesting looking plant. I found it growing in an area that will be bulldozed. I have never seen it growing there before. I am thinking that the rains have helped it become established from seeds that had been there in a dormant state. Then, again, it is a small plant and perhaps I had not noticed it in years past. I hope I will be able to dig one up, plant it somewhere in my yard and save it from destruction. It may be an infrequently found plant. I can not find much information about it.
Distribution:
http://plants.usda.gov/java/county?state_name=Texas&statefips=48&symbol=GAAN3
For more information, see its entry in the PlantFiles:
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/136776/index.html
Its bloom can be up to 1/2 inch.
Narrowleaf Goldshower (Galphimia angustifolia)
A sideview of a bloom showing its structure and the small hairs that are present
Narrowleaf Goldshower (Galphimia angustifolia)
A fruit will form here. It is tiny ( 3-4 mm) roundish in shape and is a 3-lobed capsule which will split when dried to release the seed.
Narrowleaf Goldshower (Galphimia angustifolia)
The leaves ...
Gray Five Eyes, Gray False Nightshade, Ground Saracha and Prostrate Ground-Cherry (Chamaesaracha conioides or coniodes), Solanaceae Family, native, perennial, blooms May through September
Gray Five Eyes (Chamaesaracha conioides or coniodes) is a native plant that is found in Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. It can tolerate more shade than other Chamaesaracha species. A low, reclining plant, it is typically densely hairy and emerges from a woody rhizome. It is sticky to the touch due to glandular hairs on its foliage. Its leaves are up to 2 1/8 inches long and 3/4 inch wide, wavy, shallowly toothed to deeply lobed. It produces1/2 inch wide white to pale yellow to yellowish-green blooms that have darker stripes from the center to the rim. The petals are sometimes tinged with purple on the outer edges of the lobes. It produces white fruit.
Distribution:
http://plants.usda.gov/java/county?state_name=Texas&statefips=48&symbol=CHCO
http://www.csdl.tamu.edu/FLORA/cgi/vpt_map_name?reg=5,6,7,8,9,10&name=%3Ci%3EChamaesaracha+conoides%3C/i%3E+(Dun.)+Britt.
For more information, see its entry in the PlantFiles:
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/134602/index.html
The corolla is about .5 inch across. It has 5 raised hairy areas in the center.
Gray Five Eyes, Gray False Nightshade, Ground Saracha and Prostrate Ground-Cherry (Chamaesaracha conioides or coniodes)
The bloom lobes have a darker colored star design radiating from the center.
Gray Five Eyes, Gray False Nightshade, Ground Saracha and Prostrate Ground-Cherry (Chamaesaracha conioides or coniodes)
The blooms sometimes have a purple tint as shown here on the tips. They each have 5 stamen and 1 pistil.
Cheeses, Common Mallow, Round-leaved Mallow, Running Mallow, Round Dock, Umbrella Mallow (Malva neglecta), Malvaceae Family, naturalized, annual (rarely biennial), blooms April or May through September, referred to as a weed by many
County distribution:
http://plants.usda.gov/java/county?state_name=Texas&statefips=48&symbol=MANE
Common mallow has a straight-taproot which is short. The hairy stems branch at the base and lay close to the soil surface, nearly erect or spreading with tips turned up. The 2 to 6 cm wide, alternate, circular to kidney-shaped leaves are blunt- to sharp-toothed and inconspicuously 5-9 lobed. The petioles are long. Short hairs are on both the upper and lower leaf surfaces, leaf margins and petioles. There are 2 stipules at bases of the leaves which are lanceolate and between 0.5 and 1 cm long. The seedling cotyledons are 5 to 7 mm long, 3 to 4 mm wide, heart-shaped, have 3 main veins and are hairy on both surfaces.
From May through September, the flowers appear singularly or in clusters of 2 to 4 in the leaf axils. The 5-lobed petals are white or white tinged with pale pink or purple. Common mallow produces flattened lengthwise fruit capsules which are round and cheese-shaped (disc- or button-like). They are composed of 12 to15 small hairy, 1-seeded, 5 to 8 mm in diameter wedge-shaped segments which are rounded on the back.
Common mallow is often misidentified as ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea) which has square stems. Ground ivy leaves have more prominent rounded teeth and are opposite. Ground ivy often has a minty odor.
All parts of the plant are edible and it has many medicinal uses as do most weeds. See its entry in the PlantFiles which list these and gives other information.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/64513/
All photos of this plant presented here are courtesy of Forest and Kim Starr and taken in Maui, Hawaii where this plant is also natralized.
Blooms and leaves ... Composite of Photos (cropped and bordered by htop)
Cheeses, Common Mallow, Round-leaved Mallow, Running Mallow, Round Dock, Umbrella Mallow (Malva neglecta)
Leaves, stems and bloom bud ... Photo (cropped by htop)
Cheeses, Common Mallow, Round-leaved Mallow, Running Mallow, Round Dock, Umbrella Mallow (Malva neglecta)
Leaf and immature fruit ... Photo (cropped by htop)
Cheeses, Common Mallow, Round-leaved Mallow, Running Mallow, Round Dock, Umbrella Mallow (Malva neglecta)
Habit with bloom ... Photo (cropped by htop)
Cheeses, Common Mallow, Round-leaved Mallow, Running Mallow, Round Dock, Umbrella Mallow (Malva neglecta)
Hairy stems and leaves ... Photo (cropped by htop)
Hoary Mountain Mint/pycnanthemum incanum is an herbaceous perennial native and, is one of several species in the area.
The leaf arrangement is opposite, mostly ovate and toothed with short petoiles. The color of the leaves appear almost white from a distance and grayish-green underneath. The leaves are velvety soft to the touch. The flowers are tiny lilac/white with purple spots in dense top clusters. Blooms mid-summer and continues into early fall in a sunny to partly shady site. Found in dry thickets and woodlands. Bee and butterfly plant, culinary and medicinal. Usually used in teas,the leaves are edible raw or cooked and have a hot, minty flavor. Although the scent reminds me of a camphor-mint. The herb was once widely used by a number of Native American tribes as a general relaxing tonic that also soothed indigestion. It has also been used as a natural insecticide, and a number of other ailments such as colds, fevers, mouth and gum diseases-to name a few.
If you find this growing like I did, don't pass it up!!
Thank you Allwild, that is a very pretty plant, I am glad you noticed the threads.
Josephine.