I'm just not sure which variety it is--germinated great for me though. The guy I got them from, I want to say he was either in N TX or OK. He said they were the native variety--but that probably only narrows it down to several dozen varieties.
Found that John Fannick summer phlox up at ARE in Independence today. April is made out of tough stuff--she handles heat and walking really well!
They also had the native magenta colored pink one. I got the John Fannick (too tired to go check the spelling) because, in theory, its supposed to handle the humidity down here better. It would be good to do a comparisson on those two--bet the native does just as well.
Gardening with Texas Native Plants & Wildflowers, part 11.
Debbie, it doesn't matter what variety the vine is, I just think it is very interesting.
Yes it will be a good test to see which Phlox does better, or you like better.
Josephine.
I think they are all native to somewhere in the USA, aren't they?
Debbie, were you referring to the Plox or the Aristolochia?
The Vine that Linda has is a Texas endemic, and the plox carolina is a texas native.
I did't have time to check all the varieties, there were 176 phlox and 38 Aristolochia,
so I didn't have time to see them all, but it would be interesting.
Josephine.
The pipe vine.
I had some computer problems, but I'm back again. I made a cage out of hardware cloth (why they use the word cloth I can't imagine, since it's metal), which prevents the butterfly from getting through it. Josephine, I rescue plants and seeds when I can, collect seed along roadsides and trails, trade seed and plants...and go to NPSOT meetings (used to hang around with Master Naturalists also), where I can find others who have seed and plants. I'm a natural (or is that unnatural) collector. I also get some things from nurseries or plant swaps on occasion. I'm quite OCD about it. OCD...is that another word for crazy? Anyway, I've always liked to find places with the plants that were there a long time ago. For instance, the people who live in San Antonio usually have absolutely NO idea about all the interesting plants that used to be there (and here and there you can still find little pockets of undisturbed plants). Very few can be found in nurseries, not even native nurseries. The A. coryi I found at a native nursery, but strictly off-list and had to bug them quite a while to get it.
Linda, it looks like you lead a very interesting life. My main thrust is in getting people interested in native plants, conservation, and organic gardening.
It is sad that so many people are not even aware of the many wonderful plants that Texas has to offer.
Of course part of that is the lack of information and availability, but things are changing, and the nursery industry is coming around.
Hi everyone, lots of fun flower talk here! I have been meaning for some time to post a pic of something that popped up in one of my beds - thought I'd just let it go to see what it did, and it ended up being very pretty. Now I see that it is Monarda! I tried starting some from seed last year, no luck. Paige, I think I'm with you about seed-starting, just toss it on the ground and see what comes up. I know that most of what has seeded itself seems to look much better than those things I've tried to start inside first. The few exceptions: Hibiscus cannibinus and Hyacinth bean vine.
Here's the monarda pic from when I was trying to figure out what it was. This was May 12, when it was just starting to bloom.
Mary! that looks really beautiful, it is nice to have something come up that you were not expecting, I have had a lot of volunteer sunflowers this year, some of them 10 feet tall.
I started some Western Ironweed and Coneflowers in the garden, I prepared the bed after I took the garlic out, we shall see how it works out, it is so hot right now.
If they do well, I will have plenty for the fall r.u.
My Carolina Phlox is starting to bloom but it is not as full as last year, still it is beautiful.
I will take cuttings after it finishes blooming.
Josephine.
This Carolina Phlox was blooming on the wildflower slope yesterday.
And some Hibiscus coccineus, aren't they gorgeous?
Josephine, I got some kind of phlox from somebody, somewhere & sometime, lol. I think it was at last year's Dallas swap. Was it you? No blooms yet, but it's looking nice and healthy. Yours looks so pretty!
I am pretty sure if you got it at the Dallas swap it was me.
Yours should be blooming soon.
I just love the Phlox, it is pretty, lasts a long time, and smells wonderful, what more could you ask?
Mine (from Josephine also) is weighed down with the buds and not a speck of pink yet. I am so looking forward to the blooms. Then the seeds.
Will they self seed or do I need to collect and sow in the fall?
This is very funny, but I have never collected seed from my Phlox, I cut then back about half way after the first bloom and root the cuttings, then they put out another small bloom.
But I suppose you could let the bloom dry on the plant and collect the seed. The plant is perennial so you won't lose the one you have, thay are also quite hardy.
Josephine.
Fall blooming native asters--I've had mine for 4 years now and this year, with the great rains we had earlier, are really leaping. I would like to trim them back by about half to better see some plants behind and for bushier bloom in fall. Do ya'll think its too late? I would think they would have plenty of time before late Oct-Nov bloom. They are definitely one of my favorite flowers so I don't want to do anything to disrupt future blooms.
Debbie, I think you can trim them with no problem, we still have three months or more before bloom time. I love them too, they are so beautifull with the Goldenrods.
Josephine.
I don't know from experience on the asters - yet - but my guess is that Joesphine is right. The master gardeners @ the extension office told me to cut Mexican Mint Marigold and Copper Canyon Daisy back by half at the first of ea month starting April and ending July for fuller plants and more blooms come Fall.
Maggiemoo, I have read the same thing about Copper Canyon Daisy in many places. I started doing it this year and even before this fall has come it is already thicker and "bushier" than it has in the past. I figure we are trimming back as some animals in the wild would nibble it back.
Just a thought and yes, I'll admit to being an animal (just not sure which).
You are so funny Kip, I am sure cutting back is a good thing, but sometimes when they look so lush and happy, I hate to do it, so I end up having to tie them up to a stake.
Josephine.
I totally understand hoe you feel, Josephine, I used to be hesitant to cut anything back, especially if it looked like it was doing just fine. But the first year I had both the Copper Canyon Daisy and Mexican Mint Marigold, they got so they actually looked like hair parted down the middle, as the flowers made the long stems heavy. Last year I did some cutting back (but was afraid to cut back by half), and they were much more thick and lush, way more flowers, and almost no "parted hair" look. I've been taking it all the way back to half this year, and one nice thing about it is that I get the wonderful fragrance whenever I do.
I am having that parting problem with my Ironweed right now, the rain last night weighed them down and they are all over the place. They are in bloom now so no cutting back, but after they finish I intend to cut them back, and maybe I will get a second bloom, you never know.
Hello Mel, Look what the little Mist Flower plant you gave at the r.u. last fall,
it is really gorgeous, don't you think?
Thank you very much.
Josephine.
Speaking of fragrance, I'm one of those people who go around smelling the plants and flowers. Well, I've got a winner this year! Showy Menodora...I find myself smelling of it whenever I can. Evening to morning, the flowers are open. They really smell good! I've seen them along the road for years, but never got close enough to smell them. This is the first year I've had them blooming. Nirvana! Oh, and that one fine-looking Gregg's Mistflower, Josephine! Or is it the other one?
You know Linda, I am not sure whether it is Eupatorium wrightii, or greggii, no one has been around to show me the difference between the two, and I have not been able to find pictures that show it clearly.
I have heard of the Showy Menodora, but have never seen it, how lucky you are!
Can you show us a picture?
Josephine.
Well...my own computer quit and I'm using an old one. So here's the only pic of Showy Menodora I've got on this computer. Too bad you can't smell it. It has the loveliest fragrance!
Linda, that is a really neat flower it looks like a Stephanotis and the foliage looks like Standing Cypress, I wish I could smell it, is it yellow or white?
Thank you for showing it to us, I had never seen it.
Josephine.
LindaTX8,
Where did you get the Menodora? I'm awfully close to you...here outside Loop 1604 and Braun. I wonder if Rainbow Gardens on Bandera would have it? It looks like a lovely flower...Anything native AND fragrant is definitely welcome in my rock garden....Is Menodora a native of Texas?
It's yellow, with those long tubular flowers (Oleaceae family just like the closely related Redbud, which has yellow flowers that have red streaks on the underside of the petals) . And I think it would be perfect for a rock garden! The ones I've seen growing wild were on rocky roadcuts mostly. I had a better photo, but it was on the other computer. Anyway, there's more info on the link below. I received the seed for my plants from another gardener in a seed swap. I haven't seen it a nursery yet. Hopefully I'll have some seeds later! Actually, until I smelled the blooms, I wanted it mostly because I knew it tolerated caliche soils and hot sunny locations. A definite advantage in my yard!
http://aggiehorticulture.tamu.edu/ornamentals/nativeshrubs/menodoralong.htm
Frostweed, you mentioned the standing cypress. My nephew has moved to the burbs near Weatherford and has them on his property. I saw them for the first time just as they started to bloom this year. I am going to try get him to collect me some seeds, or I will dig some of them at his house as they come up next year. Do you have them in your garden?
Hello TxTurqoize, nice to have you on board, if you love Texas natives this is a good place to learn and share what you know about them.
Linda, thank you for the imformation on the Showy Menodora, it sure is a neat flower.
The wonderful variety of texas native plants never ceases to amaze me, and you have a lot of the rare ones, which is great.
Josephine.
Sheila, how lucky for your nephew to have the Standing Cypress. I love those but have not had any luck growing them, I have tried at least four times, but they all die out on me.
I think I either have too rich a soil, or they don't get enough sun, most of my plants are perennials and they are tall, and the little rosette of leaves gets shaded out.
I do have a very sweet thing to tell, JamesO, from Longview, knows how much I like them and he had a good stand of them this year. Well, he went and sent me two potted ones by ups and they arrived in perfect condition, what a surprise that was!
This time I am going to keep them potted, so I can give the right growing conditions, and hope for the best.
Here is a picture Itook of them at the Wildflower Center. Aren't they gorgeous?
They sure are - from reading today on them I have found several sites that say they need dryish soil... maybe an area out of the area you water regularly?
Thanks for the warm welcome, frostweed :)
You are welcome TxTurqoize, will you be able to attend our Dallas plant swap on October 8th? We have a lot of fun together and you might enjoy meeting the north central Texas bunch.
Josephine.
Sheila, take a look at the little Lizards Tail you gave me last year, pretty neat, don't you think?
Josephine, it is a georgeous picture of the cypress that you took. I don't know if I have a place that they would do well or not, but would like to try since it seems he has plenty there.
The lizard tail looks quite happy not to be in water. I may need to try some potted next year.
frostweed,
Probably not, due to my crazy work hours....I'm on a management team for a Goodwill store here in SA. But would love to attend a swap someday. I'm quite new to this...and am thoroughly loving the time that I'm spending here. :) I've already learned so much....and have laughed along the way....lol
Yeas, this is a fun and happy place, and a good way to make good friends.
Josephine.
Hello Veronica, look at the American Beautyberry you gave me at the Spring r.u.
It has grown beautifully, and even has bloomed, I plan to set it out in the back garden this fall. Thank you very much,
Josephine,
