Gardening with Texas Native Plants & Wildflowers, part 14.

This thread is continuation of parts 13-12-11-10- 9- 8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

To reach the other threads click on this link http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/653642/

Hello Everyone,

The people on this thread are interested in discussion, seed and plant sharing, and learning in general about native plants and wildflowers.

We are dedicated to plant conservation and love to demonstrate what can be done with the native plants that have been ignored by the nurseries in favor of the exotics. Many of the plants in our yards are native and we are always looking for more. We are sure there are others out there doing the same thing and loving it as much as we do. Please let us talk about what you are doing and what you have accomplished.

We hope to hear from all you dedicated gardeners. Let us have some fun.

Sincerely, Josephine.


This message was edited Jan 16, 2007 12:11 PM

Thank you Josephine! The frostweed display is fascinating....I've seen other pics that you've posted in the past,...they're all a wonder and different!.....how interesting!

Yes, they are amazing, I thought it would be the right thing for an icy day like today.

ahhhh.....much better....Thank you Josephine. Tis easier on us pokey dial-up folks. :)

Melanie

Thanks from me too! Dial -up. I find the frostweed to be the most unusual plant I have ever seen, and if it wasn't for Dave's, I'd never have known it existed.

I just got a book from Barnes and Noble called ''Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants.'' A Brooklyn Botanic Garden All Regions Guide. I don't want to accidently plant a problem plant.

Well, I am curious, is the Frostweed in the book?

I don't think so. I need the latin name to be sure. Possumhaw is tho. :))

It is Verbesina virginica, What tdid they say about the Possum Haw?

it's not in there.

Possumhaw is an alternative to the Rhamnus frangula. I had it as Columnarius and they didn't do well at all under the walnut trees. I had seedlings to replace the dying ones, but it kept going on. I finally just dug all of them up. I read later they are a host to some disease on bean? plants. Not sure as it's been so long since I had them.

Here is a link for you to read about the Frostweed http://wildflower.utexas.edu/plants/result.php?id_plant=VEVI3

Also as I understand it walnut tree exude a substance that prevents other plants from growing, maybe that was the problem with your shrubs.

Probably, but they advertised them as practically being indestructable. They acted like a stem couldn't take up water. Only part of it would die. I had a hedge 80' long. Made a nice place to loop my deep blue x-mas lights for a few years. :))

I bookmarked the link. I can't wait to try and grow some. I didn't know it was biennial. Good to know!

Here is an article about Walnut trees and how they inhibit other plants' growth.
http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/nursery/430-021/430-021.html
I hope you will enjoy it.

I believe that other trees like pecan and some hickory trees also produce the growth-inhibitor - juglone....but not as strong as Walnut.

That is amazing Josephine! What a Tree, to protect it's territory like that! whew!

I agree.

I read and bookmarked this link. Equilibrium will have a list for me too. I'm hoping to use all, to refill in the bed.

It's funny. I have yet to run into a walnut root, even when I planted peonies. The peonies looked great under them, but got botryis till I moved them. The hedge sounds like it was affected. Yellowing and wilting. I got a good deal on them from Jungs. After that, everywhere I saw them, they were expensive.

My yard is looking a bit sad because of the ice/freeze this week...nothing at all blooming. Not only do I have tree limbs down in the yard that we need to remove, but I'm worried what will come back. It didn't get above freezing for 2 or 3 days, which is different than it just freezing during the night a few times. So I'll post this pic of the Purple Leather Flower (C. pitcheri)...and hope this plant will come back in the sping (oh please, please please come back!). And also I'm hoping my Fairy Duster is okay and all my other plants I didn't protect much. BTW, I have enough seeds of this if anybody wants to plant some, LMK and I'll send a few. I'm going to get some started myself...hopefully.

Linda, that is so pretty!!! I surely hope it will come back for you.
If you have the seeds and you don't mind, could you send some to my house for me and Mitch?
Then after we propagate them we can pass them to the people around here.
I hope the second round of ice will not be as bad as the first, it looks like ours won't.
Take care, and thank you very much.
Josephine.

What a cool flower! I'd love some seeds too! I remember envying your Fairy Duster.

Josephine, of course! I still have your address from those last seeds you sent me....and thank you so much for those, in case I forgot. I'll send enough for you to share. Last fall all of the vine ends were just covered with lots of developing seeds, which of course kept me from taking cuttings.

Thank You Linda, you such neat native flowers, many that we don,t have around here, so we will do our best to spread them around. This is such a wonderful community, aren't we lucky?

Alrighty then Josephine, put me on your sharing list!

Beautiful Purple Leather Flower, Linda...that is so unusual looking. My Fairy Duster is looking a bit bare of leaves right now....as well as my Texas Bird of Paradise but the two of them fared very well thru the ice storm. My wee Senna Trees however, man o man....that heavy ice weighed them down to the ground and broke numerous little branches off of both of them. My Andean Silver Leaf Sage seems to have stayed upright and sort of perky, lol... :)

Melanie

so far everything looks good here... even the lemon tree is still green - the natives all look ok but I have not push anything tooo risky save my evergreen sumac.

This is a wonderful thing I agree!!

I got the ones you sent me Josephine, and they are perfect!
The way you sent them was excellent, all arrived well.
Thank you so much!

Glad to hear that they arrived well Deb. You guys are all on my list for seed and plant sharing.
Let us make the best that we possibly can.
My plants have been in the garage for a week now, thay need to come out and get some sun. I hope tomorrow will be the day.
Josephine.

I was just thinking about my plants sitting in the garage too! I really just forgot about them since I haven't been out much, so I hope they are still alive. The Brugs is big enough that I can see it but I haven't even noticed if it's drooping. That crazy thing has loved living in the garage and bloomed continuously!

I sure hope we see sun tomorrow!

Great Paige!! Glad to hear your Brug is still alright! I have a few things in the garage too. The Sweet Peas Siggy gave us seeds for are still looking great. I kept them in the little pop-up GH and the freeze didn't hurt them a bit. I will go out and take a few shots of them after noon.

Deb

What a glorious sight I see today...SUNSHINE! It makes me so happy! I've been sick the last few days and this is just the medicine I need. I don't even care what the temperature is, it makes me feel gooooood! :) I'm going to get my seeds out today and start my projects.

(my dh had to remind me this morning tho that it's not spring..lol)

Got the same over here, boy it's nice to see the sky!!

Yes, it is beautiful out there, my outdoor thermometer was at 70 degrees, and we received 3.5 inches of rain through this last week, I took those plants out of the garage, and went looking around,
There are signs of new growth on the slope and other places, so it really feels good today!!!
Josephine.

I have been out putting up woodpecker blocks, moving birdfeeders in different spots and filling them. Then went to the shop and watered the poor dying plants in there that I keep forgetting I have there. They look sad, but maybe they will perk up when spring does arrive. I need to get back out there in that glorious sun and cut back some brush and plants in the flower beds in prep for spring.
Enjoy your day everyone!

Ahhhh...* Gloriously sunny, clear day. And my lizard made it thru the ice storm! Found the little guy sunning on the front porch. :)

Melanie

Hello Everybody, I had the good fortune of being gifted with a wonderful 3 tier lighted plant stand.
It originally belonged to a school, then they decided they didn't need it, and gave it to Molly for the Wildscape, then she didn't have enough room and gave it to one of the helpers, the helper decided she didn't need it anymore because her husband built her a mist bench, so they were looking for someone to give it to, and guess who got it. Little old me.
I am sooooo thrilled, now I can grow seeds and cuttings to my heart's content. I couldn't believe it, this unit costs more than $600 new, and it is in excellent shape. Wow!!! what luck!!!
Here is a picture.

And here is a picture of little old me showing it off.

I couldn't think of anyone more apt to get a lot of use out of that wonderful gift!! So happy for you!!!

Thank you Sheila, it was a great day today, in many ways.

Aw Josephine,
Bless them all, nice chain reaction! WOwie what a cool plant stand! Love how those things just fall into place!


Deb

Great gift! We rigged a fluorescent light over over tomato babies last night since we were without sun for so many days. They straightened up overnight. Enjoy!

Oh, what a blessing Josephine!! It's nice to see you reaping some rewards from all of your generosity. I'm so happy for you! :D I'll be looking for the thread showing us what all you have growing under them.

Paige

Thank you Everybody, It is indeed a blessing, I hope I can do really well with it. Right now I am trying to keep the poor plants that were in the dark such a long time alive. When those get a little healthier, I will get some seeds started.
Josephine,