I'm wanting to plant more drought tolerant, native things. What are your favorite plants that seem to tolerate our Texas hot weather?
Also, what is a good source to buy the seeds and/or plants?
I like coneflowers for one...they seem to be pretty tough. I have Hope,Green Envy,Twilight, Raspberry Tart, and Sundown. Most of these were purchased at Garden Crossings mail order nursery.
Mints do well for me...I have chocolate and peppermint. Can't remember where I got them.
Sedums...have Angelina and Autumn Joy. Just ordered Matrona and Brilliant from Dave's member, Kathy Ann. Want to collect them all. The Angelina is a gorgeous bright green color. Ordered it from my favorite hosta nursery, Hallsons Perennials. For $6.00 they sent a huge bag that had to be several plants....wish I had ordered some others that they have.
Does anyone know what the name of the Lantana is that comes back every year? The ones I've grown die out in the winter.
Karen
Your Favorite Heat Tolerant Perennials
Almost all salvias, nepeta, blk. footed daisy, guara, asters, verbenas, soapwart, lamb's ear, mexican heather, goldenrod, There's got to be more, but my brain doesn't work in the heat :0) Good thread, I'm always looking for more heat/drought lovers.
My lantana returns every year, but I let leaves pile around them during Winter.
Lantana horrida or camara is the lantana that comes back very year (unless we have an exceedingly cold winter) and is extremely heat and drought tolerant. Most Salvia greggiis and garaniticas just laugh at sun and drought. Others doing very well in my yard: Verbena, Frogfruit, Mexican Firebush, Hardy Hibiscus, Bat Faced Cuphea, Zinnias (up from seed), Zexmenia, Skullcap, Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia), Cowpen Daisy, and Esperanza just to name several.
I have to second alot of the stuff already mentioned here. Off the top of my head (I am not at home right now) The things that that are really standing up to the sun heat and drought, never seem to wilt and are still blooming are Salvia Greggii, Texas Betony, Four-nerve daisy, Scutellaris wrightii, Flame Acanthus and the some of the antique/hardy roses.
Other stuff is strong, bright and not wilting but has not bloomed yet - Mexican Marigold, Copper Canyon Daisy, Aster oblongifolius, Lion's ear.
Mexican Sunflower, Scarlet Milkweed, Antique Petunia and Cleome are also doing well but they are annuals that reseed. All this stuff gets a short sprinkler watering twice a week.
I've been growing lantana this year (purchased & planted in late May). But it's been bothering me because I have barely seen any blooms. I think it's the camara variety - hot pink & orange. I split the flat I purchased up into several pots, most of which receive sun from noon until dusk (which should be enough, no?) Any ideas on why these aren't blooming?
Oh, and for watering...despite the hot weather, I've been trying not to water too much since I've read that lantana really like it on the dry side. So I've been watering the pots every 2-4 days, but always make sure the soil is mostly dried out before adding more water. All pots have drain holes.
One reason the Lantana isn't blooming much might be because it's in a pot. Lantana has a massive root system, and is much better suited to being put in-ground. I know it doesn't need much water when it's planted, but might require a bit more when in a pot. But I've never grown lantana in a pot, so I could be completely wrong.
I agree with Staci about the Mexican Mint Marigold and Copper Canyon Daisy. Both can take the heat and less watering. Remember that they're both late bloomers, and don't really "strut their stuff" until later in the fall. It's worth the wait, though.
Carla
Hmmm, interesting about the root system on the lantana. I guess that could be it, but it's hard to believe that would have developed so quickly (2 months since planting). Unfortunately, I don't currently have any sun beds with available space where I could plant them in the ground. I'm hoping to create a new bed this fall, so maybe I'll move them there when I do.
Thanks for the input - sorry to hijack this a bit. If anyone has any more ideas, feel free to post here or dmail me.
maybe i'll start watering more frequently & see how they do. however, i do notice that when i water it seems as though the water starts running out the drain holes too soon. i always think to myself that there's no way enough moisture has been soaked up into the soil/roots. sound like a familiar problem to anyone?
Don't forget daylilies for hardy plantings around here. My echinacea is wonderful, and the knock out roses do well, especially blush KO.
Interesting about the lantana. I was going to try it in a pot by my front door next year. I have tried several things and everything just fries.Any hints on things ya'll have found that will take hot,dry,pot conditions?
I'm not sure what's going on with the lantana these days, but here's a pic taken when they were in bloom. But these fell off fairly quickly & I haven't seen it rebloom since. I fertilized with MG Bloom Booster last night, so we'll see if that helps.
here's another pot I have going (also not blooming anymore).
Did anyone mention Gallardia? I've only been here a couple of years but I have 'Fanfare' and 'Burgundy' in pots. I keep forgetting to water and they just keep blooming and blooming anyway. I guess they would get my newby Texas vote for easy and heat and neglect tollerant. I grew 'Burgundy' from seed (Parks) and got 'Fanfare' as a plant (Bluestone). I've seen 'Fanfare' all over, though.
I don't well with anything in pots, I'm too neglectful. I have a few pots that I realy love and after so long of looking at the empty things, I've planted a mix of succulents. They seem to enjoy my neglect.
Jenepat, Let us know if the bb helps. If all else fails try putting it in the ground if you have a place for it.
If the water runs out of the pot without soaking the soil you probably have soil that has dried out too much and is repelling the water, or the plants are root bound.
Put your pot in a large bucket without holes water the plant well and leave it there overnight to absorb the water and rehydrate the soil, after that the water should not run out quickly when you water your plants.
Josephine.
Thanks Josephine! I knew something didn't seem right. I'll have to try that & see if it seems to absorb water better after that.
You are welcome, if that is the problem it should take care of it.
I love nepeta-It attracts cats and lots of bees, but I don't mind. And I HAD beautiful lantana, but it seems that lantana lace bugs are slowly making their way through all of them. Any suggestions on eradicting this pest?
I had the same problem with lantana, but now put systemic granules around the base every 3 weeks or so, a HUGE improvement!!
I have miscanthus dwarf grasses in a lot of sun doing very well. Butterfly Bush , mexican bush sage, (just starting to bloom) red yucca are some bigger ones.Ditto the salvias ,scullcap and daisies and adding yarrow (cerise) to the list. . I think if you can wait for the RU, you will have a chance to get alot of these.
Russian sage grows very well. Defintely go with salivia's and lantanas. Yellow and orange bulbine work very well. Rosemary is very nice. Coneflowers didn't work for me, as the rabbits just eat them up. Silverado Sage for a nice shrubbery. Some named dwarf yaupon holly's work well. Mountain Laurel is a good small tree, with great smelling flowers in the spring. Good luck.