Gardening with Texas Native Plants & Wildflowers, part 17

Those trees are slow growers but really worth the wait. I haven't found any caterpillars on mine yet, have you?

Zanthoxlym clava with above. This one is taller, leaves are longer and pointier, and grows faster. I have it in a large pot now, being very selective where to put it in the ground. The thorns are a big factor too.

I agree totally Josephine, Well worth the wait, a wonderful plant.

;o)

This message was edited Apr 16, 2009 11:15 PM

Oh, so you got this one too? that is great!
http://wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=ZAHI2

Yes, thanks to you... that's the same one I got from you about 4 posts up..

I think Hercules are in my top 10 favs shrub/tree plants. And I do get GSTs. They've stripped by fall every year. I am hoping to see more foliage this year, but that species has several others I can transfer them to this year.

Like this one.. Poncirus trifoliata
I have found a number of cats on it, and now it is really growing... slim and very tall. It really just about needs a trellis.

Yes, thanks to you... that's the same one I got from you about 4 posts up..

This message was edited Apr 16, 2009 11:33 PM

Here's what it looks like on the lower 4 1/2 ft part.. then it gets wiley, and continues up like in the above pic.

Poncirus trifoliata

The Z. hirsutum I have has had Giant Swallowtail cats on rare occasion, but I think they prefer Hop Tree if given a choice. I've also seen some show up on wild plants of that species. It does grow slowly. And mine especially...it's out on the property with poor soil and probably too much shade, also it's dependent on rain...not a good thing in exceptional drought. I've got a seedling in a pot I managed to start. Maybe I can put it in a better area.

That's kinda funny, because my Hop Tree has been ignored by any and all of the Tiger ST or Giant STs that have come through.. :-| Maybe this will be it's year to shine. I would just flip to get a 2 Tailed Tiger or a Brown Elfin in this neck of the woods, but that's still not to far to stretch my hopes.

My Hop Tree is looking really nice and fluffy already. Ready and waiting, lol.

Both my Hercules are still very small, I have one at the Fielder house and one at home.
Native plants are so fascinating, I love growing and admiring them.
It is so sad that many people are not aware of the plants that God put on this part of the world for us to enjoy and take good care of.

Very nice Hop tree. That would make a nice addition and I think I need (at least) one. lol.

I found this thorny stick growing all by itself last fall, it has turned out to be a Hercules' Club I think... Aralia spinosa?

I think it looks just like my Z. clava allwild...

The Aralia spinosa seems to have a rounder more ovate leaf. It must be rare here, though certainly a true TX native. Reports on DG don't show it much here in TX. It is a great example of why I always check the scientific names. This the A. spinosa is a HC, and a Toothache Tree, however not used as a larval host.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/45162/
The Aralia spinosa sure has lovely blooms. Check yours come bloom time, and see for sure which HC it is.

Cool how you found it. Such a great plant. I love the long thorny stick trunk.


Here is the link for it that shows the obscure flowering...
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/62606/

Here's a pic of mine, with a close up of the Z. clava leaves (with a GST cat).

This message was edited Apr 17, 2009 8:54 AM

This message was edited Apr 17, 2009 9:19 AM

Yep, that looks just like what I have. Thank you for your help debnes. It is a very neat plant.

I agree frostweed, I just so enjoy learning about all the beauty that is here waiting to be discovered. People that don't notice or appreciate the beauty of nature are really missing out.

Me too allwild!

I love discovering these beauties, and learning more about them.

For instance, the Sawtooth Blackberry shrubette I collected from land in Harden County taught me how broad the Rose family of plants are... Then I took closer inspection, and see the flower buds on it look just like itty bitty rose buds. The thorns are very rose-ish too. :-). When the petals fall off the same resemblance. Berries are beginning to form one by one, segment by segment.
When it stops raining I will try and get a current picture.

Nice soaker rain right now here in Watauga/Keller at this hour. It is headed your way..

Oh I love the blackberries and it is so true, even the leaves are rose-like. Looking forward to the rain too! :) My obsession with the natives (plants lol) has left my plans for my herb/cottage garden lagging waaay behind.

I am really relishing this rain... I hope you get it like we are, perfect for the native plants and flowers. Not to mention seeds out and coming up.

I saved this radar from today around 10:45 to put as a wallpaper on my comp for the hot dry days ahead, :-).

love those rain storms... I hear we are in for some more..we certainly can use the rain, no matter where we are in Texas!!

I'm ready for more rain!

me too!! it saves me paying for the water usage!! hahaha

And it is 100% better for the plants, have you noticed how after a rain plants seem to grow twice as fast?
I hope it holds off till late tomorrow I will be at Tandy Hills prairie fest, and it would be a pity to have it ruined, there will over 100 exibitors featuring all kinds of environmental ideas.
I will be with Native plant society and the master naturalists giving tours of the prairie wildflowers.

Houston is getting serious rain right now. There's supposed to be some good rains coming this way too. Ready!

I love it after rainstorms.. yes I agree that the flowers grow faster! hahaha. I love the raindrops falling off the leaves. If the rain is not too bad I sit on our covered deck & watch it! I also find that is rains right at the time my garden needs it!!!! hahahah

Ooops. Your post wasn't there Josephine, when I posted.

I hope the rains wait too. That would be a shame. And how exciting for you about the tour of the prairie wildflowers with the masters!

I hope it doesn't rain tomorrow for you either.. I prefer rain at night then it's over with for when we have to do things.

The rain is full of good nitrogen for the plants. It's super-charged and really gives them a boost to grow.

I was there last Sunday to learn the route for the tours and they have many of the Purple Indian Paintbrush in bloom now
http://wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=CAPUP5
and also Engelmann's Sage, which is endemic to Texas and very hard to find;
http://wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=SAEN2
There is also white winecup
http://wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=CAAL
and many others.

Wow Josephine the Purple Paintbrush is amazing!

I finally got to see my SILs property when I took her home the other day. She lives by Lake Whitney. She has a lot of natural plants growing down there that I haven't identified yet.

#1

#2

That is Texas Venus' Looking Glass Triodanis texana. I only know because I have some growing here too. (Or I think I know lol) It is a very pretty little flower.

#3

Has a lily-like foliage...

Thanks allwild!

I think #2 might be a hickory tree but not sure. That's what my dh said it is because we also have that growing here.

#4

Lots of this....

# 3 is very pretty wish I had that one!
#4 I have a bunch of too, so looking forward to an ID.

debnes, I was just outside trying to do some yardwork (I say trying because everytime I try I get distracted by something growing and can't cut it down till I try to find out what it is) and looked up at one our large hickory trees where the squirrels live. I noticed that the leaf pattern is a lot like your pic #4 and a bunch of stuff here. Maybe they are little hickory trees from what has grown from nuts the squirrels buried last fall.

This is what is growing under the tree. See what I mean? I know the purple flower is wood sorrell but I don't know what the others are.

Salvia greggii going full finally. Our flavor seems to lag behind others in town for some reason. Although it's been going for a while now, just this week did it finally get a good number of healthy blooms.