September Blooms

Posted on September 15, 2020 by Tina

Come September, gardens and gardeners in Austin, Texas, zone 8b, breathe a sigh of *qualified* relief, thankful that we’re mostly through the long hot, the searing sun, and the toasty dry. Come September, very welcome rain usually occurs and even a couple of lame cool fronts puff through, cooling things off (however briefly) and all but ending the truly hot and ushering in the merely warm. It is still warm, downright hot many afternoons, but our second spring–a flush of autumn blooming–is just beginning.

Turk’s cap, Malvaviscus arboreus, blooms from early May until November, but peak in floriferousness (turns out, that’s a word!) during the last few months of their bloom cycle, just in time for migrating monarchs and ready-to-migrate hummingbirds.

Accompanying the Turk’s cap during the long growing season are potted bougainvillea, a Mexican feather grass, and an American agave–sun worshipers, all.

Rock rose, Pavonia lasiopetala, rests during July and August, gifting to the gardener only a stingy few shockingly pink delights during those hot months. But add a little rain and the pink petals produce a pow-wow.

Late summer rain sets these lovelies up for a profusion of tiny flowers until the days are short and cool and their blooming cycle is complete for the year.

Mexican orchid tree, Bauhinia mexicana, have an on-and-off bloom cycle, except from late July and through hot August when this native of northern Mexico enjoys a bit of a siesta during the hottest time of the year. As soon as the weather patterns gentle up the blooms bust out.

Busting out is also a good description of the masses of frothy pink bloom clusters that Barbados cherry, Malpighia glabra, produce after some needed precipitation.

Most of the year, this large shrub lacks these floral decorations and is green, dense and provides good cover for birds, lizards, and other assorted critters. But with spring and fall rains, blooms develop (to the cheers of the gardener) followed by luscious red fruits (favored by many birds). The dainty clusters attract all sorts of pollinators and fill the air with a fragrance reminiscent of baby powder.

A pretty plant which provides so much for so many. Win!

I’m linking with Carol at May Dreams Gardens for her monthly bloom huzzah. Check out her blog for more bloomin’ love!

The Natives are Restless

Posted on March 2, 2020 by Tina

Native Texas plants are back in action! March always heralds the time of the natives, and many are eager for the season to begin. They’re budding up and blooming out! It’s true that several of my non-native plants are, or have been, blooming: irises, poppies, and Mexican honeysuckle. But this native Texan appreciates native Texas plants which are lovely and posses the evolutionary chops to weather the weird–no matter the confusion of seasons or the Texas weather patterns.

This sweet thing is a hybrid columbine, a cross between the native Aquilegia chrysantha and another native, Aquilegia canadensis.

I grow the two different columbine species in my garden and the plants hybridize with ease, creating a third alternative, with varying color schemes–sometimes more yellow, sometimes more red. On this particular hybrid, the butter yellow petals and the blushed spurs show off qualities of both types of columbines.

The sunshine-cheery Golden groundsel, Packera obovata, is modeling its spring wears, though with less oomph than in years past.

There’s still plenty of pop with these diminutive blooms; there’s no denying that yellow is bright. But last summer, most of the individual plants in my small patch of groundsels succumbed to the heat and drought. I didn’t realize that the soaker hose buried in this garden had developed a leak. While a couple of plants not far from the groundsels received good soaks when during their twice per month drink, these poor little things got none of the wet stuff. That garden boo-boo occurred during an especially hot and dry spell in August and September, and it wasn’t until the rains returned and the temperatures softened that I discovered that there were few remaining groundsels.

I don’t know if these other rosettes will produce bloom stalks this spring–time will tell–but I’ll certainly keep a better eye on things next summer. Golden groundsel is a tough native plant which doesn’t need babying, but two months with no water and hot temperatures is a bit too much to ask of them. It’s a wonder there are any left!

This terra-cotta beauty is the bloom of the Crossvine, Bignonia capreolata.

This individual vine grows in shade, up a fence, only producing a few blooms each spring. Directly across from this vine, at the opposite end of my garden, grows a second Crossvine, also along a fence. That second Crossvine receives much more sunshine, making many more blooms. For now, all of its blooms are growing over the fence, where my sister-in-law enjoys them.

Oh, well, I’m sure she won’t mind if I walk over to say ‘hi’ to the wayward flowers.

Giant spiderwort, Tradescantia gigantea, are solid, reliable spring blooming natives, dotting gardens and roadsides with purple-to-pink clusters. Each new day as I walk my garden, ever more of these purple clusters appear, petals open for whatever pollinators happen by. Spiderwort can be aggressive, filling a garden with bright color and fleshy green stalks and foliage. But its pollinator power and luscious color are well-worth tolerating its bullying behavior. The thuggy individual plants are easy to yank up and give away!

The first blooms of these plants show up on short bloom stalks, but as the days lengthen, the bloom stalks grow taller, in kind. Many spiderwort plants in my garden reach up to two feet tall.

And, the bloom clusters are stunning.

As Texas ramps up for the new growing season, the natives are restless. Native plants provide sustenance for wildlife and beauty for gardeners and wildflower watchers. Native Texas plants–and there are many for every season and every growing situation–are ready to strut their stuff.

Not only do I celebrate blooming native Texas plants, today is Texas Independence Day! Hats off to the Lone Star State!

Antidote

Posted on October 24, 2018 by Tina

In the few moments of sunshine in this past week or so, autumn native bloomers spark light and color-joy. Fall asters, Symphyotrichum oblongifolium, beaten down by heavy rains, turn their exuberance to singular rays of sunshine.

Pollinators reveal themselves, taking advantage of limited breaks in the clouds.

Syrphid fly on a Fall aster.

Plume-heavy grasses, like this Lindheimer’s muhly, Muhlenbergia lindheimeri, add feathery grace to the garden.

Heavy rains weigh down the panicles, which sweep walkways,

…and drape over perennials like the Zexmenia, Wedelia acapulcensis var. hispida.

Zexmenia’s yellow joy is undiminished.

Absent is the Texas sun, which bleaches color in the height of day. Instead, gloomy is de rigueur, highlighting startling color. Crimson Turk’s cap, Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii, and Plateau goldeneye, Viguiera dentata, pair in a color palooza.

These days, sunshine is provided by blasts from blooms.

Plateau goldeneye enjoys its flowering zenith and pollinators (when it’s not raining!) rejoice.

Light in the garden serves as a beacon during dark times. These little perennial shrubs, White tropical sage, Salvia coccinea, and their partner, the still young Mexican orchid tree, Bauhina mexicana, flower intermittently throughout summer. Both plants are in their prime once the cool and rain begin in autumn–and we’ve had plenty of rain, that’s for sure!

Amidst Austin’s emergency water restrictions caused by historic flooding, with silt and gunk slowing water treatment and risking bacterial infestation, we’re boiling water for cooking and drinking.

But water from the sky–pure and nourishing–pleases the garden. Stately Frostweed, Verbesina virginica, thoroughly pink Rock rose, Pavonia lasiopetala, and normally dry-loving Blackfoot daisy, Melampodium leucanthum, are awash in blooms.

Austinites have heeded calls for water conservation, thus allowing our water treatment plants to meet demand. Aerial photos of Lady Bird Lake demonstrate the mess that the treatment plants are rectifying. We have a 90% chance of heavy rain today, but the rain is slated to end. Sunshine is in the forecast and all–people, critters, and water treatment plants–will enjoy a break from the wet. We’ll be boiling drinking water for a few more days, but normalcy is anticipated.

This little Gray hairstreak (and all other pollinators) will be back in full-wing, fulfilling their pollinating drives. No doubt they’re weary of resting under leaves during heavy downpours.