Tag Archives: Texas Native Plants

Bathing Cutey

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I initially planned to title this post ‘Bathing Beauty’ but realized that title was boring and obvious, and didn’t adequately describe the bird images I wanted to use. I mean, look at this silly goober.

The juvenile Northern Mockingbird, Mimus polyglottos, will become a beauty when older and dryer, but for this particular moment in time, in its wet-n-wild state, it’s a goofy, floofy, cutey bird.

The young Mockingbird, as well as a couple of its elders, have spent time in the back garden recently. Typically, I don’t see many mocks in my back garden, the exception to that observation being during native plant berry season, which has arrived.

American Beauty Berry, Callicarpa americana, is getting its purple on with each passing day. You might notice that not all the berries have gotten the message to change their hues, but enough of the clusters are trading their green for the outrageous purple of maturity and birds have noticed–and noshed.

My two Roughleaf Dogwood trees, Cornus drummondii, also sport berries, though their signature ripe color, creamy white, hasn’t yet appeared. That lack of color change, with its indication of full ready-to-eat ripeness, isn’t stopping the Mockingbirds, European Starlings, or Blue Jays from plucking and gulping, as I’ve observed all three species feeding on the green berries. I guess it’s similar to my eating a peach that isn’t quite ripe, still a little hard, but so delicious that I just can’t help myself.

I hope these resident birds will leave a few fruits for the migratory birds, but there’s probably enough for all who are interested. Besides, the Possumhaw and Yaupon Hollies will be adding their fruit selections to the garden menu in the not-too-distant future.

So bathe away, cutey Mockingbird–and make sure to get your share of the garden snacks!

A Lone Lily

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While heavy rain in Central Texas has produced horrific tragedy in certain areas, it’s also filled our reservoirs and my garden has benefited as well. Before the wet arrived, I’d returned from a trip to New Mexico, thrilled that my unwatered Texas garden looked so lush after time spent in a beautiful, but more arid, landscape. Then the rain came and the lush garden doubled-down on foliage and bloom production. This mid-July, flowers are flourishing and pollinators are beside themselves with the abundance.

Along with the floriforous summer perennials, this lone Hill Country Rain lily, Cooperia pedunculata, popped up recently amongst some Mexican Feathergrass, Nassella tenuissima. I purchased bulbs some years ago, planting them deep in the dirt, as the front garden offered little hope for enough sun to make the plants happy. There were blooms for a time, then there weren’t; it’s been a few years since rain lilies were a part of my garden.

I’m fairly sure this lily is the C. pedunculata, because I remember the bulbs being labeled Zephyranthes drummondii–which is a synonym. These sweet flowers appear after significant rain along urban and rural roadsides and patches of undisturbed land. They bloom, then set their charcoal, papery seeds, which are dropped forthwith or carried by the breezes to other places. Their stems retreat to the soil, new stalks with their single blooms reappearing at some later date, after another rainfall.

In a recent post profiling his stunning photos of rain lilies, Steve of Portraits of Wildflowers asked, in response to my comment about his photos, if I’d ever gathered seeds of this flower. The answer is ‘yes’ and I suspect that this recent lily gift is the result of one of the seeds from years ago. I don’t recall planting a bulb in this spot, though it’s possible that I did, but I do recall scattering seeds in the back garden.

I’ll let the seeds from this flower mature, and when ready, I will–with intention–scatter them, though most likely in my front garden, rather than the shadier back garden.

I might also buy more bulbs. Is it possible to have too many rain lilies gracing a newly rained-on garden?

Everyone Needs Their Greens

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I guess in this case, certain critters need their pinks and yellows.

This female House Finch, Haemorhous mexicanus, eschewing the protein offerings of sunflower and safflower feeders, opted for some fresh veggies in the form of the flower parts of Red Yucca, Hesperaloe parviflora.

I observed her for quite a while as she contentedly fed at the yucca blooms. She snitched bits of petals as she worked her way along the stem, her weight (such that it is) on the stem causing movement typically seen only by strong winds.

Birds and mammals often dine on flowers and foliage, along with insects and plant fruits. After all, a diet with variety is healthy, and who doesn’t like diversity in their meals?