Thursday, April 12, 2012

Medina Lake, Native Plants, and One Big Agave

A visit to the Hill Country and Medina Lake just west of San Antonio wouldn't be complete without a look at the lake and native plants along the way.  One of my favorite things on a trip like this is to observe native plants in their habitat.  You've already seen the huge Texas Madrone tree and the thrift shops we visited.  To finish off the series, we'll visit the lake and plants we saw there.

Like many lakes in this part of Texas, Medina Lake is very low.  "Normal" level would cover this exposed white limestone almost to where I am standing.  Even the good winter rains have barely made the lake usable for recreation.  On this Friday there were a few water skiers and fishing boats on the lake.


The lake is a beautiful blue, almost turquoise with the exposed white limestone in sharp contrast.

These native Texas sotols were seen growing all along the road on the way up to the lake, I took these photos near the state park.



Several Dahlberg Daisy plants growing nearby




Verbena, opuntia, and ashe juniper just to the right of the sotols.


This might be Blackfoot Daisy, slightly different than the ones in my yard.


A huge swath of Prairie Verbena on the side of road headed down to the lake was beautiful.



This 9 ft tall Agave americana was next to a real estate office in Lakehills.


I've seen a lot of large agaves, but none this big that I remember. Most of them bloom before reaching this size.

It wasn't the only large agave around, these were just up the road and easily 6 ft tall.  More typical in size since there are a few this tall in my neighborhood, but I liked this because there were so many together.



It was fun to see the Hill Country and our native plants doing so well after such a tough two years.

17 comments:

  1. That was a great trip. I've never seen Lake Medina, but it looks like one to put on 'the list'.
    And, those are some really big agaves. Amazing how big they can get.
    Thanks for the tour.

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    1. Thanks Linda, Lake Medina is less developed than some other Hill Country areas.

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  2. I love this post...all my favorite things...oaks, sotols, dahlberg daisies, verbenas, rock outcroppings. Except maybe the bleak look of that lake. Lakes and woody plants show long-term weather or climate better than most anything else.

    Our Blackfoot Daisy looks like the wild one you show. Seeing ones in gardens in Austin a while back is like a whole other plant. Way nicer than here, but that shows what drier, desert air and other factors do to the same plants.

    Nice!

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    1. Thanks David. When I spotted the dahlberg daisies growing just below the sotols I thought of how you often recommend similar combinations.

      You would enjoy seeing the sotols growing right on the vertical rock walls along the roads up there. That area should be maybe 30 min. or so from your friend's house.

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  3. Hi Shirley! I lived in San Antonio many moons ago. Occasionally back then, my husband and I would drive out to Lake Medina for the day. I am shocked to see how low the water is at the moment. Recently, I have heard folks wondering why they are still categorizing parts of Texas as having drought conditions. Well one look at this lake tells the story. I loved the native plants pictures. I’m a BIG fan of natives.

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    1. Thanks Lucy. Lake Medina is a nice day trip, just one hour from downtown. The area is still relatively undeveloped which makes it nice to observe native plants.

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  4. Your choice of photographic subject captured the Hill Country well. The agave is big, but I have a neighbor who has agave just as large. Too large, I think, for a little urban plot; appropriate for the Hill Country wild.

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    1. I think that's what caught my eye the most, the large agaves in the wild.

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  5. What a nice area to walk around....looks very open and airy with some beautiful weather:) That agave is quite striking. You've got a lot of my favorites here in one post....the verbena...what's not to love!

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    1. Thanks Chris, the wide open spaces are what we love about that part of the Hill Country.

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  6. The water looks so blue! Looks like the drought is still taking a toll on this lake. The Dahlberg Daisy is so cute:)

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    1. I added some to my yard last fall and they bloomed all winter.

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  7. nice tour Shirley. Love the natives. Looks like there is also some rudebeckias next to the dahberg daisy.

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    1. I noticed those, but didn't look closely. As you know we have a lot of those yellow sunflowers that are similar to rudbeckia blooming in the late summer.

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  8. Didn't realize the lake was still so low. They are close to full around here. Love the verbena. That agave is impressive!

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    1. Thanks Holley, we were is a severe drought around here so all the rain we had only moved the needle a small bit.

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  9. I love your pictures in your last two posts of the prairie verbena best - it is such a beautiful wildflower. I have been in Texas almost 7 years and this is the first year I have gotten to see it. I can't believe that whole field you got to see! Amazing!

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