Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Wildflower Wednesday: Texas Native Plant Week

Wildflower Wednesday hosted by Gail at Clay and Limestone on the fourth Wednesday of each month also happens to fall in the middle of Texas Native Plant Week.  This makes it fun to post about both at the same time by taking a tour of the Texas native wildflowers in my garden.

We'll start with Clammy Weed (Polanisia dodecandra).  These native annuals provide a succession of blooms through our hot summers.  As one group fades and goes to seed another takes its place.  They are prolific reseeders and I look forward to having them in the garden for years to come.



Gregg's Mistflower (Conclinium greggii) has flowered most of the summer after a slow start due to our cooler spring.


I cut it way back early in September as they faded and now the blooms have returned.  Gregg's mistflower is popular with bees....


....and butterflies.  Shown here mixed with the orange flowers of Aniscanthus quadrifidus wrightii or Flame Acanthus, a hummingbird magnet which is native only to Texas.


I also cut back the American Germander during early September and the blooms have returned for a second season.


Chromoleata odorata or Crucita is another butterfly magnet.  There were several Monarch butterflies on the flowers this week but they wouldn't sit still for a photo.  This is a Queen Butterfly and there were also quite a few bees working this plant.


Typically a spring bloomer I sometimes find Prairie Verbena (Glandularia bipinnatifida) blooming away in shady low spots around the garden during the fall months.


Fading Maxmillian Sunflowers (Helianthus maxmilliani) still make a bright addition and bring a taste of autumn to the garden.  It will be fun to bring a few of these into the house in a few years when they have reseeded enough to spare.


The spiky array of Pine Muhly (Muhlenbergia dubya) inflorescense adds texture to the circle garden.


Texas Sleepy Daisy (Xanthisma texanum) reveal their lemony sweetness when they open on sunny afternoons.


Nearby Helenium araum or Sneezeweed carries on the lemony theme.


Even though the small white flowers of this Fleabane are hard to spot they will make a good addition to the colorful salvia bed.  Fleabane is new to the garden this year having arrived from the nearby field.  I don't remember if I seeded this one or it grew on its own, but either way it is welcomed here.  I often pinch a few seeds when walking near undeveloped acreage around the neighborhood.


I think this is a type of Solidago or Goldenrod from a local native plant sale.  Next year it will probably be moved to the more natural area at the back of the garden.


The Zexmenia transplanted last spring have taken hold and promise to provide a line of easy care summer-long blooms across the yard next year.


Sporadic rain showers two weeks ago triggered bright lavender on silver blooms of Silverado Sage.


These and many more Texas natives in my garden are such an asset I could not imagine my garden without them.  In addition to blooming beautifully in our tough Texas weather and soil conditions, they attract a fascinating variety of wildlife.

For more on native wildflowers in the garden visit the links posted at Clay and Limestone.

15 comments:

  1. All such great plants, Shirley. My mistflowers were also pokey to start this year, but are going strong now. And aren't you lucky to get a second bloom cycle from the American Germander! Good wildflower gardening to you!

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    1. American Germander did well with just a cut back as the flowers faded. It's nicer to have repeat blooming plants when possible.

      I have enjoyed your excellent series on Texas Native Plant Week.

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  2. You have so many beautiful wildflowers in Texas!

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    1. We do have beautiful wildflowers and for as long as I can remember we've also made it point to appreciate them too.

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  3. Shirley I have the same Helianthus and love its late blooms as do the monarchs moving through....but my favorite of yours this time is the Silverado Sage. Gorgeous foliage and flower.

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    1. That's nice that we can share some of the same wildflowers in our different regions.

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  4. Nothing helps me plan and understand what will do well in my spaces any better than seeing what is doing well (and where) for other gardeners. I put out clammyweed seed after reading about it here, and am hopeful to have it pop up to claim a space of its own. Now I'm looking at that photo of the sneezeweed, and thinking, "next year!!". Thanks for sharing some of your native wildflowers expertise!

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    1. They should do well at your place. Those are two great plants that seemingly need little to no attention from me and the best kind of garden plant.

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  5. Such a beautiful Wildflower Wednesday post! Many of these plants are familiar, others I appreciate from afar since my zone is too cold. Texas is fabulous in October!

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    1. We don't have the seasonal color so familiar in northern climates but we make up for it with milder weather.

      Some of these are annuals which might do well in your area.

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  6. You have a nice assortment of blooms there! I am in Nebraska, so I am not familiar with most of them. I do have sneezeweed and a mistflower that looks similar to yours. I like that clammy weed. It's a cool looking plant, and reminds me of cleome.

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    1. I thought the Clammyweed was related to Cleome at first too but it is in the Caper family. It is an annual so you might have luck from seed.

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  7. I love your Silverado sage! The color of the foliage and delicate flowers are very attractive!

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    1. The row along the driveway is very beautiful in bloom and up close too.

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  8. A few crossovers, but mostly I admire your natives from afar.

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