Viewing comments posted by LindaTX8

Noticed this article in the news, which led me to look up this scary and harmful invasive plant:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/g...

One of my favorite blooming native Texas shrubs! Every fall, the flowers attract bees and butterflies, without fail. Although primarily fall-blooming, the shrubs sometimes can start blooming in summer under favorable conditions. The plants do better when they are in fairly sunny areas, although they also do well in partly sunny areas. This species is a xeriscape plant, although it blooms better if watered on a fairly regular basis, especially during dry spells. When the plant is in bloom, the fragrance can waft over the yard and is pleasant, but not overpowering at all. The white flowers are lovely, often attracting butterflies that are flying through in the fall. They can be cut back after bloom is over, to keep them more compact. Fresh seed is good for germination and cuttings also work well.

I've decided these are the only petunia plants I'll buy every single year at the nursery. Unfortunately, they haven't reseeded for me, but they just out-perform the rest of the nursery petunias I've tried. Excellent on repeat blooming and doesn't have to be babied. Well, I also like Ragin' Cajun, but I propagate the one I got at a trade, so I don't have to buy any.

I had one of these for several years. Beautiful blooms and can take our high heat. However, it's not extremely cold hardy. One winter it got really cold and it succumbed. I've heard 25° to 30° on its hardiness, but mine survived temps lower than 25° before that front that got into the mid-teens finally wiped it out. I never saw my hummingbirds nectaring at that plant, but maybe it depends on the species of hummingbird.

Native to the Southern Trans-Pecos U.S. and Mexico. Available in nurseries in some warm climate areas.

Thicket-forming colonies along creeks, the edge of woods or rivers.

This plant is a host plant for the American Lady butterflies. It is in the Asteraceae family of plants. It was very important to many Native American tribes, who used it for herbal medicinal purposes and also in tribal ceremonies. The early European settlers in the U.S. learned of its herbal medicinal uses and also came to use its fragrant properties to keep their houses smelling good and used it also for certain herbal medicinal purposes. In modern times it seemed it lost favor as people lost touch with the old ways and weren't much interested in the plant lore their elders knew about. There seems to be some conflict over whether it is an annual or perennial or biennial, but I believe it is an annual or biennial depending on the climate in which it's grown.

In our part of Texas, deer will munch on these plants if they can get to them. But I see them along the highways in certain areas and they seem to be doing fine there. They appear to be drought resistant, as they have survived years of extreme drought in southcentral Texas. Gorgeous wildflower!

Milkweeds are host plants for the Monarch and Queen butterflies and suitable for butterfly gardens. Precautions should be taken, however, whenever any contact occurs with the white latex-like sap of the plant. A few sensitive individuals can have reactions to just getting this on their skin. Also, precautions should be taken to avoid any possible contact with the eyes. This toxic sap can cause serious eye problems and even swelling of the cornea of the eye. Wash your hands thoroughly after any contact with the sap. If your eyes are somehow exposed to it, immediately take measures to protect your eyesight! Wash your hands, rinse out your eyes and call an eye doctor.

Some Aristolochia species, including this one, are host plants for the Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly. This species of plant has become endangered in many areas in its original natural range in the wild and in at least one state in the U.S. where it was once common, it is no longer found at all.

This tree is a host plant for several butterfly species, including the Giant Swallowtail, Two-tailed Tiger Swallowtail and Tiger Swallowtail. Very good tree for wildscape areas or just as an attractive small tree for the yard.

This is one of three varieties of prairie paintbrush. It's mostly adapted to dry, rocky, caliche soils. The plant is semi-parasitic on grass roots. It's actually the bracts that provide the cool orangish color, the little yellow-green flowers are not often noticed, since they're concealed within the bracts.

Beautiful wildflower that prefers sandy soil. Usually in red, pink, white, or lavender colors. The leaves and stems are soft, hairy, and slightly sticky. There are a number of subspecies and a hybrid of two of these are sold in the nursery trade.

Kiowa is a vigorous hardy blackberry, with fruits that are the largest on the market, firm and excellent flavor. High yielding blackberries. As with other blackberry plants, cut the canes that fruited back all the way that year after fruiting is over for the season. Any canes that did not fruit can be left in place. This increases berry production for the next year.

This native plant is fairly drought-tolerant and in very mild Texas winters might even retain leaves. It can be a fairly large plant and can reseed easily, so if you get one, choose the location carefully. It can tolerate poor soil and might be best in a large wildflower area. Can be invasive through reseeding. Do not plant this unless you're sure it's in the right place, because it can be a bit hard to move. It's a reliable bloomer over the warm season, flowers are pretty and insects and butterflies are drawn to it.

Colonies of these plants can sometimes spread over favorable areas of ground, but are not at all difficult to remove if it is found in areas where you don't want it . It prefers at least some degree of shade, but is sometimes found in partly sunny areas also. It is in the Urticacea (Nettle) family, but is harmless and without any stinging abilities. The plants are a host plant for the Red Admiral butterfly, which makes little nests using the leaves of the plant.

I checked with some plant resources that are pretty reliable and they list Zigadenus nuttallii as being a U.S. native plant, so don't think it was introduced. Toxic, yes....quite toxic! I came to know this plant accidentally. It's not common in Texas at all. So when I was rescuing another kind of flowering plants near a construction site that had similar bulbs and leaves, I inadvertently dug up this plant. Later on....surprise, not quite the blooms on this one I expected. Pretty blooms, but yes, this should be avoided by farmers, ranchers and any anyone else who may not realize it's very toxic. I read somewhere that native american people used to remove these plants when they spotted them anywhere near the edible blue camas (camassia), which they often ate.

Just one thing....my plant is huge and it's in full sun, so nothing compact about it. It used the chain fence for support. Butterflies and hummingbirds come to this plant for early nectar source!

I've heard that they make cologne or perfume from the blooms. A friend of mind carefully collects the flowers and takes them home to use for fragrance. Just don't touch the plant, however! It is painful if you come in contact with it.

Male ash trees are considered to be an allergen and pollen can cause allergic symptoms for sensitive individuals.