Viewing comments posted by LindaTX8

If I want Nasturtiums, I have to get them going early. Often I start them in pots to get an earlier start! With the extreme heat and intense sunlight (often all day long) of my area, Nasturtiums have difficulty continuing once the HOT part of the year starts. They usually tend to go away in summer, but I do love these plants, so I keep trying. Love those cute leaves and flowers! I just love to look at them! I do occasionally eat the flowers, but it's hard, because usually I just want to keep the flowers around to look at!

Puccoon is in the Boraginaceae family and is a native spring-blooming wildflower. It actually has two different kinds of flowers, however. The showy spring flowers are yellow, blooming from March to early May. The second kind are not usually noticed, produced from late spring to summer and are very small fertile cleistogamous flowers, which are hidden within the bracts. Those self-fertilizing flowers produce most of the seed of this species.

An attractive native ornamental grass which prefers slightly moist areas, in the wild might be found near creeks and rivers or moist habitat, but can tolerate drier areas. Leaves look slightly bamboo-like and will form the attractive green seed heads usually in summer, becoming tan to brownish in the fall. In fall, those can be cut and dried for dried flower arrangements or put in a vase by themselves.

This is the mint from Cuba known to be used in the original Mojito drinks (which I really do like!). Not usually commercially available in this country. The plants I have were being sold at a local gardening event. Lucky me! It has some similarity to spearmint, but has a different, milder flavor.

Kidneywood is an open, airy large shrub or small tree that grows in some areas of Texas. When blooming, the clusters of white flowers are just beautiful! Drought-tolerant plant, also.

Hamelia patens is a VERY tough plant. It does freeze back here, but none have died, having made it through some cold winters and the worst droughts I've ever seen. Does not need much of any care once established, although it will bloom better if it gets some water in droughts. I usually cut it back after it freezes back quite a bit and it will start coming back up in the spring when it gets warm enough. I very seldom water it...some years not at all. It's a good nectar plant when blooming....butterflies and hummingbirds love it.

A native wildflower, growing along the roadsides in the certain places in my area. Will also grow from seed in a garden bed. Flowers are fragrant.

Great plants not requiring a lot of care. Drought-tolerant, tolerates poor soil and will easily naturalize and produce more plants nearby. Good plant that attracts butterflies, bees and other insects. In the spring, these beautiful white flowers will really brighten up your garden! Seeds will form which can be planted or scattered elsewhere to start new colonies. Cutting back the bloom stalks after seeding is over helps to keep the garden looking tidy.

Found in dry, rocky areas, often in hilly areas, near dry creeks or on roadcuts. This plant is usually inconspicuous, but when blooming, if produces these small cute, delicate and colorful blooms, catch the eye, it can really be amazing sight! It's endemic to Texas.

This plant comes up in summer or early fall. It's a host plant to the Common Buckeye and Tropical Buckeye butterflies. The plant can often develop a slight reddish-purple tint on stems and foliage, although early on it's usually just green.

The first Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) I had came from a friend, who shared plants she originally got from a nursery. Later I bought seeds of Urtica dioica and grew some from those. This is the most popular herbal nettle which has been used for centuries by mankind. It is native to the temperate regions of Europe and Asia and various other places. Most likely brought to the U.S. by those who settled here and brought their herbal seeds. It has naturalized in many areas, joining the native stinging nettles, such as Urtica chamaedryoides. Nettle leaves are considered to be among the most valuable herbal remedies. Among its many nutrients are vitamin C, iron, vitamin K and Boron. It's used as a general tonic and to treat allergies, congestion, anemia, arthritis, Osteoporosis, dental plaque and is used in commercial hair conditioners. It requires care to collect the plant, however, as it can sting. I just use gloves or tongs to collect some for my tea. Once in hot water, it loses all stinging tendencies. Also, once it is dried it is harmless also. It can even be chopped up and added to food while cooking. Collect the fresher leaves.

Well...this species is a favorite of cats! They love it fresh or dry! Plants must be protected or the cats will 'love it to death'!

This tree has grown more slowly than most trees around here. And of course, it's a fairly small tree even when mature. Love the blooming tree, also the fall color is nice in fall.

Texas Milkweed is a plant that is native to my area. They are fairly drought-tolerant perennials, very pretty in bloom and are a butterfly hostplant for the Queen and Monarch butterflies. They can grow in sun, part sun or light shade either one.