Old man’s beard (Clematis drummondii)
It’s getting on past halfway through summer and the Clematis drummondii are starting to show off their old man’s beards – which is interesting, since this plant has both male and female plants – the stamens are sterile on the female plants, and the stigma on the male plants are probably sterile too, I would guess – haven’t seen it documented anywhere yet.
Another common name for these flowers is Virgin’s Bower, or Texas Virgin’s Bower. Go figure.
Clearing the decks – this is from an old draft post, taken and posted in February of 2013. Who doesn’t like Salvia greggii? Gardeners certainly do – they can bloom throughout the year, when conditions are right, and all it takes is a little deadheading of the fading blooms. They don’t get too tall or too bushy, and although you might see many insects in their vicinity, they don’t seem to be vulnerable to infestation by pests.
Insects you will see, everything from bumblebees and carpenter bees to butterflies and wasps. If you’re lucky you might see a hummingbird buzzing around, grabbing nectar from the tubular flowers.
Salvia Greggii – Autumn Sage
Well, we’ve been on hiatus for a year, and we are getting ready to start posting again on a regular basis. Soon…
Linum rupestre – Rock Flax
July 14, 2013
This is the end of updates for this blog, at least for the time being.
There is just so much one can do, and keeping this blog going on a regular basis is one of those things. It has always been an amateur effort and one can do more useful things, so this blog has been dropped from the B list to the D list and off the To-Do list.
Agraulis vanillae Gulf Fritillary Butterfly on Passiflora sp
While the Gulf Fritillary, as the name implies, is native to the area surrounding the Gulf of Mexico, but its range actually extends far beyond that. It is found as far south as Argentina and as far north as San Fransisco, according to Wikipedia.
Here it is on one of the Passiflora vines, one which is not native to the part of Central Texas where I live. It seems that one cannot find locally native plants unless one digs them up, which can’t be both ethical and legal, or manages to find some that have gone to seed and from which a small taking of seed would not endanger reproduction in the natural state.
Malvaviscus arboreus var drummondii – Turkscap
Usually one sees this in “full” bloom, although the hibiscus-like flowers never do open up completely. However, the blooms are only just now beginning to show up, and you might miss this bud – if so, this bud’s for you.
Capsicum annuum – Chile Pequin
Hadn’t really looked at the tiny flowers of the Chile Pequin before, but here they are, with a slight touch of purple in them.
Off to the right is the fruit, which turns a bright shiny red when it has fully ripened. Easy to grow, withstands drought, edible, attracts nectar feeders when in bloom and birds after bloom has turned to fruit. Reseeds itself if allowed to.
Ratibida columnifera- Mexican Hat
Also known as Prairie Coneflower, this perennial also comes with yellow petals instead of the orange, brown, and yellow petals shown here. In their native environment, they can form large colonies, sometimes interspersed with similarly colored Gaillardia pulchella Firewheel. Whether seen singly or en masse, it is singularly and strikingly sttractive. It is drought tolerant and can grow in a wide variety of soil types.
Rudbeckia hirta – Blackeyed Susan
Two of these wildflowers have shown up in my garden this year, most likely sown by birds. Not surprising, since it is one of the most widespread native plants in North America, native across Canada and the U.S. westward to New Mexico. It can grow in many light conditions, from sun to shade, but apparently doesn’t like calcareous or alkaline soils. It propagates itself easily by reseeding and can become aggressive if not faced with competition. It also has been widely used for medicinal as well as aesthetic purposes. What’s not to like about this cheery ornamental? For more information and links to more information than you can imagine, check out the entry at the NPIN plants database.
Rudbeckia hirta – Blackeyed Susan
leaves and flower
bob's brain: living well with a movement disorder and other comorbidities 