Spiders are fine, but don't touch the caterpillars!

Speaking of Brazos Bend, here's another inhabitant of that particular area--the Golden Silk Spider. Harmless, but not altogether friendly-looking:

(Photo by Aaron.)

By contrast, there's a cute, fuzzy-looking variety of caterpillar out here that I have never personally encountered, which goes by the ominous nickname of "asp". It is so named because its "fuzz" is actually a collection of venomous spines. A close personal encounter with this little guy has the potential to send you to the emergency room.

The South is also home to other varieties of venomous caterpillars.

Being from a region where fuzzy caterpillars provide children with endless entertainment, this is all very strange to me. My rule of thumb while I'm still fairly new out here is not to touch any strange animals until I know exactly what they are. :)

Reptiles and Rain

If you live near a body of water out here, it is a good idea to keep your eyes open for reptilian visitors, especially snakes.

One family in our subdivision (which is located near a river) found a six foot long alligator on their front porch one morning recently.

Here's a picture of an American Alligator taken by my brother at Brazos Bend state park. (Yes, he has a telephoto lens. Gators have a thing about their personal space--don't ever get as close as this picture looks.)

To see more of my brother's photographic genius at work, visit his gallery at DeviantArt.com

Noxious Weeds and Invasive Plants

Before getting too excited about an introduced species, check your state's Noxious Weed list, to make sure you aren't planting anything you shouldn't.

Here is the list for Texas.

For other states, click here.

Opuntia (Prickly Pear Cactus)

Generally, the damp, muggy climate of this region would discourage me from growing cacti. But, I might make an exception for this one. I saw a fairly happy looking one growing in a large container in front of someone's house today, which makes me think it just may be possible.

Opuntia ficus-indica. Photo Source: Wikipedia

Why would I even bother?

It so happens that young prickly pear pads are a good, nutritious food, once you remove the spines. I learned this from my grandmother, who prepares a nopales salad from time to time. Being diabetic, my grandmother also appreciates the fact that nopales are good for her blood sugar levels. The fruits are edible as well (probably not for diabetics), but I have never personally tried them.

The two species that I most often hear of being used are Opuntia streptacantha and Opuntia ficus-indica, both natives of Mexico. The latter of these is supposed to taste better. I honestly have no idea which I have tried. My grandmother has a cactus growing in her garden which she occasionally uses for food, but I do not know which exact species it is. It does bear a strong resemblance to the one in the picture above.

Propogation of these from cuttings is fairly easy, from what my grandma tells me. She cut a lobe from another cactus, buried the bottom half in the ground with the top half sticking up, kept it watered for a little while, and just watched it grow. That was about 20 years ago, and it is well established, and (by my guess) at least six feet tall now. In her case, it probably helps that the soil she was dealing with is the sandy kind that this cactus enjoys best. If planted in a hot, sunny location that they like, these things will thrive with little to no maintenance. At least, they will in Southern California. I have yet to see what will happen in the wetter parts of Texas.

Worth trying? Yes. Do I have the slightest clue where to go to get one around here? Nope. Not without knocking on the doors of strangers' houses. Hm. Not quite desperate enough for that.

Eugenia Aggregata Links

The seeds arrived about two weeks ago, and are now planted in containers. We will see if they grow.

In my quest for information about how to grow Cherry of the Rio Grande from seed, I have come across a few websites, some of which I list here.

Desert-Tropicals.com (Includes fertilizing tips)

Tradewindsfruit.com

A website based out of the Canary Islands

Urbanharvest.org



Read the rest ofmy Eugenia Aggregata posts.

Monthly Garden Tasks

Here's something to keep those of us busy who have no idea what we are doing. :)

Cherimoya: Dessert that grows on trees.

Scientific Name: Annona cherimola
USDA zones 9b-11

I have tried these before. It's like a tropical fruit custard in a peel. I am not making this up!

Dave's Garden says that they have been known to grow in Austin, TX. If they can handle Austin, one would think they can handle Houston. They have also been known to grow quite well in California. I'lll have to see if it might be worth growing one here.

It also says the seeds are poisonous if ingested (fortunately, they are large and very hard--easily removed from the fruit before eating). I never knew that. Glad I never swallowed any!

Hmmm....

Wax Ligustrum aka. "Privet"

Photo Source: Magnolia Nursery. Click here for more photos.

This stuff is a staple in landscapes around here. It is in my garden, and I see it planted around many other homes as well. It also makes frequent appearances in municipal gardens in the greater Houston area, and I have also seen it growing quite happily in residential areas around coastal Southern California.

It is easy to understand why these are so common. They are both versitile and hardy. I haven't ever watered mine, but they are doing quite well. Other than the occasional light pruning to keep the hedge shape I want, I pretty much leave them alone. They can be grown in their natural shape, used as tall or medium hedges, and even trained into tree form. Be aware, however, if you try that last option, that you may find yourself trimming little branches off of the bottom to maintain the tree look as long as you have the plant.

In the early spring, you'll see very pretty displays of white flowers like these displayed at Dave's Garden. Blooming happens a little later in milder climates (such as in Southern California). While they may be blooming in California in June, here in Texas, they one can easily observe small berries forming, as the blooming season will have already passed. They are evergreen, so they work well anyplace you want something that keeps its leaves all year.

This plant does have one downside, however. The National Park Service considers this species to be invasive of natural areas in many Southern states, including Texas. Other species of Ligustrum are also listed.