John Paul II Rose

Jackson & Perkins John Paul II Rose

In 2006, Jackson and Perkins released a variety of gorgeous white hybrid tea rose named for Pope John Paul II.

Often called John Paul The Great by his admirers, he was loved throughout the world by both Catholics and non-Catholics.  One of the distinctive features of his pontificate was his frequent travel throughout the world. He made more pastoral visits than any pope before him.  When totaled, the number of miles he traveled equal three trips to the moon and back! Along with President Ronald Reagan, he is largely credited with ending the cold war. He is also known for his humility and his gift for encouraging young people to live holier lives.

Pope John Paul II will be beatified this Sunday. (Click here for a definition of beatification.)

While I enjoy the many plants that grow well here on the Gulf Coast, I miss hybrid tea roses. They do quite well in gardens in California and the Pacific Northwest (Check out the rose gardens in Portland, OR).  But, in the subtropical humidity we have here, they quickly succumb to fungal disease.  That is why most rose lovers in this region are so fond of disease-resistant antique roses.

If you live in coastal California, bare-rooted hybrid tea roses are generally available at locally owned nurseries and garden centers in the fall.  In colder regions where there is danger of frost, late winter and spring are better times for planting roses, as new plants should not be allowed to freeze. 

Since this particular rose is owned by Jackson and Perkins, you will want to look for it at establishments that feature their products. If they do not carry it, ask! Small, locally owned nurseries are particularly likely to be willing to help you get your hands on what you want, even if they do not have it in stock at the moment.  Their employees are also most likely to know exactly how to care for hybrid tea roses in your particular climate.

If you live in a region that is friendly to hybrid tea roses, and want to commemorate the occasion of John Paul II's beatification in your garden, consider planting this rose.

Brugmansia

Also known as Angel's Trumpet and (somewhat erroneously) Tree Datura.

There is a useful post about this plant over at Huntingwick Gardens. Check it out.

See my previous post on this plant.

Do it yourself Rain Barrels?

It's getting tempting...



I have looked around for ideas for a do it yourself rain chain as well, but unfortunately tools I do not have, and some I'm not even sure I should use (blowtorch, anyone?) are usually involved. Rats. Gotta keep looking.

Search: Viewing Bluebonnets in California

I posted before on bluebonnets growing in California. I got another Google-related hit, this time from someone in Texas, wanting to know where to go in California to see the lupines there.

Bluebonnets are commonly called Lupines in California, so if you are visiting from out of state, it is handy to know both names.

They grow prolifically in many open fields along the Central Coast, where I was raised. If you have never been there yourself, you may have seen portions of the region in films like The Ten Commandments (1923), The Rocketeer (1991), Of Mice and Men (1992), or Sideways (2004).

These flowers are also quite common in most other regions of the state.

There are also multiple varieties of lupines to see. The USDA plants database lists 165 species of Lupinus growing in North America. California is home to roughly 97 of these, so I will not be listing them all here. Have a look at the many listed species at the USDA Plants Database. Many of the species listed grow in California. You can click on the smaller maps for profiles of individual species, and each profile contains links to maps which highlight the counties in which each species grows.

The ones that I remember, which look the most like the bluebonnets of Texas can be found growing in many open fields in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties, as well as in other coastal counties in the state of California. I suggest the areas around Nipomo, San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, Arroyo Grande, Santa Ynez, and Lompoc.

I have also seen a paler variety growing in the sand dunes around Oso Flaco, a state park along the coast with gorgeous sand dunes, lakes, and nature walks. It is worth the visit, even without the lupines.

Lupines occur all over the state of California, so one need not confine herself to the central coast. However, as I have not spent as much time in the Northern regions or int he central valley, I cannot suggest specific areas. However, in any part of California the best way to see them is to hop in a car, and go for a pleasant drive in the country. When in doubt, ask the locals!

Incidentally, the Central Coast is also a great place for wine tasting!

Search: Bluebonnets in California

I got a search hit from Google from someone looking for "bluebonnets in cal".


California has its own native variety of Lupinus, known here in Texas by the common name "bluebonnet". People call them "Lupines" out there. The California variety grows wild in many parts of the state. It has a mild, sweet scent, and if you find yourself in the immediate vicinity of a large field full of them, the experience will be very pleasant for your nose.

People living in California who want to grow them can easily find seeds at local nurseries. The more adventurous can try to collect the seeds from wild ones themselves (watch for rattlesnakes and wear plenty of deer tick repellent if you do).

Blackspot resistant roses.

Here is a list from a Purdue University website. It includes hybrid tea, florubunda, grandiflora, climbing, Rugosa hybrid, shrub, and miniature rose cultivars (including Knock-out). Some of the shrub roses listed I recognize from Antique rose lists I have seen.

Surinam Cherry (Eugenia uniflora) Profile and links

Photo Source: Australian-Insects.com

Common Names: Brazil/Brazilian cherry, Cayenne cherry, pitanga, Florida cherry
Nativity: Introduced to US from Brazil
Category: Subtropical/Tropical/Tender perennial
Landscape uses: bush, hedge
Height: to 25 feet
Spacing: 10-12 feet
Habit: Tree/Shrub
Growth Rate: Slow
Duration: Perennial
Flowers: White, spring to early summer, depending on climate
Fruit: Red, sweet, edible, approx 3 weeks after flowers
Soil: acidic-neutral. Tolerates most soils and textures. Does not tolerate salt.
Light: Full sun to part shade
Water Needs: Average. Do not over or under water.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 10-11 (to 30 °F) (established plants known to survive temps to 22°F with minor damage)
Propagation: From seed in spring. Collect from overripe fruit.
Toxicity: Seeds should not be eaten. Odor of pruned plants may irritate lungs of sensitive individuals.

This plant is listed as invasive in the state of Florida, and is known to set seed in areas where the climate is friendly to young plants.

These can be grown in 5 gal or larger containers in areas where it will be necessary to move them to shelter during a freeze.

A close relative of Eugenia Aggregata.

Links:
From Purdue University
Dave's Garden
USDA Plants Database
Plants of Hawaii

So much for Albizia Julibrissin

I have been wondering why I only see these trees in older neighborhoods. It turns out they are categorized as invasive plants here in Texas. I'm glad I found this out before I did anything stupid...like planting one.

Just one more reason to check your state's list of invasive plants. Some specimens are hard to come by for a reason.

For a profile of A. julibrissin and alternatives, click the link above, which gives a list as follows:

Resembles/Alternatives:

* Chilopsis linearis (desert willow)
* Prosopis glandulosa (honey mesquite)

Many other small to medium-sized trees make excellent alternatives including:

* Calliandra eriophylla (fairyduster)
* Calliandra conferta (Rio Grande stickpea)
* Amelanchier arborea (common serviceberry)
* Cercis canadensis (eastern redbud)
* Cornus florida (flowering dogwood)
* Betula nigra (river birch)
* Chionanthus virginicus (white fringetree)

Other alternatives include serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea), river birch (Betula nigra), redbud (Cercis canadensis), fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus), flowering dogwood (Cornus florida), sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua).

Source: TexasInvasives.org

Temporary shelter for Tender plants

A week or two ago, when our evening lows dipped briefly into the 30's, I sheltered my more tender plants in one corner of my back porch under a makeshift lean-to, involving a frost cloth and plenty of duct tape. Though it had the advantage of keeping my plants about 10 degrees warmer than the outside world, this proved to be a very impractical solution for any long term sheltering needs, especially since there is too much shade on the porch for most of these plants. Add to that the aesthetic issues and the fact that duct taping one side of a frost cloth to the house and lugging plants around to put underneath it is a rather time-consuming process, and the makeshift lean-to becomes quite unappealing, despite its effectiveness.

Because my garage hasn't got any extra space for dormant container plants, and because I'd like a sunny place to keep my tender plants during the winter, I splurged on a pop-out greenhouse , which I ordered online from Home Depot. It arrived yesterday. From the looks of things, it pops out about as easily as certain kinds of car shades, children's play products, and laundry hampers, and is supported by poles and stakes, much the way a camping tent would be. It even has a shade cover for its little roof, to keep things from getting too hot in the greenhouse, and it came with a zip-up bag to put it into, when it is not in use. It appears the manufacturers built it so that it could be used year round, if the customer desires. I think I'll probably use it just during the winter, though. While flimsier than the real thing, this little temporary greenhouse should serve my purposes during our brief spells of cold. The Texas gulf coast is essentially one great big greenhouse about 8 months out of the year, so I am reluctant to put up anything permanent.

Photo Source: FlowerHouse Greenhouses

So, now the 'Blue Northers' can blow when they will, and my containerized hibiscus, bougainvillea, plumbago, and avocado plants will have a warm, cozy place to ride out the winter. Call it an early Christmas present for my plants. :)

Brugmansia (a.k.a. Angel's Trumpet, Tree Datura)

I saw one of these blooming in a garden the other day. They look pretty cool. The one I saw was not quite as leafy as this one, but its branches still added interest to the garden it was in.

Photo Source: Iowa State University Extension

I may try to get my hands on some cuttings next spring.


Some of them are fairly cold hardy. For instance, 'Frosty Pink' is hardy to zone 7b (5 °F). However, others are not. 'Charles Grimaldi' is only hardy to zone 10b (35 °F). The less hardy ones die back to the ground each year in areas that freeze, and are not as long-lived, according to Floridata. But, since they look cool, they can be worthwhile plants.


Just don't eat or smoke them. They are known to be highly toxic.



Interestingly, hyoscyamine, one of the compounds found in this plant, is used in a prescription drug for certain gastrointestinal problems. There must be some processing involved there. :)



Brugmansia Links:
American Brugmansia and Datura Society, Inc.
Brugmansia Growers International
Brugmansia Cultivar Finder (Dave's Garden)
Dave's Garden Profile (B. candida)
Wikipedia Profile
USDA Plants Profile (B. Candida)
Floridata Profile (B. suaveolens)



Books:
Brugmansia and Datura: Angel's Trumpets and Thorn Apples (I haven't read it, but it looks interesting!)

Search: Pruning Jasmine

Someone was looking for info on pruning jasmine, so I'll offer my two cents, for what they're worth.

The star jasmine I have growing in my garden has a tendency to twine itself around my trees, if left alone long enough (about 2-3 weeks) during its summer and fall growing season. The pruning process usually involves 3 basic steps:

1. Get hedge clippers
2. Chop off what I don't want.
3. Dispose of clippings.

Given our generally warm climate, whatever I cut off grows back fairly quickly. This vine is evergreen thorughout the winter, so in my region it requires no winter pruning. In fact, the above process I have described and an occasional treatment for powdery mildew is pretty much the only work I put into this plant at all. I mostly ignore it the rest of the time, except in spring when I admire the beauty of its flowers.

Keeping Plumbagos Pretty

I have a little Plumbago auriculata (a.k.a Cape Leadwort) in a pot that I bought earlier in the fall, but it became a little neglected last month while I was ill, and went on a kind of blooming strike due to lack of water. I have been watering it faithfully for weeks, but it is only now showing signs of revival, despite the relatively warm weather.


So I did a little looking for things to do for a plumbago that is not blooming. One suggestion was to

Fertilize with milk--1 Tablespoon per gallon every two weeks. (Tried this today; we'll see if it helps.). The other idea I saw was avoiding over fertilizing by using half of the fertilizer recommended by package instructions. One also needs to avoid overwatering as well as underwatering.

Beyond that, I have no further ideas at this time. I miss those little blue flowers. :(

Photo Source: Texas Cooperative Extension: Perennials for Texas Landscapes

More Plumbago Links:

Texas A&M University: Blue-Blooming Vitex and Plumbago: Butterflies Love 'Em, Deer Don't
Dave's Garden plant profile
USDA Plant profile
Floridata Profile

Avocado Searches.

I'm getting a lot of hits from people with avocado (Persea americana) questions. Here's some of what I've seen so far, including what little information I can provide, being a person with lots of questions about Houston avocado growing, myself.

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Hass Avocado Hardiness Zone
According to Floridata, the Hass avocado is a Guatemalan variety, and "Guatemalan types are intermediate, hardy to 24 F (-5 C) or so." That would put it roughly in USDA zone 9b. To find your USDA hardiness zone by your zip code, click here.

To give you an idea of the ideal conditions are for this Avocado, this variety is frequently grown in California. Many of the ones I buy from my local grocer are grown in Michoacan, Mexico.

Young and/or unestablished Haas avocado trees need to be sheltered well during freezing temperatures. See this page at Purdue University for a chart that includes cold hardiness information for various Avocado "races" Other avocados, usually Mexican varieties, can be hardy to zone 8.

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Growing an avocado tree blogs
Hello and welcome. Here are all of my avocado posts so far.

Also, check to see what Google BlogSearch has to offer. Avocado growing was the most useful query of the several I tried.

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Growing an avocado tree fantastic
"Fantastic" Avocado
Yes, avocados are fantastic.

Oh, you meant the cultivar. :)

Urban Harvest lists this one as particularly cold hardy, and also particularly tasty! Unfortunately, I can't seem to find anything else on the internet about this variety. It is not listed in my copy of the Western Garden Book. However, as it is a Mexican variety, as are Wilma and Opal, it would probably have plenty in common with others from the same part of the world.

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Hass Avocado blooming season

According to my copy of the Western Garden book, the fruiting season is April-October. This can vary, of course, depending on the exact climate conditions in one's region.

This Purdue University page states that Guatemalan varieties of avocado such as Hass bloom from March-April, with fruit maturing from September-January. The Purdue page is worth looking at, because it lists other differences among the three "horticultural races" of avocado.

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Hass Avocado growing Texas
It's not easy, with the blasts of arctic air we get down here during the winter. See my link above to my posts on Avocados. I also highly recommend seeking out locally published gardening books for your region of Texas.

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Nursery Houston Avocado trees

I don't know of any particular nurseries myself. However, if I wanted to find out, I would call or go to the nearest good local nursery available (I mean the mom-and-pop type places where the people working there know everything about plants and love to talk about them all day long) and ask. If they don't have them, they will probably be willing to point you in the right direction. Also, watch local fruit tree sales.

This website lists current grower inventories of many trees, including the Avocado. At the time of this post, they list Brazos Citrus nursery In West Colombia, TX as a grower of three avocado varieties. They are a wholesale seller only. Click here for a list of retail nurseries that sell their products.

In Year Round Vegetables, Fruits, and Flowers for Metro Houston, Dr. Bob Randall recommends purchasing trees from nurseries that stock plants from Treesearch Farms.

November is for Strawberry planting!

Get those strawberry plants ready! It's time to put them in the ground! (Or the pot, in my case).

Urban Harvest recommends planting strawberry plants from late October through the end of November, with early November being the ideal Time.

Texas A&M Extension recommends planting them between late September and the end of October. They do not specify whether they prefer seeds or plants at that time of year.

I also spoke to a fellow over at my local nursery a few days before Halloween, and he said this is indeed a good time to plant them, but noted that they are difficult to find at this time of year. That particular nursery did not have them in stock at the time, but he said the might be able to obtain them.

Whatever fall month you plant them in, strawberries appear to be high-maintenance annuals around here, requiring vigilance when it comes to watering, fertilizing, and pest control. I figure I'll try anyway. :)



The question is, what type to plant?

Dr. Bob Randall recommends Sunrise, Sweet Charlie, and Earlibelle varieties for their high quality flavor. He recommends mail-ordering plants, if you can. For more of his tips on strawberry cultivation, see his book.

Dr. Larry Stein recommends Chandler and Sequoia. Chandler is sold commercially, so expect flavor similar to grocery store strawberries. Sequoia, he says, is more readily available in nurseries.



For growing, Brenda Beust Smith recommends hanging baskets in her Lazy Gardener's Guide. I may try these, as well as the strawberry jar I recently obtained, depending on how many plants I decide to grow.

To find plants locally, start by going to a good local nursery. If they don't have them, they may be able to point you to someone who does.



For a little bit of Houston area history involving the strawberry, read this article from the Houston Chronicle, which explains why Pasadena, TX has a strawberry festival every spring.

Related Links:
Fruit Gardening in Texas (Texas A&M Extension)
Fall Planted Strawberries by Dr. Larry Stein.
Chronology of Strawberry Varieties in the United States
Fragaria species native to North America
Strawberry Pest Management Guidlelines (University of California, Davis)

Growing Avocados in Houston

It's a lot easier to grow Avocados in Coastal California. The winter temperatures are generally milder. That might explain why some commercial growers choose to produce their crops there. It would probably also explain why so many of the varieties listed at this Purdue University website originate in California. Perhaps not surprisingly, the other state that shows up frequently in the list is Florida.

Despite the challenges this region's climate presents, when I had a seed from a store-bought avocado (presumably Haas variety) volunteer in my kitchen sink some months back, I figured I might as well plant it in a pot, keep it watered, and see what happened.

And it grew.

Now I have this cute little avocado seedling. It's getting so big, I think I'll need to find a larger pot for it soon. The good news is, it's small enough that I'll be able to keep it indoors during the winter. Haas avocados (especially when young and tender) do not appear to have a reputation for doing well around here.

So, just in case something happens to this one (or I feel like getting a second Avocado tree), I've been looking around for infomation on growing Avocados around here.

Being in Zone 8b, I would probably have an easier time with a more cold hardy variety, ideally one that can handle temperatures as low as 15 degrees F.

Urban Harvest recommends the following varieties of avocados for our region:

Opal Avocado Originated in Uvalde, Texas. The medium size pear-shaped fruit is very rich tasting. The skin is green in color.

Wilma Avocado Originated near Pearsall, Texas. The fruit is large in shape and has a good flavor. The skin is black in color.

Fantastic Avocado Green, paper thin skin, most cold hardy of all the Mexican avocados. The fruit has a creamy texture with fantastic flavors. Eat skin and all. It is a vigorous growing beautiful tree.

Their website also has tips for caring for your tree. Apparently the little ones can get sunburn! Rumor also has it that Wilma and Opal avocado trees have been known to survive temperatures as low as 14 degrees Farenheit!




Harris County Cooperative Extension has a fact sheet available online which recommends these varieties (in addition to those suggested by Urban Harvest:

Joey. Found in Uvalde County where it has been producing for more than 25 years; medium
size black fruit; ripens in late September.

Pryor. Original tree is in Uvalde and is very old; smaller size green fruit; good flavor.

Pancho. Cold tolerant; may be difficult to find, but worth having if available.

The Pine Island Nursery website (Which I found using Google) lists the following cold-hardy varieties, with temperatures they tolerate:

Brogdon (22-25 F)

Hall (24-26 F)

Lula (24-26 F)

Monroe (24-26 F)

The links will take you to profiles of each of these avocados on the Pine Island Nursery website. This nursery appears to be located in the Miami area.



Here is another website that profiles several avocado varieties, the most cold hardy of which (Bacon) is supposed to survive temperatures as low as -5 degrees! Climate information for the others is vague at best, however, so it's worth doing research before selecting any of those.



Fuerte avocados are not recommended for regions with wet summers (I guess that's us!) because the summer moisture will cause the fruit to rot.



If you are interested in growing avocados from seed, but don't feel like leaving the seeds in the bottom of your sink for several days, here is a Google Search page, with several results that will help you.

Oleander

Species: Nerium Oleander
Growth Habit: Large evergreen shrub--to 20 ft. Can be trained into tree form.
Soil: Tolerates many soil types
Moisture: Tolerant of drought and heavy rain
Light: Bright sun-part shade
USDA Hardiness Zone: 8-10
Nativity: North Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Mediterranean
Flowers: Summer. white, red, pink, salmon, light yellow
Propagation: Cuttings. Seed is difficult.

This plant is everywhere around here. Residential gardens, municipal gardens, neighborhood gardens. Not only is it everywhere around here, they are also quite common in Southern Calfiornia.

Now, any plant that can thrive with little maintenance in both semi-tropical and semi-arid climates must be pretty tough!

The pink specimen in the picture below is growing in my Grandfather's garden. My husband likes the white ones. So far, I like red best, and I'm hoping to integrate one of each color into our landscape someplace.


Please note that this plant is toxic when ingested by people and pets. Do not inhale the smoke from burning Oleander plants either.

For more information on these shrubs:
International Oleander Society

Elaeagnus Pungens

Light: Part to full sun.
Hardiness: USDA Zones 7-9.
Propagation: Propagated by softwood or hardwood cuttings and by seed.

This is one tough plant. There are a few on our property that came with the house. I don't do anything to them (in terms of water and fertilizer), and they grow just fine. It also appears that whoever planted the bed these plants are in did next to nothing to the native "gumbo" soil. This does not seem to prevent them from growing well.

This plant also appears to do well in the clay soils along the coast of Southern California. This is my grandfather's. He has allowed his to grow in its natural shape:


This one is mine.



When we moved into our house, it was shaped into a box hedge. This works ok, except in the summer, when the plant sends up long, vertical canes very rapidly. Last year, I pruned these off aggressively. Then I heard that these plants have fragrant flowers in the fall. Wondering if I had prevented it from blooming, I decided to let it go this year, and see what happens. So far, no blooming.

Star Jasmine

Star Jasmine (Jasminum multiflorum), also known as Confederate Jasmine, is another plant that seems to like it here on the Gulf-coast. This perennial vine has lovely green foliage all year round, and is covered in snowy white flowers in the spring. Here's a picture of how mine looked during its last blooming season.


It is relatively low-maintenance, assuming you don't plant it someplace where you'll have to trim it back all the time. During the summer and fall growing season, it grows very rapidly. I have one that was planted underneath some trees, before I moved into my house, and I have to frequently trim it back to keep it from climbing into them. Star Jasmine can also work as a rambling groundcover, if you have a large enough space for it.

Here, it blooms in the spring. In the milder climate of my native Southern California, the star jasmine blooms into summer.

The only other difficulty I have had with mine is the occasional bit of powdery mildew, when the humidity starts to go back up toward the end of Spring.

I find, however that this is relatively easy to cope with, using an organic fungicide spray.

Opuntia update--Unexpected aquisition.

I was telling a plant-loving friend of mine that I was thinking of trying to grow a prickly pear, when she told me I was welcome to a lobe of the "spineless" one that she has. So I took her up on it.

The thing looks pretty cute in its container. No obvious signs of new growth yet, but it doesn't look like it is rotting, either. According to this it takes a month for the new roots to form, and I only planted it a couple of weeks ago.

Unfortunately, I do not know exactly which species I have. Maybe when (and if) it gets bigger, I'll take some pictures and post them. Who knows, maybe someone will stumble across the blog and give me some ideas. :)

I can personally recommend handling these with dainty fingers (and gloves, if available). They do not have obvious spines, but they do have tiny little ones that can cause pain, and which are difficult to get out of one's skin, especially if you can't see them very well! I got one in my thumb while transplanting the pad I got from my friend, and it took some careful looking and removing!

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.