Basil

I planted some of it this week in containers with organic potting soil, and kept them watered.

The seeds took only two days to start sprouting.

Wow.

I guess it's easy to grow basil in Houston if you plant your seeds in late August!

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!

Catnip bites the dust. Or the Gumbo. Whatever.

I planted some catnip (Nepeta cataria) outside last spring for two reasons:

One, to encourage our neighbor's free-range cat to frolic in our yard. She likes to hunt.

Two, to see what would happen.

Well the cat disappeared, and the catnip flourished for awhile, even in the black gumbo soil, growing at a dizzying rate. "Hot dog!" I thought. "And without soil amendments or a raised bed or anything!"

Then July came. Rains got heavier, sun got hotter, and the catnip started to look a little peaked.

Now it is definitely on its last legs. It is dying from the roots up, instead of from the top down, like plants usually die (and I've killed my share, believe me). I'm thinking root rot may be the primary culprit, but I'm sure the heat isn't helping.

It'll be raised beds or containers (and hopefully better luck) next time.

Book Review: Botanica

Full Title: Botanica: The Illustrated A-Z of Over 10,000 Garden Plants

This is a massive, encyclopedic volume, containing brief descriptions of almost any plant you could ever want to look up. It also has photographs of most of them. It is highly useful as a reference, and sometimes fun to browse through. When I hear of a species that I think I might like to try out, I usually look it up in this book first.

Being short, the plant descriptions give you just enough information to determine whether or not a plant might be worth growing in your garden. However, if you want detailed information on any particular plant, you will need additional resources. Other downsides include the fact that not every plant is illustrated, and there are some Texas Natives that are not listed in this volume. The information is also very general, so it is worthwhile to cross-check with other resources, especially if you live in a climate as unique as the one we have here along the Texas Coast.

Dioscorea bulbifera

Update (3-1-08): Despite the fact that the Houston Garden book lists them as an option for the garden, I checked the Texas Invasive Plants database, and discovered that this plant is on the list. Apparently Florida and Alabama aren't the only places where this plant can take over. It is also known to spread underground as well as by the builbils. This information was not in the USDA plants database at the time of this original post. Oops. :) And I still have those builbils someone gave me last August!

---------------------------------------------

Common names: Air Potato, Air Yam.
Duration: Deciduous perennial. May freeze to the ground in winter.
Nativity: South America, Africa, Australia
Light: full Sun
Ideal planting time: April
Growth rate: Fast.
Growth Habit: Vine--requires wire or string trellis for maximum growth.
Soil preference: Acidic-neutral, rich, well drained.
USDA zones: 9-11


According to the Houston Garden Book, these deciduous, fast-growing vines are easy to cultivate. Judging by the fact that I see them frequently in this region, I would venture to guess that the book is correct. They are also supposed to be pest resistant.

This plant seems to be quite at home in the tropical and Sub-tropical regions of the United States with thriving naturalized populations in Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida, as well as in Hawaii and Puerto Rico, according to the USDA Plants Database. In some places, it thrives too well, and is therefore considered a noxious and invasive weed in Florida and Alabama. It should not be planted in those states.

I recently acquired two bulbils from a very friendly person with an abundance of these (or something in the same genus) in her own Houston area garden. She likes them, and finds that they take little effort to grow. She just tosses the bulbils wherever she wants her plants to grow, and with watering, they will sprout. No digging, no burying.

I will probably start mine in containers, and find a place for them in my garden later.

See the profile and pictures at Dave's Garden.

Note: Dioscorea bulbifera is not edible!

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.

Gardening on Talk Radio

If you can stand to get up that early, there is a garden show on AM 740 of Houston at 6 o'clock in the morning. I stumbled across it this morning on the radio, while my husband and I were trying to find a traffic report. Sounded like good stuff. :) It's probably old news to people who have lived in this area longer, but it was a pleasant new discovery for me.

Since early in the morning seems to be the only tolerable time to do hard work in the yard during the summer, I expect I might be listening on my trusty walkman (yes, I still have one of those) on occasion. Assuming I can drag myself out of bed.

Hibiscus!

Many varieties of hibiscus grow all over the Texas Gulf region, as well as in Southern California. In fact, the Houston Garden Book has an entire chapter on the origins, propagation, and care of these Chinese natives.

Our winters around here are cold enough that these will often need some heavy pruning after they die back from the winter chill, but they are worth having around just for the spectacular flowers.

Here are three examples (once again from my Grandfather's garden):

Black Beauty (Tentative identification.)


Fiesta


Ross Estey is probably my favorite out of the three. Its petals almost shimmer in the sunlight, and the strips of yellow on the back (pictured below) give this flower interest from every angle.

Growing rare fruit from seed..

Here is a handy reference page I found via Google, including information on Eugenia aggregata, which I will be attempting to grow in the near future.



Read the rest ofmy Eugenia Aggregata posts.

Silk Tree (Albizia julibrissin) a.k.a. "Mimosa"

I have been seeing these all over the place and wondering what they are. Now I know, thanks to a picture of one I found in a book. And I want one!

Photo Source

Click here for more photos

Unfortunately, they set seed, and are considered invasive in places like Texas, so I will have to consider that before I do anything drastic. Like planting one. It may be worth it though, for a pretty tree. :)



For more on this plant see the following:
Duke University
USDA profile for this plant.
Wikipedia

I have also seen them growing happily in Southern California.

Cherry of the Rio Grande (Eugenia aggregata)

This Brazilian native is not named for the Rio Grande river in the United States. :)



It produces an attractive red fruit, which has a flavor resembling cherries and raspberries at the same time. When I tried them myself, I found that they are a little on the tart side, which I like, but if you are into really sweet stuff, these may not be your thing. According to several sources I have read, the fruit is also useful as an ingredient in homemade jams and jellies.

The specimen pictured here is growing happily in my grandfather's yard in Southern California. According to the profile at DavesGarden.com, it also has been known to grow in Arizona, attesting to its tolerance for drought, and in Florida. Given that its native country is known for its tropical climate, it seems very likely that this species would grow in Texas as well.


I will be acquiring seeds soon from my grandfather's plant. We'll see how that goes. It takes about five years for these things to produce fruit--assuming I don't kill them first. :) More on that as it happens.

Links for more Info:

TradewindsFruit.com
Quisqualis.com (Includes pest info)


Read the rest ofmy Eugenia Aggregata posts.

Book Review: The Tropical Look

Full Title: The Tropical Look: An Encyclopedia of Dramatic Landscape Plants
Author: Robert L. Riffle.

I recently had the opportunity to browse through this one, thanks to my Grandfather who has a copy. It is a handy resource for anybody with an interest in Tropical plants, either by choice, or by necessity. It has two sections of good photographs, and plenty of plant information, including many that will grow on the Texas Gulf Coast. It was while thumbing through this book that I learned the identity of a certain tree I like.

Cons: Still not enough pictures!

Seeking inspiration

My husband and I recently made a trip to the South and Central coasts of California. While there, I kept my eyes on the plants, to see what I could find that will grow in coastal Southern California, as well as the coasts of Texas.

One thing is certain: It is tough to be a plant in either place. In California, plants must be highly tolerant of drought, in Texas, they must be high ly tolerant of excess water. Snow is not a problem in either place, but the occasional nasty freeze during winter is an issue in both regions.

Fortunately for me, I have a grandfather whose backyard is practically his own private botanical garden, and he was happy to show me around and point out plants that have potential for a region like this one. The pictures in this post are ones that I took in his garden, which he planted entirely on his own steam, and grew over a period of almost 14 years now.


Over the next several days, I'll be posting pictures of some of the plants I saw on my trip, and information about them as well. Some of them will be no surprise to experience gulf-coast gardeners, but for a newbie like myself, this is all still fascinating.



I'll also do the occasional post on differences between the two regions in terms of the natural landscape. Just for the heck of it.

This is even truer in humid climates:

Gardening requires lots of water - most of it in the form of perspiration.
- Lou Erickson

I'm still here!

I've been really busy collecting things to blog about here. I will slowly be adding them over the next few weeks. :)

Lantana?

According to commenters more experienced than I, this is another possible identification for the irritating (literally) plant that I posted about before.

Here is a photo and description of Lantana at Floridata.com.

Judging by the picture and description, it seems very likely that what I have is probably a dwarf variety.

A quick Google search reveals that Lantana is known to cause contact dermatitis in sensitive individuals.

Apparently, Lantana can also put you in a coma if you ingest them. That's what the Houston Garden Book says, anyway. Fortunately, the leaves are so rough, and the odor of cut and damaged plants is such that I can't imagine anyone thinking they are edible. They don't exactly strike me as being the ideal salad green.

Thanks...

...To Nancy and to Garden Obssession for their helpful comments. Drop by their blogs. It's worth a visit.

Verbena? (or Not...)

Apparently this plant can cause contact dermatitis in people with sensitive skin.

At first, I had this confused with verbena, but commenters quickly corrected me there. :)



In any case, the rough edges of those leaves can create skin irritation. I found this out while reaching through a this plant to remove a rather difficult weed. Then I looked it up on the internet, and found out that both lantana and verbena are indeed known to cause skin irritation in some people.

Here's a lovely shot of my arm.

The picture is a little blurry, so the irritation does not show up very well, but I was starting to get a really nice rash all over the inside of my forearm from reaching through the plant to get at a very obnoxious weed. It itched like crazy, but most of it went away in a few hours (it helped that I washed the area after the irritation began), and it is nearly all gone now, just over 24 hours later. And the discomfort was nothing like what I had later the same day, when my big toe had a run in with some angry fire ants.

I am now searching for alternative low-growing shrubby ground cover type things to replace it. Preferably something that doesn't need heavy pruning every winter. More on that as I learn what might work, and what won't.

Hmm.


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Update: Dermatitis from this plant can last longer than 24 hours, despite oral antihistamines and repeated applications of hydrocortisone cream. The rash is still there. I touched the plant on Monday. It is now Thursday. Grrr. Sleeves are highly recommended.