PLANT OF THE MONTH
'Confetti' Lantana, spotted along the Riverwalk in the early nineties, was the plant that first inspired my love of plants, in particular Texas plants.
February, 2026
This is one of the few things around right now that is still green after the freezes. And what a pretty emerald green! It is Webberville Sedge (Carex perdentata) from the Hill Country. It's not a grass, but resembles one, and has a lot of advantages for here. Namely, it doesn't need much water at all and can tolerate the weather and soil conditions we have-because it is from here. Unlike St. Augustine! It grows to about 6" tall so I can mow it or not, probably not. It's really green in the winter-its growing season- but may go dormant in summer sun, like some of our turf grasses. Like any self respecting lawn, it can be walked upon. The disadvantage is that it has to be planted as individual plants. Laborious, and probably more expensive than a St. Augustine lawn, but at least in theory, permanent. I'm spacing them 10"-12" apart so that they will cover in one or two years. These constraints support the idea that lawns should be kept relatively small and in proportion to the other elements of an outdoor space, such as hardscapes and planting beds. This isn't England (where we got the lawn idea) with daily rain! Let's do it our way, thereby saving ourselves a lot of mowing and irrigating, as well as creating our own Texas look.
June, 2025
Autumn Sage (Salvia greggii) is a beautiful and colorful staple in our Texas gardens. It responds quickly and enthusiastically to rain. It even looks tidy if you prune it lightly twice a year. I've noticed some colors are even more vigorous than others, particularly the bright pink. I have one in the alley behind my house which receives no supplemental irrigation whatsoever, and it is happily and lavishly in bloom right now. Very drought tolerant, great smelling and fantastic colors-what could be better!
.This is our native maple, the Bigtooth Maple (Acer grandidentatum) of Lost Maples State Natural Area fame. As drought tolerant and tough as a tree can be. And very good looking. I have read that they are going extinct, so let's keep them going! People complain about the unreliable fall color, but they are still good without that! I did notice that when I actually started giving it some supplemental water in the summer, surprise, it got more fall color. Hard to find locally, the Medina Native Plant Nursery (844-325-1734) in Medina, Texas, had them in all sizes when I last spoke to him. Road trip!
My Bougainvillea has rewarded my "survival of the fittest" gardening techniques (no supplemental irrigation all summer-yikes!) with this gorgeous display. This is an impressive and beautiful plant.
PLANT OF THE MONTH
Here is a spectacular specimen of Caesalpinia pulcherrima, Pride of Barbados, which performs best in extreme heat and dryness. The red mulch only adds to the drama.
PLANT OF THE MONTH
'Firecracker Plant' (Rusellia equisetiformis) is very striking, very drought tolerant, and needs little or no maintenance. Give it enough room (about three feet) to show off its natural cascading form. Another interesting option is to plant it as an ornamental hedge where its long bloom time (eight months or more) and unusual, fine texture are featured. It may not be evergreen (may freeze to the ground) but might be worth it.
American Beautyberry, Callicarpa americana, is my favorite plant. It is native to Texas and across southeastern United States. The berries are so bright they almost look artificial. Birds love them. American Beautyberry likes morning sun and dappled shade in the afternoon. It is not as tolerant of heat and sun as Mexican Beautyberry, which has leathery leaves and deep purple berries. They seem to be sold interchangeably in nurseries, so Fall is a good time to buy one to know what you're getting!
November, 2020
The Crape Myrtle has a lot to offer to people who like color and appreciate low maintenance. Although not a native of Texas, it performs very much like one. It is drought tolerant and disease and pest resistant but not invasive. It makes itself right at home here with long bloom periods, and somehow achieves the slightly rugged look of a Texas native. There are many colors and sizes to choose from and many have really good Fall color as well. These photos are of the same tree, a few weeks apart. Hard to resist!
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December, 2020
Firespike (Odontonema strictum) has tropical, lush foliage and bright red spikes. It starts to bloom right around the holidays with its festive colors. Firespike likes some shade and will wilt in the sun in hotter months but makes up for that in the winter. There is a pink version that grows larger than the red, but in my experience, maybe because of its size, seems thirstier (wilts more readily) and has smaller blooms.
