(Editor’s note: The author of the October 16 article on the Origins of Keep America Beautiful was Terry Lynn. His name was inadvertently left off. We extend our apologies to Mr. Lynn.)
Fall is generally the time that we scatter wildflower seeds and establish new plants. Now that cooler weather is here and perhaps we will continue to have some rain, the time has come to establish new plants.
I have a friend who is planting a new bed along a fence in her yard. She has lots of sun along one section and some shade in another section. She does not want to carry buckets of water to these plants in the heat of the summer, although she may need to water new plants some the first year when they are getting established. So, what should she plant? Our standard response is NATIVE plants that once established, do not need to be watered more than the natural rain. Native plants are adapted to our environment and do not need fertilizer or pesticides.
Listed here are several perennial native and adapted plants that withstand the Texas sun but will tolerate some shade. Except where noted, they are deer resistant. I would put a wire around them initially.
Jerusalem Sage (Phlomis fruticosa) has yellow blossoms every Spring, variegated leaves, and grows to about 4 feet tall, keeping its leaves in the Winter.
Damianita (Chrysaetina mexicana) always blooms yellow in the spring and sometimes again later in the summer. It is always green but it doesn’t get above 23 feet.
Skeleton-leaf Goldeneye (Viguiera Stenoloba) has yellow flowers that bloom once or twice a year. It will spread, is always green and grows 3-4 feet tall.
Michaelmas Asters (Symphyotrichum) have blue to purple flowers in the Fall and grow 2-3 feet tall, but are NOT deer resistant.
Yellow bells (Tecoma stans) will lose leaves in the Winter but will have lovely yellow blooms almost all Summer starting in early July. It grows to 6 feet tall.
Mexican Oregano (Poliomintha longiflora) has pretty lavender tube flowers most of the summer that the hummingbirds love. The leaves are edible.
Keep Wimberley Beautiful has distributed native wildflower seeds to the Wimberley library, Methodist Church, Barnabas, Deer Creek, EmilyAnn Prairie and city parks at Blue Hole, Patsy Glenn and Jacob’s Well.
Keep Wimberley Beautiful has spread native wildflowers seeds at the Wimberley library, Methodist Church, Barnabas, Deer Creek, Emily-Ann Prairie and at Blue Hole, Patsy Glenn and Jacob’s Well city parks.
