Late Spring

Many of our spring blooming plants have set seeds and some of the birds like to eat the seeds. My Bluebonnet seeds have split open and so I know the seeds are mature. Some of the Mealy Blue Sages are still in bloom, but the first blooms that came out have set seeds. I like to watch the birds (especially Lesser Goldfinch) land on the Mealy Blue Sage stalks. The stalk bends with the added weight of the birds. The birds seem to expect this as they extract the seeds from the plant while they bounce along with the wind.

Another plant in my yard that has gone to seed are the poppies. They form a pod when the blooms fade, but these are closed pods. I watch for the top of the pod to lift and expose holes under the lid. Then the seed capsule is like a pepper shaker. If you pick the pod and gently shake the contents into your hand you will see the incredibly small poppy seeds.

The Milkweed plants are now making their unique tear-shaped pods. These pods are first closed and then one day in a few weeks the pod will split open and the seeds will float out on their white fluffy parachute. Keep watching those Milkweeds because this is a lovely sight.

By now all of the plants that are going to resurface after winter have appeared. Among the last to emerge are the Pride of Barbados and Mexican Firebrush. Both of these plants are adapted to our environment, but are not native. Plants that are adapted to Central Texas resemble our Native plants in that they do not require a lot of water, have few insect pests and do not need to be fertilized. Although we are still practicing social distancing, the yard can give us much needed natural entertainment.

Written by Jackie Mattice, Hays County Master Naturalist