Black-eyed Susan (Texas native wildflower) is stunning when planted enmasse. The plant has bright yellow, daisy-like flowers, is drought-tolerant and attracts butterflies (courtesy: lawnstarter.com).
by John Green Texas Certified Expert Gardener, Orange County, TX
Our spring season is off to a wonderful start with warm and pleasant weather, including enough rainfall to satisfy plants’ moisture requirements. Lawns are becoming ‘green’ again (ours has a few too many weeds), trees are sprouting leaves (while delivering copious amounts of pollen), while shrubs and perennials are showing initial signs of growth by peeking out of the soil.
Let us hope we are fortunate and that ‘typical’ seasonal climate patterns will allow us to continue receiving significant rainfall throughout spring and summer months, minimizing our reliance on supplemental watering. Many of us (me included) have lost many trees the past four years due to extreme environmental stressors ranging from blistering, draught-ridden summers to frigid, bone-chilling winters. Our trees are not quick to repair themselves, requiring several years to bounce back from extreme damage caused by shifting weather patterns. Trees which are continually stressed across multiple successive seasons often succumb to the environmental load placed upon them leaving behind skeletons. These lifeless shells can impose a heightened risk of personal harm or property damage as decomposition occurs or during heavy wind and storm events if not addressed quickly. Once again, I have experienced the loss of several large trees requiring immediate assistance from professional arborists to remove each of them.
Recently, we discussed how plant selection can improve gardening efficiency by selecting plants that are well suited to specific landscape locations ensuring they will perform better and require minimal assistance. Plants will establish themselves quickly, build healthier root systems, and flourish by meeting plant specific requirements: light, location, moisture, soil, space, and pH. Selecting native and/ or perennial plants is a strategic way for gardeners to conserve water (our most precious resource), reduce the effort required for plant maintenance, with increased cost-efficiency (purchasing fewer plants for spring planting)!
Some gardeners confuse natives and perennials using the terms interchangeably. There are plants which are native but not perennial, and some which are native and perennial. The American Horticultural Society defines a perennial as “any plant that lives for more than two years and normally flowers yearly.” Sounds simple, right? Not so fast…as the meaning could apply to many plants, i.e., trees, shrubs, bulbs, succulents, and numerous others that are not classified as perennials! Many experienced gardeners realize woody plants are excluded but there are exceptions in our growing zones such as salvias which have ‘woody’ stems in milder climates such as ours. Climate has a pronounced influence on whether a plant will be an annual or perennial. Meaning that if a plant is typically considered perennial but cultivated in extreme temperature conditions (blistering summers and/ or frigid winters), it will revert from a perennial, becoming an annual.
The U.S. Department of Agricultures (USDA) definition of a native plant “is a plant that lives or grows naturally in a particular region without direct or indirect human intervention.”
The Native Plant Society of Texas defines native plants as “drought-tolerant, naturally conserving our precious water resources and that they provide habitat and food for birds, butterflies, bees and other wildlife.” It should be noted that native plants do not require more fertilizer, attention, or specialized treatment, since they are natural to their corresponding eco-system, while increasing biodiversity. The USDA further describes ‘naturalized’ plants as being “plants that were introduced long ago but are now thriving and spreading without human intervention.”
Native plants varieties which enjoy our climate – Texas Lantana, Black-eyed Susan, Texas olive, Gregg’s Mistflower, Autumn Sage, American Beautyberry, Texas Mountain laurel, Cross-vine, Hibiscus Martianus, Butterfly Weed (Milkweed), Cardinal Flower, Purple Coneflower, Coreopsis, Guara, Gulf Coast Penstemon, Rudbeckia, Greggi Salvia, Wax Myrtle, Carolina Jessamine, Coral Honeysuckle (non-invasive), and many more.
Perennials which grow well in SETX- Alternanthera, Purple Aster, Bronze Leaf Begonia, Brazilian Bachelor Button, Cat Whiskers, Columbine, Epidendrum, Asparagus Fern, Foxtail Fern, Boston Fern, Southern Wood Fern, Firecracker Plant, Firespike, Gaillardia, Gayfeather, Gazania, Lantana, Liguria, Mexican Heather, Mexican Mint Marigold, Nana Coreopsis, Porterweed, Sages (many varieties available), Salvias (many varieties available), Shasta Daisy, Verbena (many varieties available), Yarrow, and many others.
Another ‘category’ of plants we have available to us in Texas which are known as Texas Superstar® plants. Texas Superstar® plants go through a rigorous ‘testing’ protocol around the state before they are deemed a Texas Superstar® plant. They are evaluated at multiple locations within Texas in replicated plots for a 5-year period. During which time the plants are graded on their performance by competent horticulturists who understand the importance of landscape and marketability. At the end of the trial period, they are graded one last time and if the plant produces enough during the trial period, they are granted Texas Superstar® status, which means they can withstand Texas’ brutal climate (up to any kind of beating Texas weather has to give them wherever they are planted within the state).
Most Texas gardeners are familiar with the infamous Texas Bluebonnet. Other Texas Superstar® plant varieties include Angelonia (Serena series), Duranta, Firebush, Flare Hibiscus, New Gold Lantana, Laura Bush Petunia, Moy Grande Hibiscus, Turks Cap, Plumbago, Pride of Barbados, Vitex, Mexican Bush Sage, Belinda’s Dream Rose, and Deciduous Holly. For a complete list of Texas Superstar® plants, visit the Texas Superstar® website: https://texassuperstar.com/
So, what are the benefits of planting native plants?
· Cost-effective gardening- provides gardeners increased value for money spent purchasing native plants since they are resilient and long-lived. They grow well in our climate, soil conditions, and quickly multiply.
· Decreased Maintenance- native plants are resistant to disease, drought, and vectors (pests) without pesticide use, fertilization, and watering once established.
- Resource Conservation- growth habits of native plants minimize soil erosion, retain water when needed, and can divert storm water runoff into waterways.
- Wildlife Habitat- native plants present natural habitats that accommodate indigenous animal species, flowering (producing nectar), fruit, seeds, and nuts when need by natural inhabitants, and other fauna who are “passing through”, increasing encounters with birds, butterflies, insects, and others.
- Flexible Combinations- multi-seasonal aesthetic for specific planting sites. There is a vast range of plant selections which can grow in a multitude of growing environments including dense shade to full sun, from marshlands to woodlands, and even cultivated perennial borders.
- Environmental Diversity- creates a sustainable ecosystem that perfectly emulates site specific locations allowing fauna to thrive within the ecosystem. Plants institute a sense of place by supplying a visual connection between natural areas and our managed intervention. Each one of us can create a more beautiful, healthier earth!
Most Texas Superstar® and native plants are sun-loving, so be mindful when selecting a planting location which should suffice for many years. All are drought tolerant but require supplemental watering until well-established or when rain is scarce. Note there are plants in both groups, native and Texas Superstar® that can provide visual interest, structure, and inflorescence for every season, providing gardeners freedom to create specific, dramatic landscapes which will be embraced by wildlife and pollinators while allowing for year-round visual appeal. Many of these plants are pollinator magnets great for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Remember, an organic garden provides local wildlife sustenance, but gardeners can benefit from the show!
So long for now fellow gardeners, let us go out and grow ourselves a greener, more sustainable world, one ‘beneficial’ plant at a time! To have all your gardening questions answered or if detailed information is needed send an email to: jongreene57@gmail.com.
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