Heat and drought tolerant plants for Texas

[Swolte]

Last two summers have been brutal for Texas gardeners with record-breaking heat combined virtually no rain for (many for) 3+ months. 

My garden is designed for no irrigation (once established) and I have to admit I did have to rescue some plants with the water can after 2 months of this hell. Though most plants visibly suffered under these extreme conditions, there were also plants that did quite OK and even flowered. For example, the following received no water and did well:
- Caesalpinia Pulcherrima (Peacock flower)
- Anisacanthus quadrifidus
- Native lantana

What did well for you under these conditions?

[Xenon]

Leucophyllum frutescens

Hesperaloe parviflora

(surprise, surprise...)

[Swolte]

I'll raise you 

- Chilopsis linearis (this one actually looked BETTER after 3 months of hell than before due to the heavy spring rains)
- Malvaviscus arboreus 
- Erythrina herbacea
 

[Silas_Sancona]

44 minutes ago, Swolte said:

I'll raise you 

- Chilopsis linearis (this one actually looked BETTER after 3 months of hell than before due to the heavy spring rains)
- Malvaviscus arboreus 
- Erythrina herbacea
 

I'd play, ..but,  since i'm not in TX,  it would be cheating to take all your figurative $$$  Lol..        Your list looks A+ so far regardless.. 

  Hands down, Malvaviscus is a definitely one tough cookie.. May not look it's best, but even 55 days of 110+ heat, and .78" of rain -all summer- didn't kill it. Far tougher than i'd be, haha.

[Chester B]

I've been doing a lot of research and listening to what some other Texas gardeners have shared after this summer.   All the plants you have listed they referenced as well.   A couple of others that seemed to do well were:

Gaura lindheimeri

Different Salvias

Firecracker plant - I think this was Rusellia equisetiformis

Tradescantia pallida "purple heart"

Being from a place that does get no rain for 3 months or so each year I can attest to these plants ability to handle drought and heat.  Although I don't get the same intensity of heat, but do get more sunshine hours due to our lack of cloud and longer days in summer.

Some other plants that I utilize here that may be effective down there provided there is good drainage:

California fuschias - Epilobium/Zauschneria 

Evergreen species of Agapanthus

Nerium oleander

Choisiya "Aztec Pearl"

Choisiya arizonica "Bluestone"

Callistemon species.

Euphorbia myrsinites

Euphorbia characias ssp "wulfenii" 

Aloiampelos striatula

 

Edited October 17, 2023 by Chester B

[Silas_Sancona]

24 minutes ago, Chester B said:

 

Being from a place that does get no rain for 3 months or so each year I can attest to these plants ability to handle drought and heat.  Although I don't get the same intensity of heat, but do get more sunshine hours due to our lack of cloud and longer days in summer.

Some other plants that I utilize here that may be effective down there provided there is good drainage:

California fuschias - Epilobium/Zauschneria 

Evergreen species of Agapanthus

Nerium oleander

Choisiya "Aztec Pearl"

Choisiya arizonica "Bluestone"

Callistemon species.

Euphorbia myrsinites

Euphorbia characias ssp "wulfenii" 

Aloiampelos striatula

 

If looking for a viable form of these for cultivation anywhere east of west TX, would source plants the seed of which was originally collected from the form of the species that is native to areas south and east of Tucson where it rains more during the summer..   Forms native to California will likely not tolerate high heat + humidity + rainfall  well / be short- lived anywhere east of ~roughly~ San Antonio.  Would be more cold hardy compared to most CA forms as well.

[Swolte]

I'll go through the list given that it may be more relevant for you later... Note that this is College Station so we're dealing with (probably) worse soil & water and a full zone lower than the City of Houston. Whereabouts are you moving (Woodlands?) and I DO hope you'll come visit me in College Station! Sorry to see you have to leave such an amazing garden behind!

Gaura - Nope
Firecracker - Will usually die in winters
Tradescantia - Mine made it through! Thought it was dead several times but usually pops back up. 
Fuschias - Haven't even tried but I haven't seen many around here. I always figured they won't work!
Evergreen species of Agapanthus - Unsure
Nerium oleander - I haven't been able to get these through a winter to get properly established but I think they should do well here. I do see them used here quite a bit. Still, they do seem to suffer severely in winters here.  
Choisiya "Aztec Pearl" - Tried 3 x and gave up
Choisiya arizonica "Bluestone" - Unsure
Callistemon species - Usually mass die in a cold winter. I have the 'Woodlanders' that does return.
Euphorbia - Have grown them for years but the last two years they all died out. Does need help in extreme summers. I don't really irrigate, so...
Aloiampelos striatula - Tried 3x but didn't make it through the cold winters here. 

Cheers,

~ Steven

[Chester B]

14 hours ago, Swolte said:

I'll go through the list given that it may be more relevant for you later... Note that this is College Station so we're dealing with (probably) worse soil & water and a full zone lower than the City of Houston. Whereabouts are you moving (Woodlands?) and I DO hope you'll come visit me in College Station! Sorry to see you have to leave such an amazing garden behind!

Gaura - Nope
Firecracker - Will usually die in winters
Tradescantia - Mine made it through! Thought it was dead several times but usually pops back up. 
Fuschias - Haven't even tried but I haven't seen many around here. I always figured they won't work!
Evergreen species of Agapanthus - Unsure
Nerium oleander - I haven't been able to get these through a winter to get properly established but I think they should do well here. I do see them used here quite a bit. Still, they do seem to suffer severely in winters here.  
Choisiya "Aztec Pearl" - Tried 3 x and gave up
Choisiya arizonica "Bluestone" - Unsure
Callistemon species - Usually mass die in a cold winter. I have the 'Woodlanders' that does return.
Euphorbia - Have grown them for years but the last two years they all died out. Does need help in extreme summers. I don't really irrigate, so...
Aloiampelos striatula - Tried 3x but didn't make it through the cold winters here. 

Cheers,

~ Steven

Geez - I'm surprised these all did poorly for you considering I'm in 8B and these are all winners here aside from the Firecracker.  No issues with winter here and its wet, so I thought these would do well in most of Texas.  

Yeah I'll either be in zone 9a or 9b.  Location of the home is still up in the air, we're pretty specific with what we are looking for.  Finding a home with a pool AND still lots of room left over for 2 big dogs AND major space for gardens PLUS not in a flood zone.  They are out there but the inventory of homes like that is very limited.  I'm thinking more like Kingswood or Spring.   The issue I see with The Woodlands is the lots tend to be small unless you're buying a huge house, and the tree canopy is a little too dense.  Not so good for growing a tropical garden when many of the plants want more sun.

And yes I will take you up on that offer for a visit, it's always good to me a fellow gardener.  I'm sure I can learn a lot from you.

 

[Silas_Sancona]

15 hours ago, Swolte said:

I'll go through the list given that it may be more relevant for you later... Note that this is College Station so we're dealing with (probably) worse soil & water and a full zone lower than the City of Houston. Whereabouts are you moving (Woodlands?) and I DO hope you'll come visit me in College Station! Sorry to see you have to leave such an amazing garden behind!

Gaura - Nope
Firecracker - Will usually die in winters
Tradescantia - Mine made it through! Thought it was dead several times but usually pops back up. 
Fuschias - Haven't even tried but I haven't seen many around here. I always figured they won't work!
Evergreen species of Agapanthus - Unsure
Nerium oleander - I haven't been able to get these through a winter to get properly established but I think they should do well here. I do see them used here quite a bit. Still, they do seem to suffer severely in winters here.  
Choisiya "Aztec Pearl" - Tried 3 x and gave up
Choisiya arizonica "Bluestone" - Unsure
Callistemon species - Usually mass die in a cold winter. I have the 'Woodlanders' that does return.
Euphorbia - Have grown them for years but the last two years they all died out. Does need help in extreme summers. I don't really irrigate, so...
Aloiampelos striatula - Tried 3x but didn't make it through the cold winters here. 

Cheers,

~ Steven

Assuming you're saying both are killed completely after a colder winter, I'm a little surprised by these two..

Gaura,  now ** Oenothera ** lindheimeri, is native there, so i'd imagine ..even if it dies down over the winter, it should return in the spring..  Remember these were just starting to catch on as a perennial option for more formal landscape applications when i'd lived in KS back in the early 2Ks.

Would think Coral Fountain would also come back if mowed down during a cold winter too??..  Supposedly anyway..  Here they're used extensively in areas where they get full sun and seem to be oblivious to the heat.. Don't see the same kind of freak, extreme cold spells here of course, but i've seen them growing in cooler 9a / 8b areas areas where it can drop into the higher teens and they seem to shrug off being cold cut ( naturally, or by landscapers ) each spring after it warms up...

As for the Fuschia mentioned, completely different than the " traditional " - looking types.. More of a billowy, low growing " bush " with bright red / red orange flowers / green or silvery green narrow leaves. Very common in different habitats in CA ( and parts of AZ / NV, etc )

How do any of the Tecoma do out there?

[Xenon]

2 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

How do any of the Tecoma do out there?

Very common landscape plant. I see it in College Station but it's everywhere in Houston and along the coast. Mostly T. stans 'Gold Star' 

[Silas_Sancona]

31 minutes ago, Xenon said:

Very common landscape plant. I see it in College Station but it's everywhere in Houston and along the coast. Mostly T. stans 'Gold Star' 

Interesting.. Commonest form planted here too, but you also see plenty of the other cultivars as well.. How well do the orange- flowered ones hold up to the cold there?

[Xenon]

10 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Interesting.. Commonest form planted here too, but you also see plenty of the other cultivars as well.. How well do the orange- flowered ones hold up to the cold there?

Yes, see the orange one occasionally too. Never paid attention to exact cold hardiness as they are so common/bulletproof. Tecoma often goes many years without freezing back in Houston (usual quick upper 20s freezes or 30s for a warm winter) while I'd assume it freezes back in College Station almost every year. 

As far as heat and drought goes, Parkinsonia does great. I've seen several in College Staton so it must handle cold too. It's somewhat rare in Houston and probably needs to be specially sited for drainage. The best I've seen are in a parking lot island. 

As far as tropicals way down south go, you often see Delonix regia growing on unirrigated lots which is pretty amazing (these often also have the best flower display).  Casuarina doesn't blink either and Ficus religiosa is a minor weed. 

[Silas_Sancona]

25 minutes ago, Xenon said:

Yes, see the orange one occasionally too. Never paid attention to exact cold hardiness as they are so common/bulletproof. Tecoma often goes many years without freezing back in Houston (usual quick upper 20s freezes or 30s for a warm winter) while I'd assume it freezes back in College Station almost every year. 

As far as heat and drought goes, Parkinsonia does great. I've seen several in College Staton so it must handle cold too. It's somewhat rare in Houston and probably needs to be specially sited for drainage. The best I've seen are in a parking lot island. 

As far as tropicals way down south go, you often see Delonix regia growing on unirrigated lots which is pretty amazing (these often also have the best flower display).  Casuarina doesn't blink either and Ficus religiosa is a minor weed. 

I wonder if they're using P. texana  ( ..or the " Border " form, P. texana. var. macra ) < or whatever cross (es) involving it >  in landscape applications there..  Curious only because i know -here at least- i've seen P. aculeata  burnt after a ~fairly mild~ freeze event ...Say 3-4 mornings w/ lows bottoming out in the 24-27F range for 3-5 hours.  Come back fast of course but, imagine the bigger landscapers there might be wary of extensively using a tree that could get nailed badly after a bad winter??  -in colder areas at least-..  Regardless..

Casuarina  are tough ..There were 2 sp. that were planted extensively around the perimeter of the elementary school i'd went to back in San Jose and they didn't blink after the '90 freeze there ( 18-21F in that part of town, if i remember right )

Agree completely,  Want a good flower display on a Royal Poinciana?  get it up,  then leave it / don't constantly water / baby them.   Wonder if ignoring them might help them survive bad winters with less  potential damage  ..compared to specimens that get a little too much attention.  🤔 

[Xenon]

51 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Wonder if ignoring them might help them survive bad winters with less  potential damage  ..compared to specimens that get a little too much attention.  🤔 

Damage seems about the same following 2021 freeze. It's a good indicator plant for which areas were slightly warmer though, greater diameter wood helps a lot too. The warmest areas retained larger diameter outer branches, the next warmest lower branches/main trunk, and finally the base/ground. 

[Calosphace]

Aniscarthus wrightii is one of my favorite additons this year, real winner there. I just ordered two other color forms (San Antonia Red and Pumpkln)

I can't vouch for 110 F as highest it got here was 102 but I have a bed at work that is awful and slopped with no irrigation, bad filldirt, tons of concrete, most of the plants able to survive have already been mentioned but here are some others:

Agave obviously (victoria-reginae)

Dyckia I think it is Grape Jelly

Probably not suited to 8b Androlepis skinneri or a hybrid of it with an Aechmea It is a full sun brom here in FL but I would give it filtered light ideally under Yellow mexican bird or similar loose bean type plant
Aechmea recurvata & hybrids e.g. Neomea Strawberry; straight A. recurvata is hardy zone 8b

Whatever the native TX oak is should work too of course and would create perfect microclimes for many subtropicals

might not be hardy Firebush

Heliotropium angiospermum (native to both TX and FL) [would be reseeding annual there]

Jatropha peregrina?

Paraguayan ghost plant & its hybrids which tend to be hardier than most succulents I have relatives in central GA zone 8a that grow them

Also one of my absolute favorite plants is native honeysuckle variety called "Dan's Everblooming" sold by Almost Eden Plants. It was selected from a wild TX plant. It should be drought tolerant once established as I've seen some basically growing at a sand dune here

In the bed I am experimenting with Salvia chamaedryoides (it is montane so I have it in filtered light) Salvia Vibe Ignition Purple which otherwise rot in FL, and Hibiscus martianus + Aristolochia erecta (TX native)
some Agastache might work too and smell great

Bidwell's Coral Tree

Ilex vomitoria's range extends into TX as well and is common even in hellstrips here

Edited October 19, 2023 by Calosphace

[Fusca]

Besides various Yucca and Agave I had a few Bauhinia × blakeana, Dermatophyllum secundiflorum and a calamondin that performed pretty well in full all day sun (I think I watered the calamondin only once).  It lost all of its fruit to the lack of water but is now flowering again since we got some recent rain.  In spite of watering I have a Eriobotrya japonica that is nearly completely burnt and several Lagerstroemia indica that lost all of their leaves but now regrowing and nearly completely back to form.  In 4 years I have only seen flowers on the crapes this year but they didn't last long!  I have Plumbago auriculata in a seasonally shaded spot on the north side of my house that never seems to look bothered.  I had some in full sun in San Antonio along with Salvia gregii, Leucophyllum frutescens, Tecoma stans and a Cordia boissieri which I also have planted here and did great.  The olive looked stressed for a few weeks but that's it.  Delonix regia and Ebenopsis ebano did very well also.  I was surprised how well Cordyline fruticosa did with no supplemental water in partial shade areas.

[Swolte]

On 10/18/2023 at 11:37 AM, Chester B said:

Geez - I'm surprised these all did poorly for you considering I'm in 8B and these are all winners here aside from the Firecracker.  No issues with winter here and its wet, so I thought these would do well in most of Texas.  

Yeah I'll either be in zone 9a or 9b.  Location of the home is still up in the air, we're pretty specific with what we are looking for.  Finding a home with a pool AND still lots of room left over for 2 big dogs AND major space for gardens PLUS not in a flood zone.  They are out there but the inventory of homes like that is very limited.  I'm thinking more like Kingswood or Spring.   The issue I see with The Woodlands is the lots tend to be small unless you're buying a huge house, and the tree canopy is a little too dense.  Not so good for growing a tropical garden when many of the plants want more sun.

And yes I will take you up on that offer for a visit, it's always good to me a fellow gardener.  I'm sure I can learn a lot from you.

Well, do keep in mind that my style of gardening, location, and site characteristics (including deer pressure, soil, zone, etc...), are probably not ideal for most plants. I am sure that several of those plants may do fine in a 9a/b. with some TLC. The big problem with Texas, among many other things, is the weather extremes. I thought I was in 8b but that all goes out the window when we'll have a string of 7b days. A few months of weather that's comparable to what you'd typically see in Arizona deserts also doesn't help.   

Lets get in touch in May or so. Good time to show off gardens! Fingers crossed for a normal winter...

On 10/18/2023 at 12:10 PM, Silas_Sancona said:

Gaura,  now ** Oenothera ** lindheimeri, is native there, so i'd imagine ..even if it dies down over the winter, it should return in the spring..  Remember these were just starting to catch on as a perennial option for more formal landscape applications when i'd lived in KS back in the early 2Ks.

I agree these should work!! I've just not seen them work long term in College Station in more naturalistic gardening conditions (unless someone can show me otherwise). I have tried them in pots, ground, well-draining, poorly draining, etc... Friends of mine failed to get them established here too! Perhaps the past few years have been too brutal for establishing anything and I should at least give the lindheimeri another shot.

Same story for the Russelia. I do have one in a very protected location (in between rocks and mulched, protected from winds) and it does return (albeit barely). In any more open conditions, I rarely see them get through winters here. Its a common plant in nurseries here but there's a reason you often don't see them on roadsides or corporate plantings long-term.
 

On 10/18/2023 at 12:10 PM, Silas_Sancona said:

How do any of the Tecoma do out there?

Tecoma in College station is tricky. The only one I have had luck with returning is the angustifolia (Arizona). Its harder to find in the trade as it doesn't bloom as profusely but it does come back from the extreme winters, even when sited in more exposed conditions. I added a pic of mine (note the narrow leaves!).

I find other varieties to be inferior and a bit hit or miss. Many people plant them here but I have not seen them live long term in my neighborhood. They all perished under my regime of care and garden conditions (tried the orange one too, albeit once...). A friend of mine in College Station has found a source of Tecoma that he claims does well (and does bloom more profusely), though. I also believe the TAMU gardens had a large specimen but they do take regular care of their plants and they are also more 'downtown' so it doesn't get as cold as out in country. 

They'll do great in Houston, indeed!

On 10/18/2023 at 1:12 PM, Xenon said:

As far as heat and drought goes, Parkinsonia does great. I've seen several in College Staton so it must handle cold too. It's somewhat rare in Houston and probably needs to be specially sited for drainage.

I am not too sure with these. Most died and a few returned from the base in College Station (my largest one didn't return in '21). The freeze even did a number on them in Houston! I attached a pic from the downtown Houston Zoo I visited last weekend (apologies for poor quality but I had two kids to keep an eye on at the same time). You can see it resprouted from the ground but it does mean you'll have to wait a few years before you'll have a mature-looking tree again! I recall there was a wonderfully mature specimen next to the parking lot of the Rose Emporium that was over 30ft large that is now gone after '21 (I grew mine from seed I collected from theirs). I am not sure it resprouted. 

Edited October 20, 2023 by Swolte

[Xenon]

8 minutes ago, Swolte said:

 

I am not too sure with these. Most died and a few returned from the base in College Station (mine didn't in '21). The freeze even did a number on them in Houston! I attached a pic from the Houston Zoo downtown I visited last weekend (apologies for poor quality but I have two kids to keep an eye on at the same time). You can see it resprouted from the ground but you'll have to wait a few years before you'll have a mature-looking tree again! There was a wonderfully mature specimen next to the parking lot of the Rose Emporium that was over 30ft large that is now gone after '21 (I grew mine from seed I collected from theirs). I am not sure it resprouted. 

 

 

Shame about the ones in the Herman Park area, exactly what I was referring to in the previous post. Haven't seen since before 2020, there was a parking lot with several of them (maybe a dozen?), near the Musuem of Natural Science iirc. RE: College Station, I saw the Parkinsonia near the Lowes/Walmart on HW6/Briarcrest Dr, not sure which species. 

[Swolte]

10 minutes ago, Xenon said:

Shame about the ones in the Herman Park area, exactly what I was referring to in the previous post. Haven't seen since before 2020, there was a parking lot with several of them (maybe a dozen?), near the Musuem of Natural Science iirc. RE: College Station, I saw the Parkinsonia near the Lowes/Walmart on HW6/Briarcrest Dr, not sure which species. 

Yeah, I know what you mean! Those were some great specimens at that parking lot. A real pity! 

[Silas_Sancona]

7 minutes ago, Swolte said:

Well, do keep in mind that my style of gardening, site characteristics (including deer pressure, soil, zone, etc...), are worse than typically experienced in Texas. I am sure that several of those plants may do fine in a 9a/b. The big problem with Texas, among many other things, is the weather extremes. I thought I was in 8b but we'll have a string of 7b days or a few months of weather that's comparable to what you'd typically see in Arizona deserts.   

Lets get in touch in May or so. Good time to show off gardens! Fingers crossed for a normal winter...

I'd agree. I've not seen them work long term in College Station in more naturalistic conditions, though (unless someone can show me!). I have tried them in pots, ground, well-draining, poorly draining, etc... Friends of mine here too! It could have just been the past few years have been too brutal for establishing anything and I should at least give the lindheimeri another shot. Same story for the Russelia. I do have one in a very protected location (in between rocks and mulched, protected from winds) and it does return (albeit barely). In any more open conditions, I rarely see them get through winters here. Its a common plant in nurseries here but there's a reason you often don't see them on roadsides or corporate curbs long-term.

 

Tecoma in College station is tricky. The only one I have had luck with returning is the angustifolia (Arizona). Its harder to find in the trade as it doesn't bloom as profusely but it does come back from the extreme winters, even in more exposed conditions. I added a pic of mine (note the narrow leaves). I find other varieties to be inferior and a bit hit or miss. Most neighbors plant them but I have not seen them live long term in my neighborhood. They won't live under my regime of care and conditions (tried the orange one too, but once...) though a friend of mine in College Station has found a source of Tecoma that he claims does well (and does bloom more profusely). I do believe the TAMU gardens have a large specimen but they do take regular care of their plants and they are also more 'downtown' so it doesn't get as cold as out in country.  They'll do great in Houston!

I am not too sure with these. Most died and a few returned from the base in College Station (mine didn't in '21). The freeze even did a number on them in Houston! I attached a pic from the Houston Zoo downtown I visited last weekend (apologies for poor quality but I have two kids to keep an eye on at the same time). You can see it resprouted from the ground but you'll have to wait a few years before you'll have a mature-looking tree again! There was a wonderfully mature specimen next to the parking lot of the Rose Emporium that was over 30ft large that is now gone after '21 (I grew mine from seed I collected from theirs). I am not sure it resprouted. 

Pictured specimen being P. aculeata, not surprised to see it got knocked down to the roots, but a bit surprised it came back after the kind of temps you saw in '21 ..   You might try to source seed of P. texana from areas just west / S.W. of San Antonio to trial..  It might perform better.

iNat data / distribution map: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1305194-Parkinsonia-texana



I'd figure the AZ form of T. stans  would be toughest since it grows in zone 8 areas just south of Tucson..  Agree, it's thinner looking than the showier cultivars, but i too like it for it's adaptability.. Also agree it is tougher to find -even in the " good " nurseries in Tucson- but, i see it offered regularly enough. Was on my " to collect seed from wild specimens list " this year  but, with how dry it was, i doubt there was much seed production. Couldn't get down south anyway, so.. 


The  " Past couple years being tough to get newly planted specimens established " is definitely a possibility .. Here's the iNat obs. for O. lindheimeri..  Looks like it is being grown by folks there in C.S.. Tough to say if the observations are long term specimens though of course..

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/590726-Oenothera-lindheimeri

It's spiny, but Celtis pallida / ..or whatever species name they're calling it now, lol.. might do well for you.. Survives heat / drought for sure ( though it will look better / grow more w/ occasional water. )

[Swolte]

10 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Pictured specimen being P. aculeata, not surprised to see it got knocked down to the roots, but a bit surprised it came back after the kind of temps you saw in '21 ..   You might try to source seed of P. texana from areas just west / S.W. of San Antonio to trial..  It might perform better.

Thanks Silas, I will try these! I'll look into the other suggestions too. That O. lindheimeri is a real beauty so I am definitely giving it another shot. 

To illustrate crazy Texas weather. My thermometer indicated a chilly 47 F this morning. We're about to top out at 96 today (probably end up being higher). Welcome to fall. 
😛

I also want to give a shout out to heartleaf skullcap (Scutellaria ovata) that just returned this week. I planted these in dappled shade and they had a tough time getting established. Deer do get these at times. I have a silvery version as well. I think plants that are able to go dormant during extreme weather events (e.g., Calla, Crinums, Aesculus Pavia, etc...) are a good choice for low care (collector) gardens. Zero care.

 

Edited October 20, 2023 by Swolte

[Silas_Sancona]

3 hours ago, Swolte said:

Thanks Silas, I will try these! I'll look into the other suggestions too. That O. lindheimeri is a real beauty so I am definitely giving it another shot. 

To illustrate crazy Texas weather. My thermometer indicated a chilly 47 F this morning. We're about to top out at 96 today (probably end up being higher). Welcome to fall. 
😛

I also want to give a shout out to heartleaf skullcap (Scutellaria ovata) that just returned this week. I planted these in dappled shade and they had a tough time getting established. Deer do get these at times. I have a silvery version as well. I think plants that are able to go dormant during extreme weather events (e.g., Calla, Crinums, Aesculus Pavia, etc...) are a good choice for low care (collector) gardens. Zero care.

 

Skullcaps are nice options.  See S. potosiana  for sale in some nurseries when flowering in spring which is odd since most iNat observations -here in AZ at least- peg it flowering during the summer.. Looking at more observations, appears it can flower year-round.  Tempted to try it here, but think even the shaded bed out front gets too much sun / would still roast during the summer. That said, it does grow up in the foothills east of here, so, i may still try it.. Also grows in Z8 areas down south and in S. N.M.  S. wrightii  is another one i'd consider trying if available here.

It's been awhile, but i know we've seen similar, wild temp. swings during the " cooler " part of the year.. Pretty sure it was Feb. of '18 when we had a week or two stretch of  of mornings in the low 50s / high 40s, upper 80s / ..a  low 90 or two  later in the afternoon.. Remember because i was helping some people slap some paint on a neighbor's house they were getting ready to sell after the owner passed,  and payed my one and only visit to the Superstitions around the same time.. Felt more like early May than early Feb.  Anyway..

You mentioned things like Crinums..  You tried the summer- deciduous form of Hymenocallis occidentalis ( var. eulae ) ?  From everything i've read from John Fairey / Peckerwood,  it is supposed to be quite drought resistant / grows in drier habitats compared to a majority of Spider Lilies.  Looks like it would make a tough summer - blooming complement to Ox Blood Lilies & Lycoris.

[Swolte]

7 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

You mentioned things like Crinums..  You tried the summer- deciduous form of Hymenocallis occidentalis ( var. eulae ) ?  From everything i've read from John Fairey / Peckerwood,  it is supposed to be quite drought resistant / grows in drier habitats compared to a majority of Spider Lilies.  Looks like it would make a tough summer - blooming complement to Ox Blood Lilies & Lycoris.

Yes, I am surprised you know of this obscure plant! It survived last years drought but it hasn't returned this year. Maybe it will at a later time... I'll keep you posted! Its not on my radar given it hasn't yet flowered for me. I do have it in a spot that gets increasingly more shade with an expanding canopy.  

On 10/19/2023 at 4:43 PM, Fusca said:

In spite of watering I have a Eriobotrya japonica that is nearly completely burnt and several Lagerstroemia indica that lost all of their leaves but now regrowing and nearly completely back to form. 

I am also impressed by the Eriobotrya japonica as I initially didn't expect it to live through these extreme droughts with its large leaves. Given my specimen was gifted to me from a good friend, I do hand water it when I see it stressed. Does yours have fruit? Mine has finally grown large enough so the deer can't reach the top leaves anymore.  

On 10/19/2023 at 6:52 AM, Calosphace said:

Also one of my absolute favorite plants is native honeysuckle variety called "Dan's Everblooming" sold by Almost Eden Plants. It was selected from a wild TX plant. It should be drought tolerant once established as I've seen some basically growing at a sand dune here

That's good to know, thanks. I'll have to check that one out (appears to be out of stock, atm). I admittedly haven't tried many honeysuckles yet.  Recently planted a small 'Goldflame' so we'll see how they do with me!

I can confirm the Hibiscus Martianus and Agastache are real troopers. My Agastache did die back this summer but it appears to return... Bidwill's hybrid coral Tree even lives here in 8b and does great. Amazingly resilient plant if you have the space.

[Silas_Sancona]

3 minutes ago, Swolte said:

Yes, I am surprised you know of this obscure plant! It survived last years drought but it hasn't returned this year. Maybe it will at a later time... I'll keep you posted! Its not on my radar given it hasn't yet flowered for me. I do have it in a spot that gets increasingly more shade with an expanding canopy.  

I am also impressed by the Eriobotrya japonica as I initially didn't expect it to live through these extreme droughts with its large leaves. Given my specimen was gifted to me from a good friend, I do hand water it when I see it stressed. Does yours have fruit? Mine has finally grown large enough so the deer can't reach the top leaves anymore.  

That's good to know, thanks. I'll have to check that one out (appears to be out of stock, atm). I admittedly haven't tried many honeysuckles yet.  Recently planted a small 'Goldflame' so we'll see how they do with me!

I can confirm the Hibiscus Martianus and Agastache are real troopers. My Agastache did die back this summer but it appears to return... Bidwill's hybrid coral Tree even lives here in 8b and does great. Amazingly resilient plant if you have the space.

That particular Hymenocallis has been on my radar since Adam ( Black ) had mentioned it wayy back when he was working at the gardens..  I'd ment to e-mail him about seed, but he moved on from working there before i got around to it, lol..  Because of it's apparent drought hardiness, would enjoy trialing it here / in CA. from how Adam and others had described it's growing habit,  it sounds like it might behave like Amaryllis belladonna, or Ox Bloods.

Imagine if you started w/ a smaller plant ( or plants  ) they'll take a few years to reach flowering size, like other bulbs. Have Rain Lilies i'd started from seed ( Hopefully crossed ) in 2019 that probably have another year or two before i should start seeing flowers.. Belladonna lilies can take upwards of 5 years to flower again when dug up and moved, even though the bulbs themselves are large / mature- aged.


If i manage to get my paws on seed next year,  i'll have to send you some off a local Honeysuckle sp.. Grows in the 8b / 9a Chaparral belt just above Superior ( east of where i'm at in the valley ).. Not quite a vine / not quite a bush but the flowers are nice and it seems really tough / attracts tons of pollinators, even returning from being burnt to the ground. Seems content growing out of very porous, old lava and sand up at Oak Flat. 

Coral Honeysuckle is another U.S. native that seems to does alright here -though i killed one i had-  if placed where it gets some afternoon shade.  Have a small one that popped up out front that seems to handle our heat / drought fine so far, though it hasn't grown much.

Agree, Bidwill's Coral Tree is a great option for anyone who can't grow the more tender ones..  Except here.. Haven't found one Erythrina sp.  that will tolerate the heat in the valley,  even our native sp. ( though it grows well in Tucson ) 

[Swolte]

11 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

That particular Hymenocallis has been on my radar since Adam ( Black ) had mentioned it wayy back when he was working at the gardens..  I'd ment to e-mail him about seed, but he moved on from working there before i got around to it, lol..  Because of it's apparent drought hardiness, would enjoy trialing it here / in CA. from how Adam and others had described it's growing habit,  it sounds like it might behave like Amaryllis belladonna, or Ox Bloods.

Yes, Adam shared this wonderfully backlit picture of them at some point that is burned in my mind (who needs flowers!). I attached it.  Unfortunately, they don't have them in stock at JFGardens at the moment otherwise I could have sent you some. Adam did just tell me that there was/is a population in the trails in my neighborhood literally a mile or 3 from my house... (he even remembered the exact location...). Can you tell I don't go out much anymore?! (Kids are a killer).

I have to admit I lost the tag and forgot exactly where I put it. I did spot something in my garden this morning that might be one too (see pic). 

11 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

If i manage to get my paws on seed next year,  i'll have to send you some off a local Honeysuckle sp.. Grows in the 8b / 9a Chaparral belt just above Superior ( east of where i'm at in the valley ).. Not quite a vine / not quite a bush but the flowers are nice and it seems really tough / attracts tons of pollinators, even returning from being burnt to the ground. Seems content growing out of very porous, old lava and sand up at Oak Flat. 

Would very much appreciate that!
 

11 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Agree, Bidwill's Coral Tree is a great option for anyone who can't grow the more tender ones..  Except here.. Haven't found one Erythrina sp.  that will tolerate the heat in the valley,  even our native sp. ( though it grows well in Tucson ) 

Bummer, Arizona sounds like a whole new level of hell. Mine retained leaf tension for most of the summer (temps 100+ everyday with nighttime in 80s, no rain for 3 months) though it did receive some run off from some establishing plants around it that I did hand water at times.  

I also want to give a shout out to Allium drummondii. Remained green throughout the summer and is now happily in bloom. Zero care! Pic attached! 

Edited October 21, 2023 by Swolte

[Fusca]

15 hours ago, Swolte said:

I am also impressed by the Eriobotrya japonica as I initially didn't expect it to live through these extreme droughts with its large leaves. Given my specimen was gifted to me from a good friend, I do hand water it when I see it stressed. Does yours have fruit? Mine has finally grown large enough so the deer can't reach the top leaves anymore. 

Normally I do get loquats but none this year and only minimal wrinkly fruits last year due to drought.  It's a shame that they have virtually no shelf life or they'd be sold at HEB.  They're good!  I did attempt to make jam from last year's fruit but it didn't turn out too well.

I didn't think to mention before that giant crinum lilies and plumeria also did well.  The plumeria will drop leaves and the crinums lean almost to the ground when really stressed but then recover quickly once it rains.

[thyerr01]

Most of my garden is on drip irrigation, but this summer was rough. Especially when the irrigation shut off while I was out of town for work...

Anisacanthus quadrifidus - quite weedy here, I get a lot of seedlings which then grow without irrigation. I have red and yellow forms, they both flower about the same and completely finished by Oct. I wish there were some cultivars that flowered for longer.

Callistemons - these all seem to well and lots of really hardy cultivars are available. Most of the larger forms of C. vimminalis, which is quite frost tender, came back from our recent freezes in my area.

Malvaviscus arboreus - local native, any amount of sun or shade is fine.

Hamelia patens - grows fine without irrigation, although better with some. A few different forms available and was hardy in Austin in commercial landscapes.

Poliomintha bustamanta - great pollinator plant, well suited to all of central/gulf Texas, reasonably drought hardy once established. I would love to try more species in this genus.

Justicia fulvicoma - I have two different forms of this, and one is much tougher than the other. Withstands both heat and freezes, some of mine are in full blazing sun, flowers most of the year, self seeds moderately and seedlings grow without irrigation. Easily the best Justicia for Houston, along with J. spicigera/leonardii or whatever the common orange one actually is.

Eysenhardtia texana - extremely hardy and great pollinator plant, no irrigation once established.

Scutellaria wrightii, wrightii hybrids, and suffructescens - these will grow in my raised beds in sun without irrigation, but they spend summer hating life. Tropical skullcaps (like S. longifolia) take a lot more sun than I expected as long as they are watered.

Some other comments:

Aloiampelos striatula - I've never seen this anywhere in Texas, I assume the regular freezes are too much for it?

Salvias (any/all) - I've tried over 20 species in Houston and they have been a complete disaster. The last two species I have left are S. microphylla and S. blepharophylla, and about half of my remaining plants died over the summer along with my last S. gesneriiflora. They all seem to attract huge numbers of sage leafhoppers and spider mites, which then spread to everything nearby. I don't understand why I struggle with these and I've seen nice plantings or various species elsewhere in Houston.

Erythrina flabelliformis, herbacea, hybrids - I'd like to try some of these, but haven't seen any in person in Texas. Interested to hear x bidwillii grows well in Tx 8b.

Edited October 21, 2023 by thyerr01

[Xenon]

1 hour ago, thyerr01 said:

Salvias (any/all) - I've tried over 20 species in Houston and they have been a complete disaster. The last two species I have left are S. microphylla and S. blepharophylla, and about half of my remaining plants died over the summer along with my last S. gesneriiflora. They all seem to attract huge numbers of sage leafhoppers and spider mites, which then spread to everything nearby. I don't understand why I struggle with these and I've seen nice plantings or various species elsewhere in Houston.

Salvias tend to fizzle out for me too (often takes a year or two). The exceptions are S. guarantica (the common 'Black and Blue') and S. coccinea. I had S. blepharophylla and S. sinaloensis for a while but they've quietly disappeared. 

[Xenon]

1 hour ago, thyerr01 said:

 

Erythrina flabelliformis, herbacea, hybrids - I'd like to try some of these, but haven't seen any in person in Texas. Interested to hear x bidwillii grows well in Tx 8b.

You should get E. crista-galli, there was a mature one walking distance from me that did mostly fine throughout all of the 2010s freezes (I get colder than most of Houston, so upper teens multiple times). I haven't checked on it in a while but probably came back from the ground after 2021. There were at least several other specimens around town too. 

[Swolte]

3 hours ago, Fusca said:

Normally I do get loquats but none this year and only minimal wrinkly fruits last year due to drought.  It's a shame that they have virtually no shelf life or they'd be sold at HEB.  They're good!  I did attempt to make jam from last year's fruit but it didn't turn out too well.

A friend of mine 'succeeded' to have good jam that we enjoyed on pancakes. He did add quite some sugar (and some other stuff I don't recall).

1 hour ago, thyerr01 said:

Poliomintha bustamanta - great pollinator plant, well suited to all of central/gulf Texas, reasonably drought hardy once established. I would love to try more species in this genus.

Oh yes, good one. I found they need sharp drainage to succeed. Deer avoid them like the plague too. 

1 hour ago, thyerr01 said:

Justicia fulvicoma - I have two different forms of this, and one is much tougher than the other. Withstands both heat and freezes, some of mine are in full blazing sun, flowers most of the year, self seeds moderately and seedlings grow without irrigation. Easily the best Justicia for Houston, along with J. spicigera/leonardii or whatever the common orange one actually is.

Yes, great plants. I was quite surprised to see the Spicigera return from winters here, even in College Station. Zero care for me.

2 hours ago, thyerr01 said:

Aloiampelos striatula - I've never seen this anywhere in Texas, I assume the regular freezes are too much for it?

I tried and shared a couple but none returned from the '21 freeze. Its possible that, when more established and placed in sharp draining rock gardens that they may do well here. I suspect Houston should be ok for this one, though!

[Silas_Sancona]

6 hours ago, Swolte said:

Yes, Adam shared this wonderfully backlit picture of them at some point that is burned in my mind (who needs flowers!). I attached it.  Unfortunately, they don't have them in stock at JFGardens at the moment otherwise I could have sent you some. Adam did just tell me that there was/is a population in the trails in my neighborhood literally a mile or 3 from my house... (he even remembered the exact location...). Can you tell I don't go out much anymore?! (Kids are a killer).

I have to admit I lost the tag and forgot exactly where I put it. I did spot something in my garden this morning that might be one too (see pic). 

Would very much appreciate that!
 

Bummer, Arizona sounds like a whole new level of hell. Mine retained leaf tension for most of the summer (temps 100+ everyday with nighttime in 80s, no rain for 3 months) though it did receive some run off from some establishing plants around it that I did hand water at times.  

I also want to give a shout out to Allium drummondii. Remained green throughout the summer and is now happily in bloom. Zero care! Pic attached! 

 

1 hour ago, thyerr01 said:

Most of my garden is on drip irrigation, but this summer was rough. Especially when the irrigation shut off while I was out of town for work...

Anisacanthus quadrifidus - quite weedy here, I get a lot of seedlings which then grow without irrigation. I have red and yellow forms, they both flower about the same and completely finished by Oct. I wish there were some cultivars that flowered for longer.

Callistemons - these all seem to well and lots of really hardy cultivars are available. Most of the larger forms of C. vimminalis, which is quite frost tender, came back from our recent freezes in my area.

Malvaviscus arboreus - local native, any amount of sun or shade is fine.

Hamelia patens - grows fine without irrigation, although better with some. A few different forms available and was hardy in Austin in commercial landscapes.

Poliomintha bustamanta - great pollinator plant, well suited to all of central/gulf Texas, reasonably drought hardy once established. I would love to try more species in this genus.

Justicia fulvicoma - I have two different forms of this, and one is much tougher than the other. Withstands both heat and freezes, some of mine are in full blazing sun, flowers most of the year, self seeds moderately and seedlings grow without irrigation. Easily the best Justicia for Houston, along with J. spicigera/leonardii or whatever the common orange one actually is.

Eysenhardtia texana - extremely hardy and great pollinator plant, no irrigation once established.

Scutellaria wrightii, wrightii hybrids, and suffructescens - these will grow in my raised beds in sun without irrigation, but they spend summer hating life. Tropical skullcaps (like S. longifolia) take a lot more sun than I expected as long as they are watered.

Some other comments:

Aloiampelos striatula - I've never seen this anywhere in Texas, I assume the regular freezes are too much for it?

Salvias (any/all) - I've tried over 20 species in Houston and they have been a complete disaster. The last two species I have left are S. microphylla and S. blepharophylla, and about half of my remaining plants died over the summer along with my last S. gesneriiflora. They all seem to attract huge numbers of sage leafhoppers and spider mites, which then spread to everything nearby. I don't understand why I struggle with these and I've seen nice plantings or various species elsewhere in Houston.

Erythrina flabelliformis, herbacea, hybrids - I'd like to try some of these, but haven't seen any in person in Texas. Interested to hear x bidwillii grows well in Tx 8b.

 

14 minutes ago, Xenon said:

Salvias tend to fizzle out for me too (often takes a year or two). The exceptions are S. guarantica (the common 'Black and Blue') and S. coccinea. I had S. blepharophylla and S. sinaloensis for a while but they've quietly disappeared. 

 

9 minutes ago, Xenon said:

You should get E. crista-galli, there was a mature one walking distance from me that did mostly fine throughout all of the 2010s freezes (I get colder than most of Houston, so upper teens multiple times). I haven't checked on it in a while but probably came back from the ground after 2021. There were at least several other specimens around town too. 

@Swolte ...That picture / a few others he'd posted, esp. the mass- flowering shots are what instantly caught my attention..  would definitely appreciate the offer,  seed / or whatever  when available again.

Summers like this one definitely make one feel they're 4 blocks from Hell here, so to say, lol..  When i got here in '16, i had ..something like 10 Erythrina sps. All the bigger specimens i'd grown since 2012-13 ( ...crista galli,  X syksii,  bidwillii,  acanthocarpa,  lysistemon,  coralloides,  latissima ) were toast by the 2nd summer, even kept in shade. What others i had / had purchased / started from seed hung on until the last extreme summer in 2020.

Have tried our native E. flabelliformis  every which way possible, ..in pots as purchased 1 and 5gals, in the ground, and from seed. ..No matter what, they do the same thing once the real heat sets in, even when kept in afternoon shade / under shade cloth  ..Leaves cook,  and then they rot, esp if you provide -any- water while it ids hot ( which means they croak from not watering. ) As mentioned, there are nice specimens in Tucson, and in Madera Canyon, which gets colder than Tucson can.  🤷‍♂️ I really don't get it, lol..




Agree w/ @Xenon  crista galli would definitely be a trial-worthy candidate there ( Bet flabelliformis would also survive, lol )  There's at least one old specimen i grew up around back in San Jose that survived the big freeze there in '90, ..and every other -less severe- frost / freeze event since.


@Xenon, @thyerr01  Regarding Salvias,  how does wild- strain S. farinacea do? ..since it is native, I'd assume it should be well adapted there. Has done far better here than i'd expected. I even cut them back not long after the worst stretch of heat back in July and they're back to flowering again.

Either of you / @Swolte  try plants from local population S. azurea,  or some of the other native sps like texana, lyrata, or englemanii,   Being native, i'd think most or all? shouldn't be challenging  ...Could be wrong of course.  



@thyerr01  ..If you can access either, Anisacanthus thurberi  and andersonii  can flower much later than wrightii / quadifidus

A. andersonii  looks more like a Justicia than an Anisacanthus ( big leaves / flower size ), and would probably require a little extra moisture than thurberi. That said, i've got one going in the front shade bed here and ..it has survived our heat w/ out much effect. Always flowers in the late winter / early spring time frame.  Not sure what the **absolute** cold tolerance is on that sp. though. 

A. thurberi  is tough  ..and i mean really tough..  See it growing below Saguaro and Creosote  in the foothills in full sun where it only exists on whatever water it gets in either winter or during Monsoon season -when it actually rains, lol.

If Texas Kidneywood does good there, the AZ sp would probably be trial worthy -at the very least-

[Xenon]

2 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Agree w/ @Xenon  crista galli would definitely be a trial-worthy candidate there ( Bet flabelliformis would also survive, lol )  There's at least one old specimen i grew up around back in San Jose that survived the big freeze there in '90, ..and every other -less severe- frost / freeze event since.
 

@thyerr01 Here is one in Richmond which gets colder than Houston and even a hair colder than my area 

On 4/24/2016 at 5:39 PM, necturus said:

Saw this beautiful Erythrina crista-galli today in Richmond, TX. Feel free to use this thread to share other pictures of tropicals in the greater Houston area.

 

[Xenon]

7 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

@Xenon, @thyerr01  Regarding Salvias,  how does wild- strain S. farinacea do? ..since it is native, I'd assume it should be well adapted there. Has done far better here than i'd expected. I even cut them back not long after the worst stretch of heat back in July and they're back to flowering again.

Either of you / @Swolte  try plants from local population S. azurea,  or some of the other native sps like texana, lyrata, or englemanii,   Being native, i'd think most or all? shouldn't be challenging  ...Could be wrong of course.  

Does fine if you put it in the sun with good air circulation (no dense planting). I think the problem is most Salvia aren't adaptable to the kind of jungle look I'm going for, they get disease when crowded with other plants and lack the vigor to compete. Most stuff even from central Texas is a mixed bag here both due to clay soil and the combination of heat and humidity (my area/Houston averages as much rain as Tampa or Orlando). Most stuff from south Texas/RGV generally is ok, some of the more tender things will be damaged in coldest winters. I suspect a lot of the mountain stuff from Mexico do ok until we start geting 80 degree nights with 80 degree dew points. 

[thyerr01]

@Xenon I've tried a couple of S. guaranitica cultivars with no luck. The leaves end up white from leaf hopper damage. They don't seem to bother my Poliomintha or Scutellarias which are from the same family though. I've seen nice plantings of S. greggii, S. coccinea, and a purple one that doesn't look as 'tropical' around the place that never show any damage. I'm not testing any more and will try Heliconias in place of them.

I'll have to look into E. crista-galli, that's an amazing specimen. Did it survive the more recent freezes?

@Swolte The common orange Justicia was planted around the UT Austin campus and did great there throughout various freezes, so its definitely a tough species. It sets seed for me, but I have to actively collect and germinate it to get seedlings. 

@Silas_Sancona Like Xenon I'm more interested in 'tropical' Salvias. I reserve the xeric areas of my garden for Aus natives. My kangaroo paws survived the summer fine and have put on a lot of growth with the cooler weather and rain.

Actually Anisacanthus thurberi is high on my list, lots of nice colour forms too. Next time I'm in AZ for work I'll try and find some to bring back; none of the interesting nurseries there seem to ship.  A. andersonii looks great too, is that commonly available?

Are there any different colours/cultivars of the AZ native Justicia candicans? That one also does well for me and doesn't seem to mind the heat, although it gets some shade. It is in full flower right now.

[thyerr01]

Forgot to add that Justicia californica also did well for me without any irrigation. In fact, a complete lack of irrigation is needed for me to get any flowers and they never flower heavily like I see in photos. Any hint of moisture and the plants switch to sprawling leafy growth. These also returned without issue after our serious freeze last winter.

[Silas_Sancona]

1 hour ago, thyerr01 said:

 

@Silas_Sancona

Actually Anisacanthus thurberi is high on my list, lots of nice colour forms too. Next time I'm in AZ for work I'll try and find some to bring back; none of the interesting nurseries there seem to ship.  A. andersonii looks great too, is that commonly available?

Are there any different colours/cultivars of the AZ native Justicia candicans? That one also does well for me and doesn't seem to mind the heat, although it gets some shade. It is in full flower right now.

 

27 minutes ago, thyerr01 said:

Forgot to add that Justicia californica also did well for me without any irrigation. In fact, a complete lack of irrigation is needed for me to get any flowers and they never flower heavily like I see in photos. Any hint of moisture and the plants switch to sprawling leafy growth. These also returned without issue after our serious freeze last winter.

From what i've seen, A. andersonii  only recently started appearing .. Mine came from Tohono Chul Park, which often has stuff Desert Survivors or Spadefoot might be out of ..or not grow.. Then again, you can find other stuff at each place T. Chul might be out of ..or not currently growing. 

On a side note, the garden is the only place i have ever seen a few of the native Ferns offered, though Spadefoot has talked about pursuing propagating them in the future..   Anyway..

Yep,  before moving here, i'd make the 12 hour drive from San Jose to pick up stuff i wanted to trial out there from the specific nurseries here that don't ship.  I get why they don't,  ..but, i also see how doing so could bring in extra $$ since there is interest by folks living outside AZ.

I've heard of a yellow- flowering form of candicans,  but have yet to see it w/ my own eyes.  There is a yellow flowered form of californica, but it is a rare find as well.

[Swolte]

2 hours ago, thyerr01 said:

I'll have to look into E. crista-galli, that's an amazing specimen. Did it survive the more recent freezes?

College Station is too cold to grow them (I tried!). I believe they removed an old specimen at JFGardens (about a zone warmer) about a decade ago after a cold winter.

I am also not super into salvia for the same reasons Xenon mentioned (plus some esthetic & longevity) though I do have a few that I like. The S. Madrensis has been going strong for several years and is an real stunner in the Fall. I love the texture of the leaves too (see pic from earlier today). Among some others, I also enjoy the S. Guaranitica 'Black and Blue' (came back!), the S. Farinacea 'Henry Duelberg', and the S. Greggii 'Cherry chief' (quite unique and one of the brightest red, though it only lives for about 5 years). I had a S. Microphylla 'San Carlos Festival' on a sunny slope that did great for several years and have been coaching a replacement through this past summer. 

Edited October 22, 2023 by Swolte

[Tom in Tucson]

1 hour ago, Swolte said:

College Station is too cold to grow them (I tried!). I believe they removed an old specimen at JFGardens (about a zone warmer) about a decade ago after a cold winter.

I am also not super into salvia for the same reasons Xenon mentioned (plus some esthetic & longevity) though I do have a few that I like. The S. Madrensis has been going strong for several years and is an real stunner in the Fall. I love the texture of the leaves too (see pic from earlier today). Among some others, I also enjoy the S. Guaranitica 'Black and Blue' (came back!), the S. Farinacea 'Henry Duelberg', and the S. Greggii 'Cherry chief' (quite unique and one of the brightest red, though it only lives for about 5 years). I had a S. Microphylla 'San Carlos Festival' on a sunny slope that did great for several years and have been coaching a replacement through this past summer. 

That is a great looking Salvia madrensis. I'll have to give it a try. Unlike the more common species from Mexico (higher altitudes), this species is native to an area (low altitude Sinaloa) that is almost as hot as here, but is frost free.

Hi 98°, Lo 61°

[Swolte]

On 10/21/2023 at 10:38 PM, Tom in Tucson said:

That is a great looking Salvia madrensis. I'll have to give it a try. Unlike the more common species from Mexico (higher altitudes), this species is native to an area (low altitude Sinaloa) that is almost as hot as here, but is frost free.

Interesting. I got mine from PDN a long time ago. It is a variety called 'Red neck girl'' and known for these fantastic red, winged stems. The stems, over the years, lost that reddish color so it basically resembles the species now. It may also be the extreme heat. Who knows? I hope I'll find out soon as they are racing back to life after surviving another polar vortex. Regardless, anything that survives and blooms after these historical droughts is a winner!

@Silas_Sancona I was walking the garden yesterday and noticed that the Hymenocallis occidentalis var. eulae returned (at the spot I do recall putting them!). It reminded me of our conversation. Tough buggers! See pic! 

Edited March 6, 2024 by Swolte

[Silas_Sancona]

38 minutes ago, Swolte said:

Interesting. I got mine from PDN a long time ago. It is a variety called 'Red neck girl'' and known for these fantastic red, winged stems. The stems, over the years, lost that reddish color so it basically resembles the species now. It may also be the extreme heat. Who knows? I hope I'll find out soon as they are racing back to life after surviving another polar vortex. Regardless, anything that survives and blooms after these historical droughts is a winner!

@Silas_Sancona I was walking the garden yesterday and noticed that the Hymenocallis occidentalis var. eulae returned (at the spot I do recall putting them!). It reminded me of our conversation. Tough buggers! See pic! 

Very nice!!   ..You'll have to post an update when they bloom.