March / April 2006

Flowering Trees The Case for Heirlooms Rue Spring Bloomers Lawn Tips Why Daffodils? Local Garden Clubs Opportunities Books Herbs Dining Out Dining In Resources Bits & Pieces Editor's Gleanings Gardening with Kids To Your Health Notes from the Brazos Beck on Nature (greyed articles available in printed version - subscribe now!)

Flowering Trees Is there anything more beautiful in the spring than a flowering tree? Whether it’s a peach preparing for the wonderful juiciness of summer or a dogwood just declaring that spring has sprung, flowering trees are among the best gifts Nature has to offer. Here is a sampling you might consider adding to your own garden. Now is the perfect time to look at them and see what they look like at their best. Dogwood — There are two varieties of dogwood native to Texas. The Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) is the showy tree that causes a riot of tourists in east Texas, near Palestine in particular. It grows to 25 feet tall and produces the lovely while flowers we all recognize. They last about three weeks in the spring and turn the woods into a glorious sight. In the fall, the trees are again lovely when their leaves turn to bright red with little shiny red berries. These trees prefer being an understory plant so that they don’t get the full heat of direct sun. They need really good drainage and prefer an acidic soil, although some grow around Austin happily in alkaline clay. Roughleaf Dogwood (Cornus drummondii) is a smaller tree that is native to damp woodlands and other areas of the eastern half of Texas. It prefers a shady spot and will naturally grow into a thicket unless it is trimmed. The flowers are not as large or as showy as those of the Flowering Dogwood, but its white fruit is very attractive to wildlife of many kinds. The tree grows to about 15 feet tall and if you have a damp spot where you need a nice flowering shrub, this might be the plant for you. Anacacho Orchid — If you live where Dogwoods don’t bloom but miss the white flowers in the spring, you might try growing an Anacacho Orchid Tree. It produces beautiful clusters of white blossoms that tend toward pink at times and cover the tree in the spring. Fast-growing, the tree grows to 6-12 feet and is a good understory or container plant. Native to the Edwards Plateau and northeastern Mexico, the tree has been grown as far east as Houston. It is most happy growing in limestone soils and needs very good drainage. If your soils aren’t appropriate, this is a great patio tree grown in a large pot where you can control the soil and drainage. Protect it from full summer afternoon sun either by growing it under a larger tree or by placing it in the shade of a building. You can grow this tree from seed, but you’ll get faster results by finding one at a local nursery. They do lose their leaves in the winter. Plum — Woods and gardens all over Texas spring into bloom when wild or cultivated plum trees announce that the winter is over. The Mexican plum covers a wide territory. It grows in the eastern half of the state and down into northern Mexico. Houston, Austin, the Piney Woods and the Edwards Plateau all enjoy the beauty and the fragrance of this tree. While most spring blooming trees rely on their looks for interest, the Mexican plum is one of the sweetest smelling plants around. A cluster of these trees will send out their fragrance for a wide area and attract visitors with upturned noses searching for the sweetness. The fragrance is not cloying like some. It is light and lovely. These are also attractive trees. They do not form thickets like some wild plums do. They produce hard fruit that is enjoyed by many birds and mammals, including some people. When fully ripe, the fruit is dark purple. Bees enjoy the flowers as much as people do. They come to pollinate them and stay to help the rest of your fruit and vegetables reach their highest potential. Mexican plums are not picky about soil, but they do like good drainage. They will grow as an understory tree in dappled shade or in full sun. They can reach 35 feet tall where they are really happy, but generally grow to about 15-20 feet tall. It is easy to grow this tree from seed if you have a little patience. Pick up the plums when they fall from the tree, remove and dry the seed and plant them in late winter or early spring. You can also find young trees in your local nursery for transplanting into your yard. If you have fast-draining sandy soil, you might want to seek out the Flatwoods Plum. This native to east Texas likes more acidic sandy soil. It blooms later than the Mexican plum, extending the time that you have lovely blossoms. If you want to grow plum trees for their fruit, you can still enjoy the wonderful blossoms that appear before the fruit. There are many varieties of cultivated plums that will grow in almost all areas of the state. Check with a local nursery (emphasis on LOCAL) and ask which varieties are best for your garden. The wonderful thing about fruit trees is that they provide beauty and food in the garden, and that is an irresistible combination. There are nice plum trees with different kinds of fruit, different colored leaves, different times of production, and they are all fun, easy and tasty to grow. Some fruit is best for eating raw. Other varieties make wonderful jams and jellies. If you have a spot for a small tree, the plum is a great choice, and it will generally flourish underneath bigger trees like oak and elm. Hawthorn — These trees are members of the rose family and have come to have all sorts of humorous common names: Blue Haw, Hog Haw, Hog Apple, Cockspur Thorn, Mayhaw, Apple Haw, Littlehip Hawthorn, and on and on. One of the reasons for the various names is that this is a large and various group of trees. Known throughout the U.S., hawthorn ranges from huge trees to shrubby little bushes. All of them bloom in the spring, however, and many make great garden plants. Most Hawthorns grow in the eastern part of the state because they like the deep, rich soil on the slightly acidic side, but there are some varieties such as Downy Hawthorn, Cockspur Hawthorn, Gregg Hawthorn and Reverchon Hawthorn that stretch their range into western Texas. The fruits which come after the white spring flowers are called “haws,” hence all the peculiar names. Mayhaw, which grows in far east Texas in bogs or other spots with standing water, is the best known as the fruit that makes great jelly. Most of the other fruits which ripen from September to November, are more popular with animals than with people. The plants are all, however, very popular with butterflies. Most Hawthorns cannot tolerate shade, so plant them where they get plenty of sun and air. Many of these plants have sharp thorns. If you are buying one for your garden, inquire about that. They make great hedges, but you might not want them near paths and walkways. Desert Willow — It is not a willow, but it does love the desert. This beautiful small tree has flowers that look like orchids and that add beauty to any spot they inhabit. Growing to 30 feet tall, the Desert Willow is so called because its long thin leaves are reminiscent of willow leaves. Unlike willow, however, the wood is strong and was used in the past for making sturdy bows. Desert Willow is native to dry washes in western Texas and New Mexico, but it can be grown in other locations as long as the drainage is perfect and it is kept dry. Fast-growing and easy to grow, the tree is perfect for a dry, shallow-soiled sunny location. The trees are popular with butterflies and hummingbirds and other birds enjoy eating the seeds. Desert Willow begins flowering in the spring and continues to bloom until fall. Flowers generally are lavender hues ranging from almost white to almost purple. The plants can be kept trimmed back to 3 to 10 feet or so to make an attractive hedge. Since the flowers appear on new wood, the more they are trimmed, the more they flower. They do go dormant in the winter. Plant in full sun and do not ` your Desert Willow and you’ll find they make lovely cut flowers as well as trees!