Happy Fall from Texas

On November 23, 2021November 19, 2021 By CarynIn Flora

Because this cracks me up.

Paperwhite flowers blooming in front of a “Welcome Fall” sign

We do have some real fall color, where people have planted maple trees in town.

Clearing the path

On September 12, 2021September 10, 2021 By CarynIn Flora

We are getting a lovely cool stretch here in Texas, meaning the night temperatures are reaching down into the 60s, and the highs barely touch into the 90s. Cool enough in the morning that I was inspired to get out and clear some of my woodland paths with the trimmer earlier this week. I was able to reclaim the already established paths fairly readily, but I’ll need clippers and more time to open up more avenues.

I did find some surprising nasturtium patches in the middle of the lot. They are leggy, but the area is mostly shaded, so that isn’t surprising. They are in an area where I did not plant nasturtiums. Hm. Apparently they found a better location. Go flowers go.

The poison ivy and chiggers are thick in the woods and meadow, so a thorough shower and hot water wash of the clothes I wore was in order.

Passion flower vine

On August 30, 2021August 27, 2021 By CarynIn Flora, Wildlife

Our favorite garden place had a sale on passion flowers, so we planted three in the new raised bed my husband built. Passion flowers have amazing structure, are host plants to several butterflies, and some varieties are actually native to this area. The fruits are also edible.

I believed that planting a host plant would mean we would get more butterflies. We saw some beautiful orange caterpillars with striking black spikes, which iNaturalist says are Gulf Fritillary caterpillars. I was so excited!

Gulf Fritillary caterpillars on new growth on a passion vine.

Then they ate all the leaves. All of them. On all three vines. They even broke open one of the fruits and ate most of that when the leaves were gone. I don’t know if the passion vines are going to survive.

Then I see the caterpillar on the fence hanging upside down and starting to form a chrysalis. I really do hope the vines can recover, because it is wonderful to watch the life cycle.

I will leave the vines be until next spring, hoping!

Nightshade

On August 21, 2021August 17, 2021 By CarynIn Flora

While walking around the outside of the coop and runs, I saw a pretty plant with purple buds. I plugged the picture into iNaturalist and received an ID: nightshade. Specifically silver-leafed nightshade. When I went back out to pull it away from the coop, the distinctive purple flowers had bloomed. Definitely a nightshade. Rather than risk the chickens having a nibble, I removed the plant.