Tag: Gregg’s mistflower

Garden redo

On By CarynIn Garden

As much as I love Gregg’s Mistflower and the mass of butterflies that love the purple tufted blooms, the front garden bed was not the right environment. Even though it is one of the places in our yard that receives the most sun, it isn’t enough to keep the plant from bolting, growing too tall, and falling over onto the side walk. Mistflower also really doesn’t like being trimmed, it won’t flower if trimmed shorter, and the whole point is to flower.

Photo description: front garden bed full of bolted Gregg’s Mistflower

Gregg’s Mistflower is native to Texas and self seeding, so in order to remove it from the flower bed, I first pulled up all the plants, then dug out the top layer of soil.

Photo description: same front flower bed dug out to reach the clay underneath the amended soil

Tearing out the plants took about an hour. Digging down 3-6 inches across the entire bed took 5-6 hours. I put the seed heads in the meadow, where the sunlight is brightest, and I spread the dirt in the meadow and around the house in areas it was needed.

I am hoping this will also help with the chronic grass problem in this flower bed by removing the roots that kept coming up. I had one hardy hibiscus that was struggling in the lower light that I also replanted.

The next step is to fill the space with garden soil and mulch and plant different species.

Yes, it is December and I’m gardening. It is Texas.

Potential local resource

On By CarynIn Craft, Flora, Garden

As I was wandering outside the dead stalks of last season’s Gregg’s Mistflower caught my eye. I love that the plant took over our front flower bed, and the local insects love the flowers that bloom from Spring to Fall. I started clearing the dried stems in preparation for Spring, and wondered if it would make good weaving material.

Photo description: dried Gregg’s Mistflower stems, stripped of leaves

I did an initial test by wrapping some stems in a wet towel. I left them overnight and in the morning tested pliability. They seemed flexible. The next step will be to harvest more and attempt some weaving.

It would be fantastic if my new favorite plant could also be a craft material.

Monarch migration

On By CarynIn Wildlife

The Monarchs are migrating through Texas. Our Gregg’s mist flower in the front flower bed usually just has Queen butterflies, which look similar to Monarch butterflies. I’ve been spotting more actual Monarchs landing on the purple flower puffs in recent days.

Photo description: Monarch butterfly on a light purple fuzzy bloom of a Gregg’s mist flower (identity confirmed on iNaturalist)

A Texas native, Gregg’s mist flower is a butterfly magnet. When the weather is warm in spring and fall, we have had over a dozen butterflies rise up off the flowers as we walk past. Better than a butterfly pavilion!