In fact, I was on my way up to Dallas for Easter and as usual I left Interstate 35 at Elm Mott turning onto the old Dallas road. Enough of that madness on the highway, I would rather drive 50 miles on peaceful country roads, joining the Highway just north of Hillsboro. It breaks the journey and makes the 3+hr drive more tolerable.
There were pleasant roadside scenes of bluebonnets and Indian paintbrush; lots of pink evening primroses and then wow, a stand of penstemons, Penstemon cobaea. It isn't called showy beardtongue for nothing.
But I didn't stop because I was several hundred yards up the road before I realized what I had seen and there was no convenient place to turnaround. I thought I would stop on the way home, which I did. I had my camera at the ready on the front seat and when I reached the spot there they were looking as wonderful as they had on Friday afternoon.
It is no secret that my favorite flower is the foxglove and this is our native Texas foxglove. Believe it or not I don't have any in my garden. It is rare to find the plant in the nursery.
The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center plant sale is coming up next weekend and just maybe I will be lucky enough to find a plant there.
What a scene! And I especially adore the rusty barbed wire fence with the soft blooms. Wonderful contrast!
ReplyDeleteYes, and I would love to hve gone onto the other side but I didn't have my barbed wire cutters with me!
DeleteWow, how pretty! I love penstemon. Would it be easier to find seed?
ReplyDeleteIndie-I need to check for the seeds, or take that drive again later on this spring.
DeleteJenny, I have two fox glove growing along the drive way. I will try to get you some seeds. Your pictures are lovely.
ReplyDeleteThanks Bob. I wondered whether you would have some growing in your garden as you seem to have all the unusual wild flowers. I would love some seeds. Thank you.
DeleteI've never noticed penstemons among the highway wildflowers, but I'm adding them to my list to watch out for. They look lovely, showy and softly blushing at the same time.
ReplyDeleteJenny, in all my years of traveling between Austin and DFW, and even going to Hillsboro to visit friends, I've never taken that scenic route! It certainly looks worth it now; fantastic photos.
ReplyDeleteI've seen these before, and always thought they were wild foxgloves. Now, you confirmed it. What I didn't know, was that foxgloves are penstemons. I always learn something here.
ReplyDeleteThose are beautiful. And, being foxgloves, maybe the deer would leave them alone....??
Hope you had a wonderful time with the Easter Egg hunt, in Dallas.
Like Linda, I too did not realize that a foxglove was a penstemon. Very interesting. I've always had good luck with the Rock Penstemon (Penstemon baccharifolius). I thought foxgloves might be hard to grow, but given this new information, I think I'll give them a try. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI've taken that Hillsboro drive before in spring. You're right; it's an incredibly beautiful area for wildflowers. Thanks for the ID on the penstemons. I like the washed out shade of pink.
ReplyDeleteI'll bet the foxglove is putting on such a good show this year because of the abundance of rain in that area. I grew some many years ago in Austin and found that they take a lot more water than most of our other wildflowers. They are commonly found in ditches for this reason.
ReplyDeleteThat is so beautiful, thanks for stopping to show us and ID this and explain the relationship with foxglove. I love foxglove (of course!) but they don't do well in hot Texas so this would be a nice one for my garden too.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteWe were just on the old Dallas highway yesterday. Unfortunately it was stormy. You got some great shots. Wish I would have seen the penstemon.
ReplyDeleteThat is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThe wild flowers are just beautiful this year. I'm surprised I haven't had a wreck for all of the roadside flower gazing that I've been guilty of. Aside from the bluebonnets, I really don't know what kind of flowers that I'm looking at, I just know that they are spectacular and I love seeing them! They are here and gone before you know it.
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