Other parts of Texas may have been fortunate to receive rainfall in the last month or so but here none has fallen. It seems we are to have another droughty year.
And yet, even in this inhospitable environment of thin, dry soils and rock plants manage to survive. I have not identified this ground hugging, silvery foliaged plant but en masse it makes for an attractive ground cover. I think it might like a place in my own rock gardens.
A few stands of prickly pear, Opuntia ( unknown species)
and a newly identified wildflower which I believe to be Colorado Venus's Looking Glass, Triodanis coloradoensis. If I am correct then this flower, of the bluebell family, is endemic to the Hill Country.
I have many wine-cups of the trailing variety, Calliroe involucrata, so it was exciting to find the standing wine-cup, Callirhoe digitata, also enjoying this harsh environment.
I find great reward in finding new plants in the wild.
I have that same little silvery, low-growing ground cover in areas not supplemented by hand watering or any kind of soil amendment. I'm hoping someone can identify it for us. It returns every year, spreading slowly, even after severe droughts. Rain, please!
ReplyDeleteVery cool how you are finding plants that are probably unavailable at nurseries, and that you are preserving them. Those are tough plants, deserving of use...though your dry still looks more lush than in my parts!
ReplyDeleteI saw a crack like that a few weeks ago in my well-tended back yard. Yikes! All of the rain in the fall and winter made me get my hopes up. We're already back to Stage 1 water conservation in San Antonio. Ominously, it started the same weekend last year.
ReplyDeleteWe got a tiny amount of rain last week. Not nearly enough.
ReplyDeleteAfter all the earlier rain, the green growth around here is drooping....needing more.
I hope we're not headed for a repeat of last summer.
I think I've seen that groundcover around here somewhere, too. Need to take a walk and look again. Anything that can survive without water and the deer don't eat it, soon becomes one of my favorite plants.
I love wine-cup, it's so pretty. Wishing you more rain, though!
ReplyDeleteIt amazes me what survives in the green spaces beyond all the fences...I often learn the names of many of these plants through your blog. Thanks for taking the time to learn their names. I don't always have the time to research and I appreciate that you make the time. In total agreement, our ground is extremely dry already and I'm so hopeful for more rain. I remember a time when May was Austin's wettest month...
ReplyDeleteYikes...those cracks in the ground are always so sad to see...glad your garden is holding on through the drought.
ReplyDeleteTypical central texas weather.
ReplyDeleteI hope you get some rain soon, and may it be gentle when it falls. We are about 5" below normal, but a coastal storm is predicted for Sunday. I just don't want all 5 in one day.
ReplyDeleteThat's so discouraging. I was so happy to hear that Houston is no longer in drought, but I didn't realize that the rains weren't widespread. I hope your area gets in on some of that soon.
ReplyDeleteIf I could I would happily send you some of our rain!
ReplyDeleteThough it's amazing what can live on the minimal amount of water and how they have adapted to make the most of it.