Mary Claire Rowe

In Texas we are lucky to have an amazing variety of native plants that have been adopted by generations of gardeners for our home gardens.

The wisdom of that process has been brought to mind over and over during these hot, dry summers. East Texas native plants are doing just fine, thank you, while the more delicate, non-natives are suffering.

That can't be said about people, however. We are all sweltering through.

While driving on South Broadway by the mall this week, I was struck again by the amazing change in the landscaping that has occurred. The new management is certainly to be applauded for working to make it a much more people-friendly environment.

Early this past spring a massive flowerbed installation, sprinkler system, and planting occurred. It was exciting to behold, and it gave hope that perhaps more businesses would follow suit. It was interesting to see what plants were chosen, and to estimate whether there would be success in maintaining those choices. In the shade areas, the azaleas are doing well, despite the heat.

The same can be said for the day lilies that were planted en masse. They look like the hardy, compact-growing "Stella de Oro." These have become very popular because they have short flower stalks, and bloom repeatedly throughout the summer. Where there are no large trees to provide shade, crape myrtles were planted to supply that shade and some color. Only a few of the azaleas seem to be suffering because of too much sun, and that is pretty amazing considering the scale of this landscaping project.

While the wisdom of a flowering landscape for businesses has been popular in other parts of the country, this is just one of a handful of local projects. If each of our companies planted trees, shrubs, flowers, and grasses, what a difference it would make in our environment. It would be especially wise if the use of native plants was more wide-spread. Water conservation will be critical in the years ahead.

One native that is doing well is "Turk's Cap," which looks like a baby hibiscus, shyly refusing to open fully. This perennial is covered with bright red flowers and can grow 3 feet by 3 feet in the shade, and can up to 9 feet in full sun. Other cultivars have white or pink blossoms. Turk's Cap blooms from May until first frost and is a bird, butterfly, and hummingbird magnet. Malvaviscus arboreus v. Drummond, also called Drummond wax-mallow is hardy to Zone 7, which includes Smith County. It is adaptable in soil requirements, but prefers well-drained, fertile soil, and low to medium water. It is pretty much a "plant it and forget about it" plant.

One Texas Garden Web site reported that they have been growing this plant successfully for 60 years. At first, this statement seemed unreliable, but then I realized that most of the azaleas in my garden are at least 35 years old. Of course, we think about tress being decades old, but we don't usually think about shrubs or perennials being that old.

Each blossom makes a little fruit that birds love. If allowed to stay on the plant until mature, each fruit produces five seeds.

If you beat the birds to them, they can be planted while "fresh," meaning not dried and hard. Turk's Cap can also be propagated by soft-wood cuttings or root-division. As with many plants, the lower branches can be laid aside on the ground, partially covered with soil, and they will root.

When well-rooted, the new plant can be cut away from the parent plant and moved to its own location. Isn't nature wonderful? So, a good plan is to pick a native plant, one that "Mother Nature" provided for free, and use it to enrich your garden landscape. When the hummingbirds and butterflies start to swarm, you will be so glad you did.

Mary Claire Rowe
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