Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Trumpet Creeper


Scientific Name:Campsis radicans


Deciduous native vine, fast growing. Cultivar 'Madame Galen' is a less invasive hybrid.
Attributes: Texas native
Foliage Persistence: deciduous
Annual or perennial: perennial
Exposure: full sun, part sun
Flower Color: red
Blooming Period: summer, fall
Height: 32 feet
Width: 4 feet
Heat Tolerance: high
Water Requirements: low

Winecups


Scientific Name:Callirhoe involucrata

Attributes: attracts butterflies, xeriscapic
Texas native
Foliage Persistence: evergreen
Annual or Perennial?: perennial
Exposure: full sun, part sun
Flower Color: purple
Blooming Period: spring, summer
Height: 1 foot
Width: 3 foot
Heat Tolerance: high
Water Requirements: low

American Beautyberry


Scientific Name:Callicarpa americana

Deciduous shrub
Attributes: Texas native, xeriscapic, salt tolerant
Foliage Persistence: deciduous
Annual or perennial: perennial
Exposure: shade, partial shade, part sun, full sun
Flower Color: Lavender-pink
Blooming Period: spring, summer
Height: 6 feet
Width: 6 feet
Heat Tolerance: very high
Water Requirements: low
Additional Comments: Tolerates a lot of salt spray and salty soil, but not a lot of storm winds. Violet fruit in autumn.

Dwarf Poinciana


Scientific Name:Poinciana pulcherrima, Caesalpinia pucherrima

Deciduous shrub

Attributes: attracts hummingbirds, tropical, xeriscapic
Foliage Persistence: deciduous
Annual or Perennial?: perennial
Exposure: partial shade, part sun, full sun
Flower Color: Orange, Red, Yellow
Blooming Period: spring, summer, fall
Height: 6 feet
Width: 6 feet
Heat Tolerance: very high
Water Requirements: low
Additional Comments: Also known as Red Bird of Paradise or Barbados Pride. Tropical plant; protect or expect damage below about 25 degrees F.

Pindo Palm


Scientific Name:Butia capitata

Palm tree
Attributes: xeriscapic, deer resistant
Foliage Persistence: evergreen
Annual or perennial: perennial
Exposure: full sun, part sun
Flower Color: Yellow
Blooming Period: summer
Height: 15 feet
Width: 8 feet
Heat Tolerance: very high
Water Requirements: low
Additional Comments: Tolerates some salt in the soil.

Schefflera


Scientific Name: Brassaia actinophylla

Evergreen shrub
Attributes: tropical
Foliage Persistence: evergreen
Annual or perennial: perennial
Exposure: part sun, full sun
Flower Color:
Blooming Period:
Height: 10-15 feet
Width: 6-8 feet
Heat Tolerance: very high
Water Requirements: medium high
Additional Comments: Tolerates some salt in the soil.

Bougainvillea


Scientific Name: Bougainvillea glabra

Attributes: xeriscapic
Foliage Persistence: evergreen
Annual or perennial: perennial
Exposure: full sun, part sun
Flower Color: several
Blooming Period: spring, summer, fall
Height: 15 feet
Heat Tolerance: very high
Water Requirements: low
Additional Comments: Tolerates some salt in soil. Half hardy subtropical plant; protect or expect damage below about 25 degrees F.

Agarito


scientific name: Berberis trifoliolata


Evergreen shrub
Attributes: attracts butterflies, Texas native, deer resistant, xeriscapic, salt tolerant
Foliage Persistence: evergreen
Annual or perennial: perennial
Exposure: part sun, full sun
Flower Color: Yellow
Blooming Period: spring
Height: 6 feet
Width: 4 feet
Heat Tolerance: very high
Water Requirements: low
Additional Comments: Tolerates a lot of salt spray and salty soil, but not a lot of storm winds. Coastal Bend native.

Orchid Tree


scientific name: Bauhinia variegata, Bauhinia purpurea

Deciduous tree
Attributes: attracts hummingbirds, attracts butterflies, Texas native, tropical
Foliage Persistence: deciduous
Annual or perennial: perennial
Exposure: part sun, full sun
Flower Color: White or Purple
Blooming Period: spring
Height: 15 feet
Width: 15 feet
Heat Tolerance: very high
Water Requirements: medium high
Additional Comments: Tropical; plant only in protected location

Friday, July 3, 2009

Fall Aster


Scientific Name: Aster oblongifolius

Attributes: attracts butterflies, xeriscapic, deer resistant, Texas native
Foliage Persistence: evergreen
Annual or perennial: perennial
Exposure: full sun, part sun
Flower Color: purple
Blooming Period: fall
Height: 3 feet
Width: 3 feet
Heat Tolerance: medium
Water Requirements: low
Additional Comments: Tolerates some salt in the soil

Cast Iron Plant


Scientific Name: Aspidistra elatior

Evergreen rhizomatous perennial
Attributes: deer resistant, xeriscapic, salt tolerant
Foliage Persistence: evergreen
Annual or Perennial?: perennial
Exposure: shade, partial shade, part sun
Flower Color: Cream outside, maroon inside
Blooming Period: summer
Height: 2 feet
Width: 1 foot
Heat Tolerance: very high
Water Requirements: low
Additional Comments: Tolerates some salt in soil.

Asparagus Fern


Scientific Name: Asparagus sprengeri

Evergreen ground cover
Attributes: xeriscapic, salt tolerant
Foliage Persistence: evergreen
Annual or Perennial: perennial
Exposure: part sun, full sun
Flower Color: White
Blooming Period: summer
Height: 1-3 feet
Width: 2-3 feet
Heat Tolerance: high
Water Requirements: low
Additional Comments: Tolerates salty soil, constant southeast wind, storm winds, salt spray and occasional sand blasting.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Mexican Butterfly Weed


Scientific Name: Asclepias curassavica

Larval host plant for Monarch butterfly. Plant may be stripped of all its leaves by caterpillars but will re-leaf. Re-seeds readily.
Attributes: attracts hummingbirds, attracts butterflies, xeriscapic
Foliage Persistence: evergreen
Annual or Perennial?: perennial
Exposure: full sun, part sun
Flower Color: orange and red
Blooming Period: spring, summer, fall
Height: 4 feet
Width: 2 feet
Heat Tolerance: very high, high
Water Requirements: low
Additional Comments: Tolerates some salt in the soil.

Norfolk Island pine


Scientific Name: Araucaria heterophylla

Evergreen, conical, coniferous tree
Attributes: tropical, salt tolerant
Foliage Persistence: evergreen
Annual or perennial: perennial
Exposure: full sun
Height: 40 feet
Width: 20 feet
Heat Tolerance: very high
Water Requirements: medium
Additional Comments: Tolerates salty soil, constant southeast wind, storm winds, salt spray and occasional sand blasting. Half hardy tropical plant; protect or expect damage below about 25 degrees F.

'Texas Gold' Columbine


Scientific name: Aquilegia hinckleyana

Evergreen, clump-forming perennial
Attributes: attracts hummingbirds, attracts butterflies, xeriscapic, deer resistant, Texas native
Foliage Persistence: evergreen
Annual or perennial: perennial
Exposure: part sun, partial shade, shade
Flower Color: Yellow
Blooming Period: spring, summer, fall
Height: 2 feet
Width: 2 feet
Heat Tolerance: very high
Water Requirements: low
Additional Comments: Tolerates some salt in the soil.

Lazy daisy


Scientific name: Aphanostephus skirrhobasis

Attributes: attracts butterflies, xeriscapicTexas, native salt tolerant
Foliage Persistence: deciduous
Annual or perennial: annual
Exposure: full sun, part sun
Flower Color: white
Blooming Period: spring, summer, fall
Height: 18 inches
Width: 2 feet,
Heat Tolerance: very high, high
Water Requirements: low

Flame Acanthus


Scientific name: Anisacanthus quadrifidus

Attributes: attracts hummingbirds, attracts butterflies, xeriscapic, Texas native
Foliage Persistence: deciduous
Annual or Perennial: perennial
Exposure: full sun, part sun
Flower Color: orange
Blooming Period: summer, fall
Height: 4 feet
Width: 6 feet
Heat Tolerance: high
Water Requirements: low

Ginger


Scientific name: Alpinia sanderae
Evergreen, upright, clump-forming perennial
Attributes: tropical, xeriscapic
Foliage Persistence: evergreen
Annual or perennial: perennial
Exposure: shade, partial shade, part sun
Flower Color: Pale green
Blooming Period: summer
Height: 4-5 feet
Width: 2-3 feet
Heat Tolerance: very high
Water Requirements: low
Additional Comments: Half hardy subtropical; protect or expect damage below about 25 degrees F. Variegated green/cream/white foliage.

Century Plant


Scientific name: Agave americana
Rosette-forming succulent plant
Attributes:
Texas native
deer resistant
xeriscapic
salt tolerant
Foliage Persistence: evergreen
Annual or Perennial: perennial
Exposure: full sun
Flower Color: Yellow
Blooming Period: Summer
Height: 3 feet
Width: 6 feet
Heat Tolerance: very high
Water Requirements: low
Additional Comments: Tolerates salty soil, constant southeast wind, storm winds, salt spray and occasional sand blasting. Coastal Bend native plant.

Copper Plant


Scientific name: Acalypha wilkesiana
Semi-evergreen shrub
Attributes: Tropical
Foliage Persistence: evergreen
Annual or Perennial: perennial
Exposure: partial shade
part sun
full sun
Height: 6 feet
Width: 4 feet
Heat Tolerance: very high
Water Requirements: medium high
Additional Comments: Also known as copper Leaf. Copper, bronze, red, green mottled foliage. Tropical: plant only in protected location.