It's amazing, Roselee, the wildflowers I see at the "edges" on my property. These appeared where the electric company cut down trees near power lines.

Check out this photo of it in a pot - guess I'll dig some up and put in a clay pot!!

Here is a link that might be useful: Fame flower in pot

Beautiful, I recognize the name " rock pink"
Lin, I can't wait to se pix of your new "potted" plant

Ok. Hereby I state that the plant fairy exists. She brought passifloras with her.

Omar

She does exist I have new plants also
Wonder why I didn't get passifloras since they are my fave? Hmmmm
Omar, what did it used to be GT? You are a very lucky plant fairy receiveee, lol and yes, I know that is a made up word, lol

The garden gnome showed his p. foetida (?) to the plant fairy and she didn't say anything. Did she want a start of that monster?
I didn't get your question. What does GT stand for?

Omar

No, I have that, but thanks for the offer
Remember the other name I called you? You told me to call you, I thought GT, lol, I thought it might be Giant _ _ _ _

Oh!! Ouch!!!, no the G stands for garden...

Omar

HAHAHAHA

HAHAHAHA

Ragna, the provenance ( as we say in the antique world) of your plant is that it came from me and before that from TXRanger. I brought a lot of them to the swap. I do not think it seeds as ferociously in our alkaline soil. It seems to do so much better in pots than in the dirt. I do have some coming up in the piled rocks and brought in cactus soil also. I think deer like them, unfortunately. so I hide them amongst the pointy things.

Mara, many thanks to you and TXRanger. I love this little plant and hope to be able to pass it along as well. I hope you'll be coming to our fall swap slated for Oct. 18.

It is originally a plant from the ozark cliffs, if I remember right.

It was one of the plants that I had to force on people at the end of the swap, because no one had seen it before. ONly Linda knew of it and wanted it. IT is quite cold hardy, good in the ozark mountains and is sold for the New Mexican market(High Country Gardens) and goes prolifically an Oklahoma city Garden That I know of. It dies back to its roots and makes a somewhat late appearance so don't be alarmed next spring when you are watching for it.. I always think that now it 's dead and then it makes its appearance in a hurry. I have had one plant in the native soil by some rocks unwatered for 6 years . It does not get big because of the alkalinity and has never seeded as it does in TxRanger's garden but It makes appearances in pots all over. I think seeds get dropped into lower pots from the over hanging panicles.I am always moving pots around. It makes a fat root that stores lots of energy. It is moved easily.

There is a texas relative Flame flower with orange blooms That is called Orange Flameflower that the LBJ database is now calling Phemeranthus auranticus. They have done the always unpleasant name changing thing and I can't remember the new names. Its been Talinum forever. This one likes part shade and is a little larger.

Here is a link that might be useful: Orange Flameflower

Mara, thank you! I love knowing the provenance of the plants in my yard!

I didn't know flameflower was in the same family. Linda invited me to go with her to dig some up in the wild where an apartment building was slated to go. They were all growing in black dirt at the edge of big rocks that apparently shaded their roots and it wasn't easy getting them out.

They bloomed beautifully for a couple of years, but then didn't come back. From what you said Mara, I probably planted them in too much sun w/o the rocks to cool their roots. I'd LOVE to have another start if anyone has seeds or plants to share.

I have this plant coming up EVERY-WHERE from a pack of seeds I ordered from Plants of the SW several years ago when I planted a small area of plants the first year. I think every single seed germinates. I pulled dozens & dozens and then more dozens today, the trashcan is full and blooming because these guys don't care if they are in the ground or not. You can leave them in a bucket for weeks and they don;t look any different and keep on blooming so I guarantee they are drought hardy.

I have gravel mulch with sandy soil and these guys want to make an entire lawn (I took out the lawn, thank-you). They particularly love cracks in sidewalks or patios & there is a haze of pink just about anywhere you look around here. They look like smashed caterpillars if you step on them & love to invade my paths and come up along the street and curb, you cannot pull them out of cracks because they get a big bulb underground so the top just snaps off.

I got some Dyssodia from Wantanamara and between these two, there are always a low growing mass of blooms in hot pink and teeny tiny yellow bouquets with ferny leaves, like miniature 4-6" high woody shrubs. So cute. Actually I like both plants but I do have to thin the flame flowers. Add in some Helenium amarum (Bitterweed) and you will never be short on color all season into fall. These are all three easy, drought resistant and extremely long blooming. They have naturalized into my whole urban prairie quite well.

Around the end of August, the flame flowers start dying back. I dead head them into a grocery sack and take the seeds somewhere to naturalize.

TXR, don't throw those extras away, send them my way!!

Omar

I would like to have some flame flower and dyssodia seeds when they are available. I have some neat seeds that can be sent in exchange. Send a note through 'my page'. Thank you!

TXR, Roselee already has the plant. Go for the underdog (me).
Roselee, really? I thought you liked me. It is just not fair, You have zillions of interesting plants to bribe TXR with and I only have weeds to trade with!.
Jk, jk, I just couldn't help to tease you guys.

Omar

Hahahaha! May the best man win! And that would be you Omar, since I am of the feminine gender ... :-)

But you know Omar, anything I have is yours just for the asking. Except for my 'mulch guy' ... LOL

:D I know, Roselee. You have been very generous with me. The mulch guy? Dang! How about one of your baby tortoises?

Omar

Omar, that might can be arranged -- IF I can find one. I only saw one baby box turtle this spring. They hide well when they are small, and they can also get through the fence so they are probably all over the neighborhood. Sometimes a neighbor will find a baby and bring it back to me.

Texas Ranger didn't you used to post under another name and you had to change it for some reason? I can't remember what the old name was. If it was what I'm trying to think of I once give your father a rose to take to you.

Better watch out, TX will send you PAPER BAGS full of seed . LOL. LOVE it.

Yep, I got in trouble on the Perennials Forum. Some of the really nice ladies from up Northeast got together and had me ex-spounged as a "troublemaker" and turned me in to the mods. So The Ranger has taken over the place of the cyber-killed GreatPlains1. Its me. Same garden. Same big mouth.

I'll bag seeds. wantanmara is right, I end up with grocery sacks full of seed because unlike HER I have a puny little plot and she has a great big one--kaw kaw.

You do know that Dyssodia is 'Dogweed' don't ya all? I'm seriously into "weeds".

I have dibs on a baby turtle and I am bigger than the underdog, LMBO

Uff! Now she is dropping names and reviving old acts of generosity. What happened with "May the best man win? I'm dead (jk)

Omar
PS: Roselee, do you think the tortoise would drown in the swimming pool if she falls in when looking for water?

Okay, you are not the one I gave the rose to, but Texas Ranger, you are certainly welcome here.

I don't know anything about Dyssodia, but I like the pictures and what Mara said about it on D's garden:

On Oct 5, 2012, marasri from Dripping Springs, TX wrote:

It is native on my Central Texas land. I love this little plant. It naturalizes in a cactus garden very nicely. It is nice growing in a decomposed granite walk way or as a edging plant. It grows in solid caliche and improved catus soil. Its low stature makes it perfect to use with cactus and low growing prickly pear. It seems to always makes me smile. And I love all its names, from from the lyrical melodic Parralena and Dysodia to "Common Dog Weed"

Name dropping? Previous acts of generosity? LOL ... whatever works! Hahaha!

Yes, the pool could be a problem. They just go plowing through and over whatever they encounter like miniature tanks.

Jolana, you may be right! LOL :-)

TXR10. That's what I grow: weeds!

Jolana, huh? :p

Omar

Here is a picture from last Sept of the Dogweed and the Flame Flowers. The flame flowers are winding down and going to seed.

So much for the idea... :(

Omar

TxRanger has got some top notch weeds. You should see pictures of her Mentzelia decapetala. I probably decapitated that name. a "Sand Lilly" that is not a lilly. The flowers put me into a serious state of garden passion , â¦. and envy, lust , joy for her and a serious case of wants. you name it , I was feeling it just looking at those flowers..

Sorry Omar ... :-(

Texas, thanks for the photo. I love flowering 'weeds'!

Flame Flowers with Desert Marigold by sidewalk, they come up really thick there.

Dogweed and Bitterweed in Sept of 2012, the year of 100+ days on end, no rain--- you remember? These plants can take it.

Some of those plants will go great among the gravel and pavers we put around the new tree.

Mara, another 'weed', eh? I love it ...

Here is a link that might be useful: Texas and Texas Ranger have the most wonderful wildflowers: Mentzelia decapetala

Mentzelia decapetala is one cool plant I think. It started blooming June 1 and its still going with about 10 to 16 blooms per night that smell wonderful. Last year it looked like a huge dandelion, then it died back to a stump which leafed out this spring. Its forming some very big seed pods with stickery tops. Its a big plant this year. I've looked at conflicting info on it. Some sources say perennial others say biennial. My guess is its got one hugely long big tap root. It blooms at night.

Thickly growing Flame Flowers. If you plant one or two plants this year, it will look like this next year if they are happy.

Deleted double post.

This post was edited by roselee on Tue, Jun 24, 14 at 1:19

TexasRanger10, I don't suppose you live close enough to come to our San Antonio Fall swap? Zone 7 sounds like way north.

I love the masses of wild flowers you grow!

roselee, I live in OKC so thats quite a drive but I will definitely send you a bevy full of seeds in the fall. I already promised wantanamara some Mentzelia seeds because she says she will never speak to me again if I don't and if that happens, considering how obnoxious the Ranger is, no one will be talkin to him.

Actually I find this forum so refreshing. I posted the Mentzelia on the Perennials Forum and it landed with a big loud thud of zero interest. I named it 'Cowboy Peony' because its just as big and it certainly blooms longer. None of my plants garner much interest there, they do not understand this part of the country. One person said my plants looked like Parking Lot or industrial plantings. Aw, they're just jealous of our hot dry summers.

Here is Dyssodia with an agave.

This post was edited by TexasRanger10 on Tue, Jun 24, 14 at 0:43

I guess my preference would be for a lush, tropical, viney garden; or perhaps a English style garden with roses hanging from the trees, but you know what they say about life giving you lemons. Thus have I learned to love lemonade these last few dry years ... LOL. A favorite book (not a garden book) is "Loving What Is" so I go with the flow, (or rather the lack of it as it pertains to rain :-) and I totally enjoy having xeric plants that will grow well, and that includes a few vines, such as Coral vine. Plus when drought tolerant plants are planted closely it looks pretty darn lush out there. TR, I'm looking forward to getting seeds from you. I hope I have some things you can use.

This post was edited by roselee on Tue, Jun 24, 14 at 12:19

Oh! How beautiful. That's what I call a nice garden! I would love to try some of those in mine.

Oh my, what wonderful garden pix

Post more, please

Sorry Omar, ole pal!

It's all good, Jolana. Guess who is leaving to OK tomorrow with a concealed trowel in one of his socks?

Omar

Omar, remember your friends while you are there ... :-)

Nah, uh, Roselee. Now you will wait for your seeds until fall.

Omar

"Alright for you!!!" stamping my foot ... ;-)

We used to say that as little kids. Not sure how those words came about, but it was what we said when we couldn't think of anything worse to say ... LOL

TexRanger, What is the grass with all the little squiggly things, I mean inflorescens? Its in the photo below the Flameflower, sidewalk, desert marigold shot.

wantanamara, its just common blue grama, probably from seeds you sent me or else seeds I got at the History Museum. I keep trying to get new plants started, I love it.

I visited the Museum today. They killed out all that mixed prairie grass growing on that hill of big rocks that I had admired so much, looks like they sprayed everything except the Muhly riverchonii. All the others were just dried up cut back dead grasses. I couldn't believe it! I plan to go back later on to see if they replace it with some other plants. No way its winter kill, that grass is too tough.

In another area, they have large drifts of Little Bluestem and I don't know what kind it is but its extremely tall for a bluestem, the old seed heads from last year easily came up to my chest and the stalks are more than twice the height of the leaves, very blue, anywhere from powder blue to steel blue and has thinner leaves than other types. I found a few strays I saved from the weed whacker.

You guys, thanks for the nice comments but except for the flame flowers all those plants are from seeds that came from Texas, its stuff grows wild in abundance on the roadsides. Roadsides are great for getting seeds, its a matter of "organization and selection" Wantanamara has great weeds on her property and its the common stuff I collect mostly, nursery's don't carry it because its considered common weeds. My eyeballs are constantly on the lookout for any interesting possibilities and they are everywhere.

There is a large white prairie clover plant I just marked out last weekend for later seed gathering here. The thing looks like one of those perfect big white fireworks displays on the 4th of July.

Btw, Oklahoma is third in its #'s of varieties native plants, just after Texas and California in the US. I read that this week online. I just ran across a teeny tiny form of stiff wiry grass, actually I think its a carex of some kind, cuter than a button with itty bitty brown seeds on top of those impossibly thin stems that stand up perfectly forming little upside down cone shaped plants that are about 4" tall. I have a little cluster started.

This post was edited by TexasRanger10 on Thu, Jun 26, 14 at 3:40

HAHAHA, a trowel?!? You mean business

Ragna, I've never heard that, but can see you saying it, LOL