Early flowerliciouness in Austin this spring
Purple oxalis flowers delicately echo its purple leaves
Texas redbuds, Texas mountain laurel, spiderwort, and even some bluebonnets are surprising Austinites this spring with early blooming. I can usually count on sniffing the grape Kool-Aid-scented blossoms of Texas mountain laurel well into mid-March, but they may be done by then.
Being shady, my garden lags behind sunnier spots, and my own Texas mountain laurels are just getting started. Ahh, I do love the grapey blossoms of this gorgeous native tree.
Gardeners in cooler climates think of waterlilies as summer bloomers. But the first flower appeared on ‘Colorado’ in my stock-tank pond this week. I’ve yet to divide my pond plants, so that’ll slow them down a little. But for now I’m enjoying this beauty.
Another native, Texas nolina, is sending up stiff sprays of ivory and pale-pink flowers, held in the center of its grass-like foliage.
‘Blue Elf’ aloe has hoisted its coral-red bloom spikes too. Calling all hummingbirds!
Of course, I can never resist photographing agaves, and my neighbor’s whale’s tongue agave (A. ovatifolia) is looking especially fine — like a big, blue rose. With teeth.
While I’m not relishing our early heat (upper 80s this week), I’m enjoying the garden’s spring revival. Soon enough it’ll be swimming season.
I welcome your comments; please scroll to the end of this post to leave one. If you’re reading this in a subscription email, click here to visit Digging and find the comment box at the end of each post.
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Digging Deeper: News and Upcoming Events
2/25/17: Come to my talk at the Wildflower Center. I’ll be speaking at the day-long Native Plant Society of Texas Spring Symposium at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin. My talk is called “Local Heroes: Designing with Native Plants for Water-Saving Gardens,” and it’s about creating water-wise home gardens that don’t sacrifice beauty. The symposium is open to the public. Click here for registration. I’ll be offering signed copies of my books, The Water-Saving Garden and Lawn Gone!, after my talk ($20 each; tax is included). I hope to see you there!
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I love that nolina. I am not familiar with that plant. I have seen it in your garden but I don’t recall seeing it in bloom. It is so unusual. Beautiful. Every time I see a water lily in bloom I want to go out and set up a big water feature where I can have them. This one is a beauty. Happy Spring.
It takes a few years for Texas nolina to mature enough to bloom, and most of mine are pretty young. This is the first time this one has bloomed. I do have an old one in a pot that I brought from my old garden and have featured it from time to time. I really like nolina. It makes a very tough, grassy groundcover, good for shade or sun here in Central Texas. —Pam
That seems so early for the Nolina. I must go and check those I have on the hillsides. I think your mountain laurel is benefitting from the shade. Mine have lost all the color in their flowers-fried alive. Me too!
I’m looking forward to more normal February temps on Saturday — 65F. Think it’ll really happen? —Pam
I’m completely charmed by that oxalis!
It’s a sweet little thing. Oxalis tends to go dormant during a Texas summer but it comes back in the fall. —Pam
The oxalis is so lovely. Wonder if Nolina will grow in zone 8a?
Yes, according to the Wildflower Center, all the way up to Oklahoma. —Pam
Your yard looks so good Pam, our 3 day winter showed me that I need to plant more evergreens. My yard looks so bare as many plants have had to be pruned back to the ground and others don’t look like they are returning. The nolina has lovely blooms, this plant is new to me also, definitely one I will watch for!
Texas nolina is a great groundcover, especially on slopes or atop retaining walls. Be aware that it does grow very slowly. You can often find small starts of it at Barton Springs Nursery. And I agree that evergreens are essential for feeling like you still have a garden after a freeze nips back the perennials. Plus they’re less maintenance overall, so they’re good for gardeners with aging backs, like mine! —Pam
God, that agave! what a beauty. And what is that succulent you have growing in a black pot by the Aloe ‘Blue Elf’? Your garden is looking good, I always enjoy seeing your pictures.
Thanks, Alexandre. That’s a variegated squid agave ‘Monterrey Frost’, a real beauty! —Pam
Pam, It’s heartwarming to see your lovely blooms in February — mine are barely waking up. And I have a new favorite word: flowerliciouness. P. x
Isn’t it fun? Happy early spring, Pam! —Pam
I love grape-scented flowers. I would love to try growing Sophora floribunda, but imagine they would languish in my cold, wet winters and wouldn’t get enough heat in summer to properly harden off for winter or recover in spring from bad winters. Such a pity, but I always enjoy seeing photos. Nolina have such wonderful blooms, on top of being fantastic foliage plants. I wouldn’t enjoy that heat, either, but at least it will help wake up all the plants damaged by winter that much faster. Spring is starting to pick up the pace here, too. I love seeing all the buds swelling, new flowers and leaves starting to pop out everywhere.
I’m glad spring is arriving in your garden too, Evan. Yes, I don’t think Texas mountain laurel (Sophora secundiflora) would be very happy in the PNW, but I can’t bring myself to pity you since you’re living in the garden of Eden for growing most things! 😉 —Pam
Oh geez. Where did I even get “floribunda”? I know it’s secundiflora. I must have been a little slow that day.
Ha! I figured it was just an autocorrection. —Pam