• Everything other than hot peppers. Questions, discussion, and grow logs. Cannabis grow pics are only allowed when posted from a legal juridstiction.

Native Observations 2015

Hello good folks of THP! 
 
     I am straying down a different path this season from my usual grow log of hot peppers.  I am still growing a dozen varieties or so, plus half dozen overwinters.  After many seasons of growing hundreds of plants each year I have fallen in love with photographing them, but also the insects and other critters that take up residence amoung the plants in search of a meal or the safety the plants afford.
 
     I have decided to grow more native oriented plants to see if the same occurs, or do different species show up.  This might seem strange to some, or many, but my curiosity can be very overwheming when the hook is set!
 
    Last year I took part an a Master Naturlist certification program and my eyes were opened to the necessity for good land stewardship.  I live in the middle of suburbia and as much as I want to plunge into the wild world of owning land away from the city, I am stuck here for now.  So with the tools I do have I will make these observations.  The archeological record for Williamson county suggests there were no trees here as there are today.  Native grass plains were predominate.  While I do not plan on removing all my trees I will plant as much native wildflowers, shrubs, and grasses as I can germinate or transplant.
 
     One last item is that I have been using a small camera abanded by my daughter for awhile now.  I intend to at least upgrade a little, but probably not as much as I would like.
 
I will post a list of what I am growing, both native plant and pepper wise soon.
 
I will leave with this altered image of some dead sunflowers (Helianthus annuus), I shot while collecting some native grasses.  Makes me think of "Something wicked this way..."
 
Until next, Mike
 
 
Good idea.  I started raising bees last year which led to a bee/herb garden which led to growing natives.  I would go up an down the river banks and observe what plants they liked.  Then I went back and collected seeds from the ones that seemed to be overtaken by the non-native invasives.  I already have button bush, butterfly weed, wild monarda and some other that just sprouted after being stratified.  The goldenrod, joe pye, ironweed and common milkweed were doing good.  The swamp milkweed and wild aster was on decline as were others.  I will dig some of these up and devide the roots to spread them out.  I also paid attention at the big box stores to see what the bees were hitting at different times of the season and planted some of them.   The yard came alive with many species of native bees. 
 
Very cool.  I'll be following this one.  I have Monarda well established, also Illinois Bundleflower, common milkweed, and passion flower.  Ladies' tresses (at least two different species, I think) grow in my yard, as long as I don't mow too often.  I lost the Echinacea during one of the drought years, but have seed for several species I need to start soon.  Under some trees in the back yard I have Solomon's Seal, False Solomon's Seal, Mayapple, Shooting Star, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Large-flowered Bellwort, Golden Seal, Bloodroot, Trout Lily, and a few others I'm not thinking of right now.
 
MeatHead1313 said:
Nice idea! I'll be following along with interest.
Thanks!  I'll keep it interesting!
 
 
Rairdog said:
Good idea.  I started raising bees last year which led to a bee/herb garden which led to growing natives.  I would go up an down the river banks and observe what plants they liked.  Then I went back and collected seeds from the ones that seemed to be overtaken by the non-native invasives.  I already have button bush, butterfly weed, wild monarda and some other that just sprouted after being stratified.  The goldenrod, joe pye, ironweed and common milkweed were doing good.  The swamp milkweed and wild aster was on decline as were others.  I will dig some of these up and devide the roots to spread them out.  I also paid attention at the big box stores to see what the bees were hitting at different times of the season and planted some of them.   The yard came alive with many species of native bees. 
Thanks Rairdog!  Your bees sound cool!  I've got a Monarda that I collected, just not sure which one spotted or lemon beebalm.  Can't tell from the dead plant.  Here's a seedling though.  I now believe this is Wild Bergamont - Monarda fistulosa

 
Good luck with your season and your set up looks amazing!
 
 
Sawyer said:
Very cool.  I'll be following this one.  I have Monarda well established, also Illinois Bundleflower, common milkweed, and passion flower.  Ladies' tresses (at least two different species, I think) grow in my yard, as long as I don't mow too often.  I lost the Echinacea during one of the drought years, but have seed for several species I need to start soon.  Under some trees in the back yard I have Solomon's Seal, False Solomon's Seal, Mayapple, Shooting Star, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Large-flowered Bellwort, Golden Seal, Bloodroot, Trout Lily, and a few others I'm not thinking of right now.
Thanks John!  Glad to hear.  Sounds like your place is quite a sight.  The Eryngo I spoke to you about previously is just starting to get some spikes on it's leaves.
Eryngium leavenworthii seedling

and dead adult plant

Thanks for looking!
 
capsidadburn said:
Thanks John!  Glad to hear.  Sounds like your place is quite a sight.  The Eryngo I spoke to you about previously is just starting to get some spikes on it's leaves.
Eryngium leavenworthii seedling
 
and dead adult plant

Thanks for looking!
 
Native or not, I don't think I'd want one of those growing here.  I go barefoot outside too often.
 
Sawyer said:
 
Native or not, I don't think I'd want one of those growing here.  I go barefoot outside too often.
Understandable!  My daughter may find out as she wears flip flops quite often.  She helped me collect all the seed heads from which I shreaded into 70,000 seeds for the preserve at Berry Springs park.  Approx 25,000 seeds per 5 gal bucket of seedheads.  50 seeds weigh .2 grams/ 20 grams of seeds = 5000
Here is a magnified seed close up;


I have around 6 or 7 of these seedlings going.  They make a tall (3 to 4 ft.)lanky leg plant that will need some smaller under plants.
 
Sawyer said:
That's a lot of seeds!
Yes that represents a third of what I collected for the preserve. Of course a few spilled out and I had to keep those! If anybody would like some just ask by pm. Prefer it be native to your area.
Also have lots of Liatris pycnostachya. (Kansas Gayfeather)

http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=ERLE11

http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=LIPY

I may be out of town this weekend so I won't get my list up till I get back.

Have a good one folks!

Mike

Images of the Liatris being collected;

 
My Grow List:    Germinating    Cold Stratification   Seedlings    Transplanted in bed    overwinter    In the mail
abandoned germination
 
Bushy Bluestem -Andropogo glomeratus  -rescue/ transplant
Little Bluestem - Schizachyrium scoparium transplant
Texas Cupgrass-  Eriochloa sericea - transplant
Pine Muhly - Muhlenbergia dubia - transplant
Horsetail Rush- Equisitum  hyemale -purchase/ transplant
Golden Dalea -Dalea aurea -purchase/ transplant
Eryngo- Eryngium leaveanworthi - wild collected seed
Gayfeather (Kansas) -Liatris pycnostaycha wild collected seed
Barbara's Buttons - Marshallia caespitosa -Native American Seed
Bush Sunflower - Simsia calva - Native American Seed
Antelope Horns Native Milkweed - Aseclepias asperula- Native American Seed
Yellow Prairie Flax - Linum rigidum - Native American Seed
Wild Hyacinth - Camassia scilloides - Native American Seed
American Basketflower - Centaurea Americana - Native American Seed
Rattlesnake Master - Eryngiuim yuccifolium - Prairie Moon Nursery
Prairie Onion - Allium stellatum - Prairie Moon Nursery
Drummond's Onion - Allium drummondii - The Seed Source
Tepin - Capsicum annuum var. glabrisculum - overwinter
Pequin - Capsicum annuum  - overwinter
Buffalo Gourd - Cucurbita foetidissima - The Seed Source
Showy Milkweed - Aesclepias speciosa - Prairie Moon Nursery
Rose Milkweed - Aesclepias incarnata - Prairie Moon Nursery
Midland Shooting Star - Dodecatheon meadia - Prairie Moon Nursery
Obedient Plant Narrow-leaved - Physostegia augustifolia - Prairie Moon Nursery
Scarlet Globemallow - Sphaeralcea coccinea - Prarie Moon Nursery
Western Spiderwort - Tradescantia occidentalis - Prairie Moon Nursery
Stiff Goldenrod - Solidago rigida - Urban Farmer
Western Sunflower - Helianthus occidentalis - Urban Farmer / Prairie Moon Nursery
Tall Coreopsis - Coreopsis tripteris - Urban Farmer
Coneflower Purple-Echinacea purpurea - Urban Farmer
Black-Eyed Susan - Rudbeckia hirta - Urban Farmer
Prairie Parsley - Polytaenia nuttallii - Seed gift
Frost Weed - Verbesina virginica - Seed gift
Indian Paint Brush - Castilleja indivisa - LBJ Wildflower Research Center (old seeds)
Bluebonnet - Lupinus texensis - LBJ Wildflower Research Center (old seeds)
Winecup - Callirhoe involucrata - LBJ Wildflower Research Center (old seeds)
Red Yucca - Hesperaloe parviflora - collected seed from grown plant and purchase/ transplant
Texas Prickly Pear - Opuntia engelmanni var. lindeheimer- Cutting
Candle Cholla - Optunia kleiniae - overwinter
Wild White Indigo - Babtisia alba - Prairie Moon Nursery
Dog Toothed Violet/ White Trout Lily - Erythronium albidum - Prairie Moon Nursery
Mistflower - Eupatorium coelestinum - Prairie Moon Nursery
Cardinal Flower - Lobelia cardinalis - Prairie Moon Nursery
Compass Plant - Silphium laciniatum - Prairie Moon Nursery
Prairie Coneflower, Mexican Hat- Ratibida columnifera - Seed Gift / wild collected seed
Side Oats Gramma -  -wild collected
Inland Sea Oats -  - wild collected
Hooded Windmill Grass -  - wild collected
Coral Honeysuckle- - Native plant sale purchase
Standing Cypress- Ipomopsis rubra - transplant
Damianita - Chrysactinia mexicana - transplant 
Four Nerve Daisy- Tetraneuris scaposa- transpllant  
Redbud - Menodora heterophylla- transplant
Gulf Coast Penstemon- Penstemon tenius - Native plant sale  Nursery purchase
Pink Gaura- Gaura lindehiemer - Native plant sale purchase
Blackfoot Daisy -  - Native plant sale purchase
 
I have an assortment of unknown collected species germinating designated with letters A - J
A - ?   wild collected
E - probably Wild Bergamont - Monarda fistulosa but could be M. citridora - wild collected
F - ?  wild collected
G - ? wild collected
 
I got a fairly late start with this plan so we will see how it goes.  Should be fun!
 
My pepper/ other non natives grow list:
 
EOB (Elysium Oxide Bonnet) F5
EOB (mustard) F2
Tepin X Quintisho F2
Tepin
Pequin
Yellow Barrackpore F3
Tobago Yellow Scotch Bonnet
BOC
UBSC Brown
Naga type from last season
Pimenta Lisa F3
 
Overwintered: All now outside with some showing new growth.  Have some possible volunteer overwinters in the long bed; EOB and others.
 
Bubblegum 7 pod
Yellow Tobago S. B.
BOC
Tepin
Pequin
 
I intended but failed to properly collect seeds of MOA and Nagabrain (Red) last season.  Big fail!  Trying to germinate MOA from frozen seeds.  I feel that it is too late to germinate at this late date and I appreciate the offers of seeds.  I would be interested in any effort to mail a seedling.  I have done this before all the way to New York City with no problems.  Plastic bag wrap and tie closed the moist soil/ small container and use three bamboo like sticks taller than the seedling in case it is upside down at some point on the journey.  This does require an abnormal sized box or possibly a MFRB.  I would be happy to cover this cost and effort!  It is not the end of the world if my season does not contain either of these!
 
Thai Siam Queen basil
Lemon basil
Cinnamon basil
Stevia
 
Here are some Zombie Whitetail Deer looking at me as I drive a friends driveway.  I am desparate to transplant some of the copper colored native grass, Little Blustem.

 
Later folks!
 
Here is the start of the bee garden.  Since this pic I covered the grass with 4 inches of grass clippings and 8 inches of straw.  I plan to cover it all with wood chips and make a meandering patch with a bench and bird bath for bees to drink from.  It was a wild mess back there.  The birds use it for seeds so I tried to keep some of them like Elderberry and others.  I am trying to keep the costs down by not buying plants and recycling yard waste.  It need a lot of work.  It will also serve as an herb garden to grow out, collect seeds and feed the bees.
 

 
Here is the Top Bar Hive I built from free scraps of wood with package of bees ready to go in.  It has windows in front for observing.

 
Here is a view in the window.  You can see my queen with a green dot on her head.

 
Here is the button bush I collected seeds from.  I thought one had germinated but it turns out I must have dropped a brasica seed. 

 
This is some kind of wild hyssop or agastache.  I missed the boat collecting seeds so it's on my list.

 
The swamp milkweed I plan to spread around the riverbank

 
Wild Aster.  There were 100's of bees all over this when it bloomed.  I found a clump of it growing in a shaded corner over grown with weeds.  I brought it out in full sun and it exploded in the fall.

 
I'm still trying to ID this one.

 
 
You opened a can of worms my friend.  Hope you don't mind me adding pics to your thread.
 
 
Beautiful pics Jim! The beehive looks very cool too! When I get a chance I'll have a good look at the ID pic.

Have a great day!

Mike
 
Edit;  Jim that ID pic looks to be a rosinweed, just not sure which one as there are many listed.  No worries on posting the pics!  Love that Button Bush!
 
Here's a link for Silphium integrifolium; Native to Indiana with a wide distribution.  Look at the gallery pics to compare.
 
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=SIIN2
 
Looks like Rosin weed.  Very sticky.
 
Here are some of my bees from around the yard.  Their favorite seems to be Anise Hyssop.  They were all over my moms all summer so I divided it up and brought some home.


 
May Night Salvia.  To bad the cabbage moths like this one also.

 
Zinnia.

 
Catmint.  I will probably pull this one.  It seems invasive.

 
None of the neighbors spray so clover is abundant.  

 
I started the honey bees thinking they would help pollinate the veggie garden.  It turns out the bumble, carpenter  and sweat bees pollinate the curcubits and legumes.  The honey bees are more interested in the native plants and herbs.  They also like the broccoli, lettuce and various other when it flowers and goes to seed.  Most of the time these would be harvested so they never get the chance.

 
 
 
Those are beautiful pics Jim!  I'm pretty sure that mostly the Sweat bees, various fly's and wasps were the major pollinators for my peppers in previous years.  The bees mostly go for the red Salvia I have had for years, Bumble bees too.  I will look back at some of my old pics though.
 
Adding a few new arrival pics here;
I hear that Antelope Horns is very fussy with soil.  Probably to rich.  May have to bring in some more natural material.  Not sure what that will be yet.

Frost weed

Yellow Prairie Flax with a sloppy new home

 
I'm still uncertain about which Monarda / Horsemint / Beebalm I have going that is wild collected.  Here's a pic from the seed source and a current pic.  It may be Monarda fistulosa, but I can not rule out Monarda citridora.  Since there are no remaining leaves on the dead plant I'll have to wait.
 


 
I did some master naturalist volunteer work for a native plant nursery this weekend .  Labeling plants.  Here are a few pics from that.





 
Have a great day folks!
 
Great photos, guys.  Does that dog really have one blue eye and one brown eye?
 
I noticed today one of my shooting stars is starting to poke its head up.  I posted a picture over in my glog.
 
Yes, John the Dog had a funky eye and was very old, polite, and friendly.
 
I bought some plants today from a Native plant sale, some of which I labeled the previous week!  Got Coral Honeysuckle, Pink Gaura, Gulf coast Penstemon, and Blackfoot Daisy.
 
Lots of rain this weekend, maybe not as much forecasted.  2 to 3 inches maybe.  I think I'll put some plants in the ground tommorrow!
 
Here's a few pics;
Dalea aurea (Golden Dalea)  Bought this last October and put it in the ground a few weeks back.  New growth showing. Origionally thought I bought Black Dalea.

 
Just love this Equisitum!  I know it can be aggressive if not contained, but it is sort of a living fossil.  Related to the Calamites of the Carboniferous period.

These are inner "Pith" casts of the Calamites tree from the Carboniferous of North East Oklahoma.  I think they reached 40 feet tall.  Sorry no scale object, but these are around 2 1/4 inch diameter and clear coated to minimize further oxidation.  I also have a fossil of the Annularia whorls from the same species in a concretion fossil from the famous Mazon Creek beds in Illinois.  I will add a pic of them soon!

Annularia in concretion from Mazon Creek.
[URL=http://s975.photobucket.com/user/marsrats/media/Native%20Observations%202015/100_5396_zpsiesvdqad.jpg.html]


 
Some reference links;
http://isgs.illinois.edu/content/calamites
http://petrifiedwoodmuseum.org/AnatomyCalamitesStem.htm
http://www.museum.state.il.us/exhibits/mazon_creek/about_mazon_creek.html
 
 
 
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Here is my Bushy Bluestem clump grass after a rough trim, and before.


 
Have a great day!
 
Mike
 
I have lots of Horsetail growing along the river.  One of my secret shroomin spots.....shhhh!  They are great for dry years when the other spots fail.  They should be poppin in a month.


 
This thread leads me on a wild google search mission.  Those Pith casts are awesome!  Keep it coming Mike.
 
 
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