Yesterday I noticed that this guy popped up in our back 40:
I believe this is some variety of Antelope Horns (Asclepias asperula), a Texas wild flower which I've only ever seen at the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center. I'm pretty excited that it's here.
In a good (not an insanely dry year) our volunteer wild flowers include Gauras, Black-eyed Susans, Coreopsis, Herbertia, Wild Onions, Rainlily, Passion Flower, White Snake Root, Toadflax, Anemone, Goldenrod, Lantana, Primrose, Aster, Silver Leaf Nightshade, and Blue Eyed Grass. Whew! Now that I list them, that's a lot of biodiversity! That doesn't even include all the trees, shrubs, and grasses that grow here. This year, because it's so dry I've only seen about half of those.
In a good (not an insanely dry year) our volunteer wild flowers include Gauras, Black-eyed Susans, Coreopsis, Herbertia, Wild Onions, Rainlily, Passion Flower, White Snake Root, Toadflax, Anemone, Goldenrod, Lantana, Primrose, Aster, Silver Leaf Nightshade, and Blue Eyed Grass. Whew! Now that I list them, that's a lot of biodiversity! That doesn't even include all the trees, shrubs, and grasses that grow here. This year, because it's so dry I've only seen about half of those.
The pictures I've seen show a slightly different flower... tighter, more rounded and with white on the tips of the stamens, not purple like we have here.
My book, 100 Texas Wildflowers
, says it's extremely poisonous to livestock. Fortunately the chickens don't seem interested. I thought it was odd that my larger book, Roadside Flowers of Texas
, had 4 other Asclepias but not this one. It's such a striking plant.
, says it's extremely poisonous to livestock. Fortunately the chickens don't seem interested. I thought it was odd that my larger book, Roadside Flowers of Texas, had 4 other Asclepias but not this one. It's such a striking plant.
And a bonus:
Seed pods!
The antler horms are beautiful. A friend has some of those growing in her "back 40" but her husband keeps mowing everything down. I have seen a few in the open field next door, but haven't seen any blooms or pods this year. They are beautiful. I like the variety of wild flowers I see around here. A favorite is the western horse-nettle - like your silver-leaf nightshade, just bitter leaves. I did have a buffalo bur grow in the yard recently. All the wild plants are so fun to watch. Emily
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