Now Blooming, Rosemary Even in Winter!

Nature is truly a wonder. Here it is, the middle of winter in central Texas, and there are plants blooming. This month, rosemary is demonstrating it's durability in the cold air. This winter has given our area several blasts of freezing air to remind us winter is still possible. Even though Austin and surrounding areas have sustained temperatures in the 20's and even into the high teens, there are plants that can look good and provide interest year 'round.

Rosmarinus officinalis not only is a dependable plant in the heat here, but sturdy to most of our winters. Its first and foremost use in our landscapes is as a heat tolerant, low water use, evergreen, deer resistant, small shrub. As can be seen in these photos, it provides good green in the winter in addition to the blooms. Rosemary is commonly found in two varieties, upright or Tuscan, and prostrate or creeping. This plant can be left to grow on its own, or shaped. Rosemary does not mind being sheared into somewhat of a hedge, or trimmed for shape and size.

Since our winters consist of see-sawing temperatures, ups and downs, many pollinators live all year in central Texas. These include bees, some butterflies, occasional hummingbirds, an numerous other birds. Since the temperatures are often over 65 degrees, the bees manage to stay active here all the time. With rosemary blooming in winter, this provides a great nectar source for the insects.

Rosemary, of course, provides a delicious benefit for humans. The leaves are one of the basic herbs every kitchen should have in stock. Having a bush or rosemary to pick from for dinner preparations is a nice convenience. Fresh rosemary leaves can be used to flavor soups, stews, salads, salad dressing, and breads.

If you would like to incorporate rosemary into your landscape, it is very easy. Rosemary needs to be in a sunny location, 6 or more hours of sun, and afternoon sun is ok. Its roots prefer good drainage, but decent soil so be sure to add some compost to the location when you plant. Plant one as soon as you can, before it gets hot. Once the weather heats up, it can be hard to keep this (or any plant) watered enough. The leaves will turn pale green when it needing water. In extreme heat, entire branches with turn brown and die off. If this happens, trim the entire branch off, it will not grow new leaves. If you need to trim the plant for size, trim branches at joints. If you want to shape it or shear it, trim in cool seasons. After spring rains and after fall rains are best. If the leaves start to look yellowish, this is usually sign of needing fertilizer, something acidic - acidified liquid seaweed is perfect.

There are two photos here of rosemary in situ. One features prostrate rosemary growing along a street curb. This shows its heat tolerance level! Prostrate rosemary is perfect for planting on retaining walls, terraces, and large pots. It spills over and seems to just love the heat and air circulation. The other photo shows upright rosemary growing in a xeric herb garden in the Lake Travis area. In the foreground is artemesia and near the rosemary the grass looking plant is lemongrass. This is a summer photo as lemongrass is not cold hardy below 30. Rosemary can be used as a "fence" to deter deer from other plants you do not want deer to eat. It is highly aromatic and that is something deer do not like.

Its Winter in Central Texas and Loquat Trees are Blooming!

This is the hardy Loquat tree, Eriobotrya japonica, a large member of the rose family. Loquats have been blooming in the Austin area since November. I am telling you, there is always something going on here in the landscape. These hardy adapted trees provide a fragrant splash of evergreen backdrop for medium to large gardens.

The loquat, as can be seen in these photos, has large dark green leaves. They radiate around the flower clusters. A benefit of these flowers is how long the blooms persist. As mentioned above, they have been blooming for nearly a month. There are a few little insects that visit these flowers for their benefit and pollination, including bees. Bees are active in this part of the state year 'round. Generally the days warm up above their required 60 degrees so they can be out and about enjoying local gardens. And yes, the insects will help these flowers produce loquat fruits! They are quite sweet and tasty. Don't be confused, however, between these and kumquat. Kumquat is a citrus and can be very tangy.

Loquat trees are medium to fast growing depending on the conditions. The more water the faster the growth. They do not like standing water. Full sun can sometimes burn over exposed leaves (this would be a day of 8+ hours of sun). But a mostly sunny spot to part shade is fine for them. They could make a large specimen tree if shaped nicely on their own, or can be part of a grouping of trees with taller ones behind. Loquats in central Texas grow to about 15 or 20 feet tall and almost as wide. They require very little care once established and small ones under 4 feet transplant quite easily. Loquats rarely exhibit signs of chlorosis or any soil deficiency. They are planted from east Austin to West Lake Hills. So one can infer they are highly adaptable to soil conditions. However, adding some compost in the hole when planting a loquat or any tree is advised. Be sure to mulch in the spring to keep the soil cooler and moist longer in the summer.

The loquat's soil adaptability makes it a good alternative to Southern Magnolia, as far as the large dark green leaf look is concerned. Though they do not have the huge showy flower, they are fragrant none-the-less. Magnolias really struggle in the thin, alkaline soil, especially west of central Austin. If you like this look, the low maintenance aspect, a winter bloomer, then plant one now! Or at least by February if you find one. The sooner you get it in the ground, the sooner its roots can adapt to its home before the top gets hit by the summer heat. It is best to plant all trees and larger shrubs here in the winter.

Tribute to Fall Color

Who says there is no fall in Central Texas? I hope everyone, plant lovers, art lovers, season lovers, are seeing what this wonderful early cool spell has cast on our hillsides. The Hill Country is being blessed with a brilliant splash of color typically relegated to the northeast. Yellow, orange, and bright red leaves are glowing in the grey overcast days, and radiating on the blue sunny days. While meteorologists still speculate on what makes the perfect fall for leaf lookers, it seems the early and sustained cool spell has certainly made an impact in the local plant pallet.

All the usual suspects have made a miraculous appearance on short notice with rain only just hitting them in September after a year of rain missing in action. These native perennials and annuals made a grand appearance: Rough leaf sunflower (or daisy as some may know it), liatris, maxamillian sunflower, goldenrod, and native grasses. Adapted plants that have provided a good show include: roses, butterfly weed, plumbago, and pride of Barbados. And how about these spring bloomers that have a sudden sense of urgency to reproduce: pomegranate, Bradford pear, and even an errant Carolina Jessamine. Crazy Love! Just a fabulous example of how nature will find a way to survive.

As for the trees that are radiant on the hillsides, their show is practically a jaw dropper. The deciduous ones, those that lose their leaves in winter, are the trees giving us the wonderful color. On wild or native hillsides look for: redbud, cedar elm, shumard oak (close relations: Spanish oak, Texas red oak) rough leaf dogwood, Mexican plum, Texas buckeye, a little bit of sycamore and cottonwood. Along the water ways look for bald and Montezuma cypress, Mexican buckeye, and sycamore.

If you are looking for a specimen tree to make a show in your landscape, investigate these small trees: Texas redbud-not only is it the star of the show in early spring with intense pink blossoms, it also provides a bright yellow nearly heart shaped leaf in the fall. Mexican plum is another spring show stopper-covered in somewhat fragrant white flowers on bare branches it provides loads of nectar for bees, then in the fall the leaves gradate in colors from yellow to peach to reddish. And, for the bonus, a few thumb size pinkish plums. Texas buckeye is a small tree with spring and fall interest. In spring, it shows clusters of tubular flowers yellow or red or crossbreeds in between at the same time as the leaves appear. In the fall it shows great yellow color leaves. Here is one for nearly year round enjoyment, Mexican buckeye. This small vase shaped tree sprouts pink flowers on bare branches at about the same time as the redbud, although redbud holds its flowers longer. The Mexican buckeye displays yellow to copper leaves in the fall, then after the leaves drop, the tree is left with large triangular and bulbous seed cluster. The seeds inside looks like a buck’s eye, hence the name.

For a large specimen tree, the favorite is the Texas red oak. Species include Shumard and Spanish red oak. These trees do not provide showy flowers, but make up for it in the fall with deep rich wine red to orange red leaves. The red oak can grow up to forty feet tall. A large tree for wet areas, near a creek, river or body of water is native cypress: Montezuma or Bald. These trees grow in a stately conical shape-christmas tree like-with very straight horizontal branches. In the fall, the small needle like leaves are some of the first to turn orange, gold, and coppery. Stunning! The cypresses can be upwards of sixty feet tall at maturity. Rusty blackhaw viburnum (pictured here) is sometimes considered a smaller tree but can get large given the ideal circumstances. This tree is even more brilliant that the red oak in its redness due to the glossy nature of the leaves.

Standard shade and common trees found already growing on many city lots are cedar elm, red oaks, burr oaks, and redbud. These are yellow to copper to brown. Easy to grow, good shade, and accent additions to the fall landscape.

Tree Folks produces a Tree Growing Guide for Austin and the Hill Country that illustrates trees appropriate to this area and their relative size to one another. This guide is available at most local nurseries for around three dollars, and from them directly, www.treefolks.org. The booklet produced by the city of Austin Grow Green program, Native and Adapted Landscape Plants, includes color photos of plants and growing information on each species. This publication is free at most garden retailers in Austin. Or, look at their web site: www.growgreen.org

For up close and personal tree viewing, visit the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center where plants are labeled individually. Also, Zilker Botanical Gardens is a great display garden to see plants in groups of who likes to cohabitate with whom.

Winter is the time to plant trees in the Austin area. Getting them in the ground while the weather is cool enables the trees to get their roots established before the brutal onslaught of summer heat. Trees put their energy into developing a strong foundation while the upper parts are dormant in winter. Admire the trees, pick one out and get home and plant it!