Succulent Collection

I love succulents, and this is some of my current collection (on a stand I retrieved from the dumpster!):

Above: Portulacaria afra 'Variegata' (Variegated Elephant Bush) on the left, Haworthia at top, Echeveria pulidonis at right.

Below: Kalanchoe 'Flapjacks" in blue pot, Echeveria Hybrid 'Miranda' in white pot

Below: Kalanchoe (unknown variety that Mom got from Sandy) about to bloom

Kalanchoe 'Bordeaux'

Below: Aptenia cordifolia 'Variegata' (variegated dew plant) I "stole" from a neighbor! (it's still rooting in)

Saving Sunflower Seeds

These are 2nd generation 'Mammoth' sunflowers, grown from seeds saved many years ago. I planted them along the fence line behind the rock garden to try to mitigate the reflected heat off the fence. They did okay but did show some heat scald. Nonetheless, they bloomed and put on a nice show!

Now they have gone to seed, and some have already exploded all over the planting area.

To collect seeds, cut the head of the sunflowers off and place them in a paper bag to dry. Seeds will pop off on their own and collect in the bag as they dry, and those that don't can be easily brushed loose by hand later.

Some seeds have already popped loose out of these two!

Threadleaf Groundsel

Senecio douglasii (Asteraceae Sunflower family)

I transplanted this "weed" back in the spring from one spot in my yard into the rock garden. I think it's so pretty with its feathery gray foliage and bright yellow flowers. It is not as heavy a bloomer as the Spiny Goldenweed, but after heavy blooms in the spring, it does bloom sporadically throughout the summer.

More info from the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension:

Description

Threadleaf groundsel is a many-stemmed evergreen composite in the Sunflower family. The stems are herbaceous, although somewhat woody at the base, and may have variable hairiness.

The stems and leaves are gray-green. The leaves are long, threadlike and divided into three to seven segments. They may be hairy or nearly smooth. Showy yellow flowers emerge from March through November.

Threadleaf groundsel is poisonous to livestock and offers poor to fair forage value for wildlife.

Threadleaf Groundsel flower

Threadleaf Groundsel foliage

Threadleaf Groundsel flower & seed tuft

Habitat

Threadleaf groundsel is a common range plant in Colorado and Utah and south to Texas and Mexico. It is common in the grassland areas of western Texas. Disturbance and overgrazing can cause it to increase in abundance.

'Elberta' Peaches

'Elberta' freestone peaches harvested today. Beautiful and delicious!

History/Lore

This variety of peach was first introduced to the world around 1875 by Samuel H. Rumph. The tree, which first grew in his family’s orchard in Macon County, Georgia, was a result of an Early Crawford pollenating a Chinese Cling. A visitor had asked the name of the variety. Because Rumph had no answer, she promptly named it after his wife (Clara Elberta Moore).

Spiny Goldenweed

Xanthisma spinulosum

These are "wildflowers" in Lubbock (our wildflower selection is pretty limited!) that I dug up and relocated into my rock garden. I think they are Spiny Goldenweed.

From Blooming at Academy Village:

Spiny goldenweed is a small, rounded native perennial whose lovely yellow flowers appear in April and then again with the monsoon rains. Growing to no more than a foot, it can be used in a native garden almost as a groundcover. The petals fold in at night but soon open with morning sun.

This plant is probably not available commercially. Cherish the ones you have. Seed can be collected. Simply rake into the ground and wait for new plants to appear. Goldenweed responds well to shearing. Cutting back after the spring flush of flowers will create a compact plant and will not delay summer flowers.

Wildlife value: attracts insects and small butterflies

I dug these up in the spring when they were still fairly small. They went through about a week of mild transplant shock and since then have bloomed repeatedly throughout the summer. 

The fine textrued gray-green foliage contrasts nicely with other elements of the garden. Mine is low-growing, about 6" - 8" tall, and as their name suggest, they are somewhat "prickly," though not "stickery" like a cactus. They like it hot and dry!

Spiny Goldenweed - Xanthisma spinulosum

 

Spiny Goldenweed - closeup of leaves

Yellow Cosmos

Yellow Cosmos (Cosmos sulphureus) is blooming and going to seed. It grows 18" - 24" tall, is heat and drought tolerant, self-seeding, and attracts butterflies.

Yellow Cosmos

Seed is easy to collect and save for next year or share with a friend. If uncollected, plants will reseed themselves naturally.

Yellow Cosmos going to seed

It is beautiful both up close AND from a distance!

Yellow Cosmos on both the left and the right of this frame