TAKING ON THE HEAT
There are plenty of plants that can
survive the
June 21, 2007
BY BARB HENRY -
EDITED BY CHARLA BORCHERS
Do you have plants in your garden that will hold up to our July and August heat? Now is the time to get them planted. Summer is upon us once more and soon our scorching hot Texas sun will sap the life from all but the most tolerant plant (or animal) left unprotected. Are you frustrated at not having plants that will survive in the hot spots of your garden?
After three decades absent from
Inquiries led to my enrolling in the Victoria County Master Gardener Association training class last August, and the horticulture information floodgates opened.
I'd like to share some of what I have learned.
ACCENT PLANTS
The begonia is my choice for colorful accent in my garden. Although they look delicate, with fleshy stems that are easily broken, begonias can be very heat tolerant as long as they have a little shade. They do well with only the occasional soaking through the hot summer months and can be propagated from cuttings with selective pinching to encourage them to bush. They will winter well if mulched and protected from freezing. Begonias come in a great variety of foliage colors and shapes, and flowers are in shades from pure white through pinks to red. The large maroon-leafed, pink flowering Dragon Wing will tolerate full sun, if watered.
Dusty Miller (Senecio cineraria) and Artemisia (often called Dusty Miller, also) are very attractive accent plants that add a soft silvery-white contrast in spots or in groups. With white, velvety lobed leaves, Dusty Miller complements my red begonias beautifully in two flowerbeds around the oak trees in my yard. It thrives in full sun to partial shade with little moisture. Artemisia has finer leaves and is not as dramatic as Dusty Miller, but is also popular for adding that silvery contrast.
VARIETY
Sun coleus and crotons provide multi color foliage and nicely accent other plants. Coleus comes in many variations of color and leaf shape and grows to various sizes. It is a member of the mint family and can be propagated from seed or cuttings.
Croton is a woody-stemmed shrub whose colors are most intense in full sun.
Salvias are summer's mainstays. There is a salvia (sage) to suit every taste in color, size and shape. Most of the salvias are heat and drought tolerant.
Globe amaranth (Gomphrena globosa) or bachelor button has airy growth and bristly round clover-like flowers. It dries well for use in flower arrangements. The most common color is purplish red, but it comes in shades of pink to white also. It is a fair butterfly plant.
Moss rose (portulaca) and the popular purslane love full sun and heat. Although the flowers are only open during mid-day bright sun, they are spectacular, in shades of white, yellow, orange and red to magenta. They are perfect for edging, rock gardens, spilling out of containers, and in any hot, dry site.
Periwinkles (catharanthus roseus) are super drought tolerant and need almost no care at all. With masses of flat, five-petaled flowers in shades of white, pink or red, often with a darker eye in the middle, it re-seeds prolifically but hates wet feet and compact wet soil.
Firecracker fern has long, thin jointed leaves of bright green that arch or weep slightly that produce a striking sprinkling of small scarlet trumpet flowers. It loves full sun and is drought tolerant once established.
Pride of Barbados is a lacy bush with outstanding red, orange or yellow flowers and produces bean-like flat seedpods while still flowering. However, the seeds are toxic. It needs pruning only for shaping and can become quite a large shrub. Protect from freezing.
Varieties of hibiscus like Texas Star, Moy Grande, Flare and Lord Baltimore do well in full sun, with large showy blooms from summer to frost. These, unlike the Chinese hibiscus, are the winter hardy coming back from the roots each year after a freeze.
Don't overlook the many ornamental grasses being used in landscaping today. Also, the ornamental red chili plant is an eye-catching beauty that loves the heat, too.
The color red seems to dominate the flowers and foliage of the plants I've mentioned. Could that be because it is a favorite in my garden for the humming birds? There is, however, a whole color wheel of beautiful, tough plants out there. Something to suit every garden's hot spot and every gardener's taste.
VISIT VEG FOR IDEAS
A great way to make a decision is to see the plants in a
natural setting. Visit the
VEG is located on the grounds around the Officer's Club at
The next master gardener training class starts Aug. 2. Look for more information in next week's article.
The Gardeners' Dirt
is written by members of the Victoria County Master Gardener Association, an
educational outreach of
PLANTS FOR
ALTHEA OR ROSE-OF-SHARON: attracts bees, has large flowers summer to fall, self-seeding
ARTEMISIA: Fine gray leaves, provides contrast in groupings
BEGONIA: Adaptable, large variety of color and size of leaf and flower
BLANKET FLOWERS: Indian Blankets, a well known native wild flower
BLUEBONNETS: Help perpetuate our state flower. It comes in Texas A&M maroon, too.
BLACK FOOT DAISY: Attracts butterflies, hates overhead water, white/yellow flowers in spring and summer
CANNAS: Many colors and varieties to choose from, cutting spent flowers promotes new leaves
CROTON: Waxy, multi-color foliage shrub, good in containers
DAISIES AND MUMS: A variety of colors with lasting flowers
DUMB CANE (DIEFFENBACHIA): Wide variegated leaves top thick stems, sap is very poisonous
DUSTY MILLER: Fuzzy silver/white leaves, little water, good background for colorful plants
ESPERANZA OR YELLOW BELLS: Clusters of showy blooms, even when plant is small
FIREBUSH: Attracts hummers, fiery flowers/foliage, needs water
FLOWERING QUINCE: Takes extremes, apple blossom like flower, no water, not showy in summer
HIBISCUS: Showy blooms, summer to frost
PORTULACA AND PURSLANE: Love hot, dry spots in full sun, have bright flowers
PURPLE CONEFLOWER (ECHINACEA PURPUREA): Water only if in dire need
RED YUCCA: Clumps of long straight leaves with coral spike, attracts hummers
RUDBECKIA (BLACK-EYED SUSAN): Flowers from June to August with no care at all; attracts butterflies
SALVIAS: Summer mainstays, huge variety to choose from
SEDUM: Tight compact flower heads, butterflies and bees, very little care
SPIDER PLANT OR AIRPLANE PLANT: Needs some shade but little water, good hanging basket display
TURK'S CAP: Red flowers, butterflies/hummers, can be invasive, prune if leggy and to confine it
YARROW: Red or yellow clusters of flowers, gray-green fern-like foliage, water seldom but deeply
ZINNIAS: Heat-loving faithfuls for summer color