November 13, 2011

30 Day Challenge ~ Thanksgiving ~ Day 13

These goldeneye blooms are flourishing in
the middle of a hot, dry field with rocky, shallow soil.  They've rebounded in response to 
that smattering of rain we got a couple of weeks ago. 


Look closely.  Did you notice that?


There, tucked into the yucca. See it?


Our Texas native, Rock Rose (Pavonia lasiopetala) is one tough plant...growing out there in the 
middle of nothing and looking no worse for the wear.  This is an excellent plant for our home landscapes. 
Rock rose requires little water, blooms summer through fall and reseeds freely.  They grow best 
in full to part-sun but will tolerate less.  In shade they produce fewer blooms and are prone 
to powdery mildew.  They can be cut back through the growing season to discourage
a leggy appearance and to promote more blooms.

Today finds me grateful for the true survivors of summer. 

14 comments:

  1. These plants are real troopers surviving despite all the adversity Mother Nature has thrown at them. I plan to put in more of these fighters in my garden next year. Your photos are beautiful!

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  2. Wonderful photos! Love the first one the most. This challenge is getting exciting, isn't it? Your photos are getting more and more interesting.

    I looked for the ducks but was shocked to see them chasing after me. They must be very hungry.

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  3. I like the field finds. It is always like a treasure hunt with little gems along the way. Glad your weather was gracious to let you discover these beauties.

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  4. Those are some tough plants!! Rock rose has not done well in my garden because I water at all! I think the hotter and dryer, the happier it is. I think that "goldeneye" is really Zexmenia. Skeleton Leaf Goldeneye has thinner foliage (hence the name skeleton leaf). Zexmenia has a little bit wider leaf and the foliage has a rough texture. The foliage and bloom just look more like Zexmenia to me. Zexmenia is one of my favorite plants. I am replacing some of my Rudbeckia with Zexmenia this year because the Rudbeckia fried and the Zexmenia just got better the hotter it got.

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  5. Meadows are wonderful places to find miracles...I love what can survive and what will grow despite the conditions...kind of like our human spirit....

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  6. They are tough, Toni! They amaze me. I'm fairly certain the Goldeneye is Sunflower or Toothleaf Goldeneye not Skeleton Leaf. Like you say, the leaf isn't as narrow. Unlike Zexminia this goldeneye only blooms in fall and colonizes fields and pastures. Here is a good link for more info: http://npsot.org/wp/story/2011/1976/

    Thanks for your insight, I always appreciate your willingness to share your deep knowledge!

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  7. That field is doing better than I am with flowers. My Rock Rose died....I do think it was in too much shade. And, I rescued some Goldeneye seeds from beside a soccer field last fall. None came up.

    But, I do love the tough things that manage on their own.

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  8. Interesting theme on being grateful for what survived this year! Many plants here never looked better or they died - 3 brutal freezes in winter, then dry. Worth taking more notes on for me!

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  9. That is a great photo of the native rock rose. Mine died because I'm sure I overwatered. Next time, I'll ignore it more.

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  10. I sense your gratitude for those survivors... as they appear I'm sure it also brings hope for a better summer next year.

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  11. I'm enjoying seeing the native TX plants. Amazing how some can survive conditions which we don't usually consider ideal for plants.

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  12. I'm impressed with both the plants and people that survived your summer! It looks like a little hibiscus. Very pretty!

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  13. Cat, THANKS for the Native Plant website about the Goldeneye! I just got a new wrinkle in my plant brain! I love gardening...always something new to learn. Amazing how much it looks like Zexmenia, and I don't feel so bad about the confusion -- apparently I'm not the only one who has confused the two. Thanks for setting me straight :-)

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  14. Tough but beautiful - a hard to beat combination.

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