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VIRTUAL MEETING MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 6:30 P.M.
SOIL HEALTH/SOIL BIOLOGY
BY RANDY JOHNSON, aka “Organic Randy”
Soil health is vital to everything growing, whether it’s your flower bed, yard, garden, pasture or field, so please plan to attend – and tell all your friends and neighbors too. Randy will discuss foundation organisms such as bacteria, protozoa, nematodes, soil mites, fungi, earthworms, etc. You have to register for this meeting, so please click on the link below to register.
Randy Johnson graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences. His business, Randy Johnson Organics, offers native plants and seeds for sale as well as offering on-site environmental consultations. Randy was formerly the Horticulture Manager at the Dallas Zoo and the Director of Horticulture at Texas Discovery Gardens. He is a board member of Peckerwood Gardens in Hempstead, Texas, and is the Garden Consultant for the Lake Highland Community Garden. He has served as the President and Vice President of the Native Plant Society of Texas.
You are invited to a Zoom meeting.
When: Sep 28, 2020 06:30 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcofuyopzsvGdzuXefBP1zzeCnce1y48X-n
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
SNOW ON THE MOUNTAIN/SNOW ON THE PRAIRIE
Spurge Family (Euphorbiaceae)
Have you been noticing those groups of gorgeous white flowers everywhere right now? Those plants are either Snow on the Mountain or Snow on the Prairie. Since our NPSOT chapter, Prairie Rose (Hood, Somervell, Erath, Bosque, Hamilton & Johnson counties), is in a somewhat unique position of being located on a type of dividing line between these two species, I thought it might be fun to look more deeply at the similarities and differences of two plants that look almost identical. The Snow on the Mountain pictures are from Somervell County, and the Snow on the Prairie photos are from the Acton Nature Center in Hood County.
Similarities
Growing 1 to 4 feet tall with an erect stem and multiple branches off this stem, these annual plants bloom from July through October. As a late summer bloomer, they’re important nectar plants for pollinators and produce seeds that songbirds, quail and mourning dove eat. Each branch ends in a whorl of clustered, tiny white flowers. The lower leaves of both plants are alternate and entirely green. Leaves around the flowers are typically green with edges of white.
Differences/How to Tell Them Apart
Snow on the Mountain: The plant branches in pairs from the main stem. Prefers moister soil and part shade (I have many growing in full sun, but typically in a more seepy area). Water use is considered medium. This plant is available commercially. It grows from Grand Prairie region westward.
Snow on the Prairie: The lower part of the stem may be a reddish color. It’s much branched from the stem with the upper branches in pairs or threes. The top leaves are narrower and longer than Snow on the Mountain, 2-4 inches long with a narrow band of white. It grows eastward from the eastern part of the Grand Prairie region. Because it isn’t grazed, it can form large colonies. Can handle either dry or wet conditions and prefers sun. This plant is not available commercially.
What fun! These flowers are abundant and profusely blooming right now. I suggest taking a moment as you’re driving around and checking out one of the plants near the road or on public right-of-ways. If you have pastures, check out which one of these plants are actually growing on your property.
This fall NPSOT will hold 13 virtual landscaping classes. The classes have been reworked somewhat to make it possible to teach them over Zoom. However we think they are just as good, and we are even able to reduce the prices because it is more economical to teach them over Zoom, it’s recommended you sign up for those closest to your ecological region.
Level 1 classes are only $37; all others are $37 for members, $52 for non-members. Several of these classes are already sold out, but the October 3 class from Dallas on Native Landscape Certification Program, Level 1, N. Texas is still open. There are also programs on Landscaping for Birds open from other areas in the state.
DEMONSTRATION GARDEN
Glen Rose Courthouse Square
A big thanks to everyone who’s been helping out in our demonstration garden. Our Pokeweed plants shown to you earlier have matured a great deal. As you can see from the picture, the fruits are all ripe and berry colored.
NATIVE PLANT SALE October
We will be advising you shortly or our arrangements for a plant sale. Fall is the best time to plant flowering perennials, shrubs and trees, which is why Native Plant Week in Texas is the third week in October. Perhaps you’ll be adding plants to your list based on Carol’s recommendations for Bluebirds!
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**ARCHIVED POST AUTHOR: prairierose
