Landscaping Plants

Yucca

The flower stalk is sweet-tasting before it produces flower pods/flowers. Roast or pickle it before the pods appear. As the flower pods mature the stalk becomes tasteless and tough. After the flowers have past the ripe fruit of the thick-leaf …
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Wolfberry

As you cross the dry, sandy, alkaline soils of south and west Texas and southern coastal areas you make see a gray-colored bush covered in thick, elongated oval leaves. Depending on the time of year, the bush may be covered in long, tubular, …
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Wisteria

The fragrant flowers of wisteria make a wonderful addition to salads or just nibbled as a raw snack. Long ago they were used to flavor wines, but I haven’t had a chance to try that. Note that all other parts of the plant (leaves, stem, seeds …
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Turk’s Cap

It’s hard to miss Turk’s Cap shrubs in the summer. Their multitude of bright read, uniquely-shaped flowers set against dark green foliage draw not just the human eye but also many butterflies and hummingbirds. These native mallows, related …
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Sweet Potato

Few plants seem to thrive in the Texas summer heat like Sweet Potatoes. There prolific, yellow-green vines explode in late June and on until cold fall weather (if any) appears. In a sheltered spot they can ever survive all year long in Houston …
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Rose

Wild roses can be found growing along fences (barbwire or other types) across the Texas prairie and on old homesteads. They make a formidable barrier or security fence once well established. They are pretty much impervious to droughts, blistering …
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Pyracantha

Fall brings forth a lot of different red berries in Texas, both wild and landscaping. One of the most thickly-covered red berry bushes is Pyracantha. These started out as a non-native landscaping plant but due to birds LOVING these berries, …
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Pride of Barbados

There are few landscaping plants as showy as the non-native Pride of Barbados bushes. Their round shape, complex leaves, bright flower clusters, and long pea pods draw attention and admiration. These bushes are very tolerant of Texas summers, …
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Nasturtium

Nasturtium flowers have a strong peppery-radish taste which really spices up a salad. They can also be added to assorted pickled foods for extra flavor. Blend some of the flowers into mayonnaise for spicy sandwich spread.

They make good companion …
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Nanadina

First arriving to the United States in 1804 AD, Nanadina has become a very common landscaping plant in warmer areas due to its evergreen leaves, attractive red berries, ability to thrive in sunny and shady areas as well as not being susceptible …
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