Jan 1998- Reid Lewis - Native Texas Plants

Ramblings of January 1998

....One day it's cold, wet and cloudy. Sunny, dry and nice the next. Oh yes, this time of year it's great fun to be out and about tromping around in the fields and forests. The weatherman says 60's and nice tomorrow and it's mid 40's with a cold north wind blowing. Then they say rain is coming and it's sunny and nice. Talk is cheap in the weather department, but it's OK. After all, this is winter in Texas and we will take what comes down and the seasons will roll on. (What else can we do? It is the way of the Tao, my friend.) If it's a wet winter some plants will be happy as clams. Dry summers, same thing no matter what. Some will be happy and others won't, and it might all be different next year.

There are so many things that will affect how our spring will be that are going on now. Temperature, rainfall, soil types, exposures, micro-climates, etc., all play a part in the coming event we call spring — be it in the wild or your back yard. There are some things you can control — you can water during the dry spells or improve drainage for those West Texas darlings that like dry feet in winter. On the flip side of that are things you can't do anything about — like when an ice storm takes out that big old oak limb and drops it right in your bed (flowerbed that is) So what are you going to do??

This is a very good time to wander around. Go, my friends, and wander in your yards. Go to the prairies and forests. Drive down dirt roads and see what is going on now. You must look in order to see. Think about that! We have a tendency to go out in the "Spring" and be wowed by the fields of flowers, the trees and shrubs, in full glory. Now don't get me wrong, I go out and get stunned by all the beauty, too. I have a hard time getting anywhere on time in the spring and fall. (It gets hard on my poor little head, you know.) But things are happening right now. Things that are setting the stage for all that is to come. This is the dress rehearsal for the big show. Everyone is learning where to stand and when to "say their lines" — so to speak — at blooming time. The bluebonnets have been growing since the rains of fall told them "time to grow" and now they are getting ready. The bloom spikes have been on the mountain laurels for months — which is why you don't prune them (if you must at all) until after they flower! Have you looked closely at the agarito lately? Well, the flowers are formed, poised and ready, and it won't be long — mid February — before they bust loose. I for one just can't wait! The rosettes of so many plants — annuals and perennials both — are growing now, soaking up sun and rain, ( ... and that energy that is the life force known as Prana, but we can get into that on another day if you like) and even if the little bluestem is dormant now, doesn't it look great standing tall and proud, cinnamon-red in color, waving in the winter winds? In a few months it will be turning into blue-green clumps again.

What about the possumhaw? Is it not now that they really look their best on a bright sunny day? Even a dark, cloudy day. They just look good. And even if the aromatic sumacs look like bare branches now, look closely at the tips and see those little pinecone flower buds. You'll see just how close to spring we are. Part the brown grasses of the prairie and see the wildflowers getting ready to dance in the early spring winds to come. Why do you think they're called wildflowers anyway? Even though some plants like Nolina do not change, being evergreen, it's what they do in the landscape now — whether its a wild one or your yard — that makes them a joy to have in the yard and a pleasure to find in the wild.

Now is the time to look upon the bark of so many trees to see the beauty that is missed the rest of the year. The bark of Texas persimmon will rival any crape myrtle. And look at the sycamores now, where you can see them standing along the watercourses. Or look at the fruits of soapberries back-lit by the winter sun, and the coralberry fruits under the post-oaks....not too bad! This is also one of the best times to dig and move plants. You can still be planting many trees, shrubs, and perennials without any problems, though I would stay away from four-inch pots in most cases. Go with 1 gallon or larger. Remember, we still have to deal with February, but don't be afraid to go out there and get some dirt under those nails — it's good for the soul. Wander around — it's good for the head. Just look. You don't have to know what every kind of tree is, or what every rosette is. Who cares? Just enjoy. After all, you don't need to know what kind of spider spun the web to enjoy it when it's covered with dew shining in the early morning sun. And so I see out the back door that the sky is awake. Foggy and cool, but the guy on TV said tomorrow is going to be sunny and in the 70's. We'll see. As for me, I hear the prairies calling to come and play a little before I must go to work. I think I will.....