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Showing posts with label 19315 Hoffman Estates Blvd.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 19315 Hoffman Estates Blvd.. Show all posts
Four-O'Clock, Marvel of Peru, Mirabilis Jalapa
Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
Family: Nyctaginaceae
Zones: 7-10 Felder Rushing, coauthor of Passalong Plants, says that four-o-clocks are a "can't fail perennial." Gardeners in colder climates utilize them as annuals, but in most of the South they develop fleshy tubers that seem to last forever. Hortus Third says that these tubers can weigh as much as 40 pounds in warm climates.
Dr. Alice Le Duc, now at Duke University, did her doctoral thesis on
four-o'clocks and found that they were cultivated and selected for
various colors by the Aztecs many years prior to the Spanish Conquest.
They were sent to Spain from Mexico in the 1500's and to England within
75 years. The plant had been in cultivation in Europe for about 200
years before Linnaeus first described the species in 1753. The
specimens he described were those of cultivated plants. Although often
found in Mexico and the South on old garden sites, this species is no
longer found in the wild in Mexico.Four-o'clocks are lush and bushy to three feet. the tubular flowers bloom in irridescent purple, white, red, yellow and striped. Their name derives from the fact that their flowers open in the late afternoon and stay open until the next morning, except on cloudy days when they open earlier. The fragrance of four-o'clocks is appealing, and is a major reason for their popularity. They also attract hummingbirds and moths to the garden.
Four-o'clocks are very heat and drought tolerant. They flower well in the sun or fairly dense shade. I remember visiting a cemetery on a ranch near Yoakum, Texas, where four-0'clocks were the only reminder of a once well-tended plot. They had escaped the small fenced area under a great live oak tree and were happily flowering in profusion during the hottest time of our summer.
Thomas Jefferson grew what he referred to as the "fragrant Marvel of Peru" at Monticello, where he also cultivated M. longiflora, a creamy-white flowering species native to West Texas and Mexico. A few years ago, while working with Peggy Cornett, Director of the Historic Plant Collection at Monticello, we were able to provide seeds of this plant to Monticello. It is once again growing there and is available through their mail order catalog.
Four-o'clocks may be easily started from seed or tubers. In colder parts of the country the tubers may be dug in the fall and stored until spring. They tend to produce a great deal of seed and can become pests, although the young seedlings are easily pulled or hoed. One year, I planted a number of magenta colored four-o'clocks at our farm and they had reseeded prolifically by early fall, covering an area about 6' x 20.' It was an unusually dry year and the young plants received no irrigation. They were wilted and stunted until the first good fall rain when they miraculously freshened and covered themselves with flowers in just a few days. They were as showy as azaleas for that period, and I had a new appreciation for their old name "Marvel of Peru."
SPRING IS HERE
Trees are budding. I saw two Hummers today so we cleaned the feeders.
Mulberry trees are one of the favorites among a lot of different birds. We have close to 10 on our NWF CERTIFIED HABITAT
8 Point Deer Hit on Boudreaux Road
We have watched this buck for years evade the local hunters and watched it feed and drink at our Certified Wildlife Habitat. It's like losing a family member after all this time.
Backyard Habitat Attracts National Recognition(Repost)
A Tomball homeowner with a talent for landscaping and love for wildlife has earned national and statewide recognition for his one acre home site that attracts a variety of birds,butterflies and other animals while helping to protect the local environment.
The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) and announces that the property of Jesse C Smith Jr. located in Tomball, Texas is now recognized as an official Certified Wildlife Habitat site. This achievement contributes to the organization's goal of certifying 100,000 sites by the end of 2007. The property now attracts a variety of birds and butterflies on their annual migration. The use of many different bird feeders, fruit bearing trees,and watering stations allows Smith to observe many species of butterflies, hummingbirds,hawks,owls and other birds. One pair of Red Tailed hawks have taken up permanent residence for over 10 years, raising their young each year.
Habitat restoration is critical in urban and suburban settings where commercial and residential development encroaches on natural wildlife areas. In addition to providing for wildlife, a certified habitat conserves our natural resources by reducing or eliminating the need for fertilizer,pesticides, and the burning of fossil fuels used in mowing. More information about gardening for wildlife is available at www.nwf.org/gardenforwildlife or at 800-822-9919.
01/26/2008 The recent cold fronts have brought a hugh migration to the feeders. I have three grain feeders, one large and two small. The small ones are lasting about three hours. My yard is covered with birds.
Habitat restoration is critical in urban and suburban settings where commercial and residential development encroaches on natural wildlife areas. In addition to providing for wildlife, a certified habitat conserves our natural resources by reducing or eliminating the need for fertilizer,pesticides, and the burning of fossil fuels used in mowing. More information about gardening for wildlife is available at www.nwf.org/gardenforwildlife or at 800-822-9919.
01/26/2008 The recent cold fronts have brought a hugh migration to the feeders. I have three grain feeders, one large and two small. The small ones are lasting about three hours. My yard is covered with birds.
11-15-2011- We have been named a Texas Wildscapes by Texas Parks and Wildlife
Random Thoughts by Jesse Smith
I will now add a weekly comment post to this blog. Stay tuned.
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| Tomball Pd's Toy. |
Pictures of Kleb Woods Park
The park has many trails for walking and 6 times around the inside circle equals a mile. There are many tables, some covered and some open. Each has a cooking pit and benches. The rest room facilities are kept clean by Pct 5. I have been walking there for some time and have met some real interesting people including this lady that trains rescue dogs. The security is maintained by patrols from the Constable of Pct. 5. The gates are locked at night. This is info from the website:
Pictures by Jesse C Smith Jr
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