KTRH GardenLine Newsletter

May 3, 2007 - Issue #17

Here's Randy's Weekly KTRH GardenLine Tip:

DROUGHT TOLERANT LANDSCAPE PLANTS



Despite what was a colder than normal winter for us in Texas, you know it won't be long before we're dealing with drought-like conditions and oppressive heat. If you get sick and tired of daily waterings of tropical plants later this summer, you may stand there with hose in hand thinking: there've got to be plants that are drought-tolerant!

Surprisingly, YES there are! There are a number of native Texas plants and adapted varieties that can not only tolerate but actually thrive in such drought-like conditions, and long, dry summers like we experience won't be torture to certain plants if you get them established soon. By the way, even in a well-drained bed, as long as the roots of the plant do not drown, most of these plants will do just fine if we are getting too much rain. With all that in mind here are some proven performers that understand how to take on a Texas heat wave.

TREES -
  • Green Ash - Fraxinus Americanus
  • Caddo Maple - Acer Saccharum
  • Bald Cypress - Cupressus
  • Chinese Pistache - Pistacia chinesis
  • Crape Myrtle
  • Golden Raintree
  • Hackberry
  • Mesquite
  • Pine - Loblolly
  • Russian Olive
  • Sumac

    SHRUBS -
  • Barberry
  • Blue Plumbago
  • Elaeagnus
  • Holly
  • Nandina
  • Rose of Sharon
  • Texas Sage
  • Broomweed
  • Cotoneaster
  • Flowering Quince
  • Juniper
  • Oleander
  • Rosemary
  • Spirea

    VINES -
  • Bittersweet
  • Carolina Jessamine
  • Crossvine
  • Trumpet Creeper
  • Potato Vine
  • Boston Ivy
  • Coral Vine
  • Trumpet Vine
  • Virginia Creeper
  • Lantana (also a Perennial)

    ANNUALS/PERENNIALS -
  • Artemisia
  • Liatris
  • Iris
  • Lantana
  • Yarrow
  • Sage
  • Blanket Flower
  • Celosia
  • Lamb's Ear
  • Mexican Heather
  • Zinnia
  • Vinca Major

    Please remember that while plants noted as "drought-tolerant" can eventually take such heat, they do need to be babied for their first year of life. You cannot plant a drought-tolerant specimen during a drought and forget to water it either. Again, they can handle the heat once they've established themselves.

    Until next issue, here's to Great Gardening from the GardenLine, heard exclusively, 6-10 a.m. Saturdays and 7-10 a.m. Sundays, only on NewsRadio 740 KTRH.



    Be sure to check out Randy's Event Page to see where else Randy will be for the next few weekends. Bring your plants, bugs, and diseases for identification purpose.



    GardenLine Listeners and E-mail Tip Subscribers can purchase a copy of my new book at discounted price! Check it out! "Gulf Coast Gardening with Randy Lemmon"
    Garden retailers interested in stocking the book, should call the Nitro Phos Warehouse at 713-228-1868 for wholesale ordering information.



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