Re: Drought survivors in Waco, Texas and the Bay Area

--- Monarch <mastiff@swbell.net> wrote:
> david feix wrote:
> > I wish there were more people writing about what
> > actually survives in their areas on rainfall
> alone, as
> > this may become more and more important in the
> future.
> 
> A good friend of mine moved from central Texas (Waco
> area) to south
> Texas and had to leave the garden unattended while
> the house was up for
> sale.
> When she went back up there for the closing she made
> a list of the
> plants that survived the worst drought here for many
> years not to
> mention an entire summer of 100+ temps and the
> lowest humidity on record
> (17% for weeks)
> 
> These plants have had no supplemental watering in 1
> year, 9
> months, just the scant rain the area received in the
> spring.  Although
> most of the plants were dead (over 100 roses) or
> nearly so, the
> following plants looked wonderful:
> 
> Coral Honeysuckle, Yellow Trumpet vine, Calocarpa
> (American
> Beauty Berry), Leather Leaf Mahonia, Abelia, Asian
> Jasmine, Crepe
> Myrtles, Pomegranates, Possomhaw and Yopon Holly,
> asiatic lilies, bush
> rosemary, iris-single flag and bearded, and a bee
> bush.  (has white
> fragrant flowers)
> 
> The roses that made it are:
> White Lady Banks, Mermaid, Constance Spry, Old Blush
> climbing,
> Fairy, climbing and bush, Madam Plantier, Seven
> Sisters, Rosa
> Multiflora Carnea, Trier, and Will Scarlet.
> 
> Thought you might find this interesting.
> 
> Linda

Thanks for your list, Linda, it seems incredible to me
that so many things could survive and actually look
good in this most recent Texas drought!  It would be
helpful to get the latin names of some listed...  
Almost two years of survival in such a severe drought
should be a pretty good testimonial.

The Yellow Trumpet Vine/Macfadyena unguis-cati also
does well here in the Bay Area, but is much less
vigorous than it is with more heat, and is a very shy
bloomer here close to the bay.  Distictis
buccinatoria/Blood Red Trumpet Vine blooms and grows
much more vigorously for us here in Berkeley, and will
also survive on natural rainfall once established.  I
also have another natural espallier growing here on
rainfall alone, the South African shrub-Grewia
caffra/lavender star flower.  This looks deep green
all year round, with probably 10 months of bloom as
well.  Another South African vine which survives on
rainfall alone is Senecio tamoides, which is blooming
now.  I have a vine growing up into a 30 foot tall
hedge, in brilliant dafodil yellow bloom.  This vine
tolerates deep shade, and gets its flowers into the
light.  However, all these plants are sensitive to
frost below about 28F, which would limit their
usefulness in 
Texas, or other colder than mediterannean climates. 
Camellia japonica shrubs can also survive here in most
of northern California on natural rainfall, with a
north or east exposure helping them alot.
> 


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Calendar - Get organized for the holidays!
http://calendar.yahoo.com/
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index