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Milkweed Feasting More than You Realize

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Monarch caterpillar on giant milkweed. (Photo by Norman Winter)

By Norman Winter, Horticulturist, Author and Speaker

North Texas Farm and
Ranch owners most likely
are aware that milkweeds
are the lifeblood of Monarch
butterflies and their cousins the Queen and Soldier are mostly found in central and south Texas.

They are not just important as a larval food source but also as a vital nectar source to other pollinators including hummingbirds.

We love milkweeds because they are extraordinarily beautiful and intricate in their design, making them great plants for the landscape or the backyard wildlife habitat, but if you stop and pay attention, however, you’ll notice milkweeds are like the “pollinator luncheon junction” for an assortment of butterflies. Right now in the hill country of Texas not too far from San Marcos, Wimberley and Dripping Springs, you’ll find the Antelope Horn milkweeds (Asclepias asperula) blooming everywhere.

To read more pick up a copy of the May 2019 NTFR issue. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.


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The Garden Guy: A Heart to Heart Handoff with Caladium of the Year

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By Norman Winter | Horticulturist, Author, Speaker

This time of the year you see stories not only looking back at 2023 but, of course, the prognostications for 2024. This is fun to do in the gardening world, too. For instance, the Proven Winners ‘Caladium of the Year’ for 2023 was Heart to Heart Scarlet Flame. This was an eye-opener for a lot of gardeners.

You see we think of caladiums in two basic types or forms, fancy leaves and strap leaves. Fancy leaves are large, heart or semi-heart shaped. Strap or lance-leaves are narrow, some ruffled, and generally shorter. So, this has led many gardeners to choose sides, as in bigger is better.
Scarlet Flame, the 2023 Caladium of the Year, is a strap-leaved selection and won our hearts with the number of leaves produced, vibrancy of color and the ability to work in mixes or partnerships most of us have never dreamed about.

I’ll never forget the combination with Blue Mohawk rush and Sweet Caroline Medusa Green ornamental sweet potato. It is also a caladium for sun or shade. Those of us who paid attention, will never roll our eyes at the suggestion of a strap-leaved variety again.

To read more, pick up a copy of the March issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.

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The Garden Guy

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By Norman Winter | Horticulturist, Author, Speaker

This time of the year is fun for a garden writer as we get the opportunity to look forward to 2024. This month the focus is Supertunia Vista Jazzberry petunia, Proven Winners 2024 Annual of the Year.

Proven Winners is a recognizable brand in the green industry and in most cases, it is what the name says it is, a winner. Supertunia Vista Jazzberry petunia is a prime example. It made its debut in 2021 which is also when I started trialing it and the year the awards started piling up. To date, Supertunia Vista Jazzberry has won 32 awards that are in print. Seven of those awards have been Perfect Score.

The where of these Perfect Scores speaks volumes. As an example, the University of Georgia, and the University of Minnesota. This covers north to south. Then there is the University of Tennessee and Oklahoma State in the middle, and there are gold medals in Illinois and Director’s Select at Penn State.

To read more, pick up a copy of the February 2024 issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.

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Grazing North Texas

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By Tony Dean, [email protected]

Illinois bundleflower is a premier native forb that can be found in all parts of Texas, although it is less prevalent in the extreme western area. It is one of the “Big Four” of highly desirable native forbs that also includes Maximilian sunflower, bush sunflower and Englemann’s daisy. All of these forbs can be found in North Texas.

This perennial legume grows from a branching woody taproot, with several erect stems one to three feet tall. The fern-like leaves are up to four inches long. Flowers are white to greenish powder-puff-like globes, from one-half to one-inch in diameter. Each plant produces 30 to 50 flowers.

The fruit is a tight cluster of flat, curved seed pods, each pod being three-fourths to one and one-quarter inches long and containing two to six beans. The seed pods are green when growing then turn brown at maturity, with the mature pods splitting to drop the seeds. The seeds may remain in the cluster for many months, thus extending the wildlife food value of the plant.

Illinois bundleflower is highly desired by all classes of livestock, thus it decreases in abundance on grazing lands that are heavily grazed. Crude protein of the leaves and stems can run 17 to 20 percent during much of the early and mid-growing season. It is an important indicator of range health.

To read more, pick up a copy of the February 2024 issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.

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