Outdoor
Plant of the month: Snow-on-the-Prairie
By contributing writer Lisa Bellows, Ph.D., North Central Texas College
Euphobia bicolor and Euphoria marginata or Snow-on-the-Prairie and Snow-on-the-Mountain are annual herbs that give us a show of summer white in our area fields and along our roadsides. Snow-on-the-Prairie and Snow-on-the-Mountain are commonly used names to describe both plants interchangeably but they are actually two different species. Snow-on-the-Prairie has narrower leaves, less dense foliage, and is typically taller than Snow-on-the-Mountain. Both plants are indigenous to our region and depending on summer rain generally grow to one to three feet tall. They are most often found in tight clay soils and abundance varies from year to year.
These plants are members of the spurge family. Many species in the spurge family contain poisonous chemicals and these two plants are no exception. Other spurge members that you may be familiar with are bull nettle, castor bean and poinsettia. The milky sap produced by Snow-on-the-Prairie and Snow-on-the-Mountain can cause skin rash and produce some foul tasting honey if visited by the honey bee. I had read accounts of fouling honey and had the personal experience of tasting a batch of Snow-on-the-Mountain honey last year. Dr. Larry Boyd treated me to a helping of honey with an advisement of caution. To read more pick up the September 2014 issue of North Texas Farm & Ranch.
By Jelly Cocanougher
What an extraordinary end to the Wise County Youth Fair – a fantastic opportunity for the Heart of a Champion participants to show. From rabbits to lambs, to pigs to dogs – we’ve seen it all. Through this unique event, the Heart of a Champion Livestock show aimed to promote confidence, friendship, and a sense of accomplishment within our amazing community. Everyone worked tirelessly to create an environment that fosters growth, camaraderie, and a shared passion for agriculture. Until next year!
By Tony Dean, [email protected]
If moisture is adequate, there are several winter annual grasses that dominate the landscape during early spring in Texas. One of the most common is Rescuegrass.
This winter annual is native to South America but grows over much of the United States and can be found in all ecoregions of Texas. Rescuegrass is easily recognized by its flat seed head.
Numerous seed heads produce seed that is transported by animals and can quickly spread to other areas.
To read more, pick up a copy of the April issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By Norman Winter | Horticulturist, Author, Speaker
The National Garden Bureau has designated 2024 as the ‘Year of the Angelonia’ and I am in full celebration mode. As I was preparing for my contribution to the celebration, I was, however, sent into taxonomic trauma.
For the last 26 years of deep love for the Angelonia, or summer snapdragon, I have told everyone via newspaper, radio and television that they were in the Scrophulariaceae family. Since most gardeners don’t like those words, I modified or simplified the snapdragon family, but somebody has tinkered with green industry happiness and moved Angelonia to the Plantaginaceae or plantain family. I immediately reached out to my friend Dr. Allen Ownings, Horticulture Professor Emeritus with the Louisiana State University AgCenter. I said, “Did you know this, or better yet, did you do it?” He said, as I expected, that the Taxonomist group had done it. This reminded me that someone once said taxonomists have to eat, too.
To read more, pick up a copy of the April issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
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