Outdoor
The Garden Guy
By Norman Winter | Horticulturist, Author, Speaker
There was a new firecracker in town for the long Fourth of July celebration, and The Garden Guy could not have been happier. It is not the kind of firecracker to make noise other than the sounds of hummingbirds’ wings rushing in to feed. It is not just for July 4 but the entire summer as well. The plant I am referring to is Estrellita Little Star, the new Bouvardia or firecracker bush. While I flipped for the flowers, the old silver head guy went bonkers because he had never heard of a Bouvardia.
This plant is native to the southwest and needs my kind of soil in Georgia, but I am also from Texas so you would have thought I would have at least heard of Bouvardia. Bouvardia is in the Rubiaceae family with other great firecrackers like the Manettia cordifolia or firecracker vine which is incredible too, but I have never seen it for sale. Bouvardia is related to Ixora, Firebush and Crossandra too, which by the way is also a firecracker flower. The Rubiaceae family also has coffee and the gardenia, of which I would like to visit with a taxonomist on that one.
To read more, pick up a copy of the August issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by more, call 940-872-5922.
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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