Still fighting cretanweed

And I thought Malta-star thistle and hedge parsleys were bad! I also abhor cretanweed (Hedypnois credica), an invasive species. Yesterday evening, I pulled as much as I could from our street easement. As you can see, if unrestrained, this species forms dense colonies. I first observed it in 2015 and have been keeping it at bay as best I can.

 

Little senna friend planted

 So both of my Lindheimer's sennas have been planted, side by side.

New birthday friends

I am remiss in posting, but here are plants that we bought for my March 29th birthday from Friendly Natives in Fredericksburg. Two 'Mirage Rose Bicolor' salvias, one 'Anne Marie' lantana, three 'Blue Hill' salvias and two rues.

This salvia has a lovely bloom!

 

Hold still, little ant

I was just sitting at our dining room table, innocently sorting puzzle pieces into plastic bowls, when I spotted an ant on one bowl. Hmm, looked like a new ant species to me. I hadn't seen such long antennae and a long stinger on an ant before. Cool! I whipped out my phone and started TRYING to get photos. But the little guy wouldn't hold still. However, with James' help and my macro lens, I finally got some and videos, too.

Turns out that my little friend is NOT an ant! It's some species of ichneumonid wasp (that's often wingless) in the genus Gelis. And that's an ovipositor (tubular structure used for laying eggs), not a stinger. Amazing!

 

A patch-nosed

Yesterday James alerted me, which sent me running for my camera (phone). "I've got a snake for you," he exclaimed.

Wow, a Texas patch-nosed snake (Salvadora grahamiae lineata) was coiled behind our metal plant stand on the front porch. As you can tell, he/she didn't like us much, but I had to get photos and a video, too. The first patch-nosed we met was back in August 2008 in the same location. The second one was in November 2019. They're feisty but harmless.

New bearded irises blooming

After I saw some similar bearded irises blooming in Arkansas in 2022, I had to have some for our yard. In June 2022, we planted five rhizomes called 'Indian Chief.' Today they've begun to bloom! So far, the pink is more purple than the dusty rose ones in Arkansas. Oh, well. Close enough!

Lindheimer senna

This is a Lindheimer's senna (Senna lindheimeriana) that I germinated and grew at least three years ago. I gathered some seeds from a plant on a ranch near Devil's Backbone while my daughter was renting a barndominium there. Yesterday, I finally put my senna in a sunny location in the back yard. I hope she makes it! Last November, she bloomed profusely. 

In April 2013, we planted a Lindheimer's senna that was more in the shade. Sadly, it only lasted a couple of years. I love native sennas.