New seeds

I don't have a lot of experience growing native plants from seed*, but I have a lot of stock to practice with over the next year.  I purchased some Asclepias humistrata (Sandhill Milkweed) seeds from eBay and the seller sent me two other packets of seeds to try - Cosmos and Ipomoea purpurea (Candy Cane Morning Glories).

Eleven packets of seeds for me to plant

I have also been looking into growing some more native plants that host or attract birds and butterflies.  I came across a group on Facebook where one member was offering seeds to anyone who would pay for the postage.  She kindly sent me two envelopes full of seeds of butterfly host plants, including Maurandella antirrhiniflora (Snapdragon Vine), Asclepias asperula (Antelopehorn Milkweed), Phyla nodiflora (Frogfruit), Verbena bonariensis (Brazilian Verbena), Polanisia dodecandra (Clammyweed), Echinacea Cheyenne Spirit (Coneflower), Aristolochia fimbriata (White-veined Dutchman's Pipe), and Zinnia Zowie. 

Sandhill Milkweed (Asclepias humistrata) - courtesy of discoverlife.org

As I've mentioned before, I really like Asclepias, so I'm very excited about the prospect of growing these two species (A. asperula and A. humistrata) from seed.  The humistrata species (above) is not native to Oklahoma, but I think it will do well in my climate.  The Dutchman's pipe has some really funky flowers (below).  It would be cool to get this growing on my back fence.

White-veined Dutchman's Pipe (Aristolochia fimbriata) - courtesy of Wikimedia

Now I just need to find good places to plant them all!

* This is sort of funny because I have one and only peer-reviewed journal publication to my name and it is titled "Experiences growing aroids from seed."  I have had success growing aroids, but haven't tried many plants from other families from seed.

Native persimmons and a recipe!

I was walking around Lake Thunderbird on the east side of town recently and found a persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) tree growing in the riff-raff rocks piled right up near the water.  The tree was in bad shape with fall webworms all over the place, but it did have several fruit on it. 

Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) growing near the lake shore

I plucked one fruit and found that it was still firm, a ways from ripening.  I have read that persimmons are ripe when they still hold their shape but the skin is just beginning to wrinkle a little.

Characteristic four petals at the top of the fruit.

Note: This fruit is not ripe and should not be eaten!

I decided to collect the seeds from this persimmon, so I had to stomp on it with my shoe to break open the hard fruit.  The single fruit contained 8 seeds that were large and covered in very sticky fruit. I'm going to try growing these by planting them outdoors and letting them overwinter outdoors.  Other than being picked a little early and me being a human rather than a squirrel, I should be following the most common way that these native persimmons are propagated.  If I am successful in growing some trees then I will transplant them to some areas where they can thrive and hopefully produce more!

Seeds removed from the sticky fruit

I am fascinated by persimmons because they are one of the only (maybe the only?) truly native and human-eatable fruiting trees in my area, and it seems like no one knows about them.  I grew up with my mom making Persimmon Cookies during the Christmas season every year.  They are a soft cookie made with warm holiday spices and a consistency sort of like a blueberry muffin.

My mom purchases the larger persimmons from the grocery store.  I think these are an Asian species, though I don't know for sure.  I'm curious what other people do with their persimmons.  I think I should set up a chair next to the persimmons in the produce section this holiday season and survey each person who buys them.  Maybe this year I can find a few native persimmon trees and pick some fresh local fruits for her cookies!  My mom agreed to share her recipe in case anyone would like to give them a try.

Persimmon Cookies

• 1 c persimmon pulp (3 medium or 2 large fruits)
• 2 c flour
1 c sugar
1/2 t cloves
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
1 egg
1/2 c oil
1 t baking soda
pinch of salt
• 1 c nuts (optional, my mom leaves these out)
• 1 c raisins

Combine ingredients and drop onto cookie sheet with a spoon.  Bake at 350° for 9 minutes.

Plant Find: Three New Succulents

The whole family went on a little reconnaissance trip to a local nursery to look at some shrubs and trees that we might use when we relandscape our front yard.  With a three year old and a five year old we're in a perpetual mode of one of us watching the kids while the other is trying to do something productive, at least until their antics require both of us to bring the universe back into order.  When it was my turn to watch the kiddos I followed them into a long, nearly empty hoop house where they decided to pick up the tiny gravel from the ground and start throwing it out over the empty mesh tables.  I stifled my persistent desire to ask them to stop and just asked that they not throw rocks at each other or at plants.

Huernia zebrina

While they continued their onslaught of gravel flinging I wandered over to the only little patch of green in the hoop house.  It was a selection of small succulent plants with a sign that read "Priced as marked."  I looked around and was surprised to see about 8 little pots of Huernia zebrina, a Stapeliad that I have admired photos of for a white, but had not seen in person and had not yet added to my collection.  Price tag?  Nope.  Huh...

Huernia zebrina

I picked out the best one of the lot, which was a tough choice, because they were all blooming, but some had more buds than others and some had more plant growth.  I selected the one with the most stems and buds I could find, not focusing as much on the current number of flowers.  The flowers are strange little things with a bright red ring that resembles an inner tube and leads to the common name of "Lifesaver plant."

Alluaudia

Then I looked at what else was on the table.  An Alluaudia?  Can it be!?!  There were four of them - long, lanky succulent with alternating rows of spines and leaves.  I have admired a giant Alluaudia at the Myriad Gardens for years.  I've never once seen one for sale.  I looked at the four available and picked the best.  This plant was considerably bigger than the Huernia but since I had not seen it for sale before I set a maximum price of $12 in my head.  I'm not sure which species this is, but I am thinking it is probably Alluaudia procera.

Alluaudia

I looked a bit more.  Nothing significant that I had been wanting, but there was a cute little plant with very strange leaves.  This was the only plant with a price tag ($3) and also the only one with a real label in it.  It read "Pink Ice Plant (Oscularia deltoides)."  I picked out the best one and proceeded to the cash register, hoping for the best with my unmarked plants.  I figured having one plant with a $3 price tag may help with the others.

Pink Ice Plant - Oscularia deltoides

Pink Ice Plant - Oscularia deltoides

I was pleasantly surprised when the cashier decided my three plants were $2, $3, and $4.  Definitely one of my cheapest plant hauls ever!