Trip Report: Zilker Botanical Garden

While we were in Austin we visited Zilker Botanical Garden. There was a special event going on while we were there with local vendors with art, plants, and other things for sale. One of the vendors was a local nursery that had some rare plants for sale, including a small Frankincense tree about 6 inches tall, selling for $250! I talked to the owner and he said that it was a cutting from their parent plant, which isn't very large and that the cuttings are difficult to root. I bought a small Curry Tree for $6 for my friend who had been looking for one of these for years.

The sun shines brightly through the canopy,

nearly preventing us from seeing the dino statue across the lotus pond.

Ammonite fossils are used as paving stones by the lotus pond.

Posing in front of a waterfall in the Prehistoric Garden

Alligator Plant (Acanthus montanus)

We really enjoyed the Hartman Prehistoric Garden, which consists of plants from families that have been on earth for millions of years: cycads, ferns, palms. This garden was inspired by dinosaur tracks and an ancient turtle fossil that were found inside the gardens in 1992. At one spot there are paving stones that are actual ammonite fossils, which is really cool. They also have a bronze dinosaur statue in view across a pond.

Southern Dogface (Zerene cesonia) enjoying a Coreopsis

American Snout (Libytheana carinenta) enjoying a Coreopsis

The butterfly garden was rather unkempt looking, but the bushy flowering plants were absolutely covered in butterflies enjoying the nectar. I think most of the plants were Blue Mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum). We saw at least 10 species, likely a few more: Queens, American Snouts, Sachems, Gulf Fritillaries, Red Admirals, Monarchs, Pipevine Swallowtail, White-striped Longtail, Southern Dogface, and a couple of Skippers I didn't identify.

Queen (Danaus gilippus) butterfly enjoying some nectar

from the Blue Mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum)

Queen (Danaus gilippus) butterflies enjoying... each other.

A few other quick things to note:

Coral Fungi, probably from the genus Ramaria

This is not a plant, but I have admired photos of Coral Fungi before but not seen one in person. Along the path in one part of the gardens I noticed a bunch of these on the ground. So beautiful!

A real rock turned into an outdoor light along the pathway

The gardens have these really cool lights along the path. They were not illuminated while we were there visiting in the daytime, but I noticed one when I was bent down inspecting the fungi. They are actual rocks - not those fake plastic ones - that have been cut in half and had lights installed in them. What a cool idea!

Thaumatophyllum bipinnatifidum mislabeled as both a Philodendron (almost right) 

and a Monstera (definitely not right).

It's not unusual to find plants mislabeled in a botanic garden, but it still surprises me every time I see it... In all fairness, this plant used to belong to the genus Philodendron and only recently moved to the new genus of Thaumatophyllum. But still, Monstera deliciosa is a very different plant and in a separate genus.

Trip Report: Treaty Oak

For my birthday weekend my wife and I went down to Austin for a few days sans kiddos. Our itinerary was mostly made up of places to eat and a few activities sprinkled in between. On Sunday morning we visited a famous tree, Treaty Oak, which my wife remembered having visited when she was young. This oak tree is thought to be about 500 years old and is the only member of a group of 14 trees that once stood in this location in what is today downtown Austin. In 1989 someone poisoned the tree and severely damaged it. That is when my wife traveled with her family to see it. Thankfully the tree pulled through and still stands.

My wife at Treaty Oak in downtown Austin

The plaque reads:

The Caldwell Treat-Oak Park

Estimated to have been a majestic tree of about 100 years when Columbus first landed on North American shores, this live oak tree has been pronounced the most perfect specimen of a tree in North America, and its picture hangs in the Hall of Fame of Forestry at Washington.

Formerly standing as the center of a group of trees called "The Council Oaks," this tree takes its name from its role in the history of the Lone Star State. Stephen F. Austin is reputed to have signed the first boundary line agreement between Indians and whites under the canopy of its branches; battles and important conferences have been planned, pacts signed, and feasts and religious ceremonies celebrated in its shade.

The Treaty Oak was purchased by the City of Austin in 1937 to stand as a living and fitting symbol of the mighty state it has watched develop.

We were both surprised to see how much of the tree lies on the ground. I don't know if this is characteristic of the species (Texas Live Oak, Quercus fusiformis), or if it has more to do with the vandalism, or the age of this particular tree.

Treaty Oak acorns

While we were visiting the tree I noticed some acorn caps on the branches at eye level and realized there must be some dropped acorns nearby. We searched around and found 5 that were brown and "ripe." I brought these home and soaked them in a bowl of water to see if any floated, which means the acorn is not viable. They all sunk and I decided I would plant them the next day. But I forgot.

Treaty Oak acorn beginning to germinate

More than a week passed before I noticed the bowl of acorns! I was worried at first when I saw they looked different, but on closer inspection I realized they were sprouting. I went ahead and potted the five acorns and watered them well (since they were used to being saturated and seemed happy with the situation). If I am successful I will have some offspring from a famous tree, which is kind of fun. Updates to come!