Consider adding a Texas Superstar plant to your garden this year
Gardening is the No. 1 hobby in the United States; whether it be growing food in a vegetable garden or keeping up beautiful curb appeal, caring for plants is a wonderful way to connect with nature, get outside for fresh air and sunshine, and enjoy a whole host of mental and physical health benefits. Gardening is tough in West Texas, though! It was a very discouraging year, and many plants are still stressed from the long dry heat. There are lots of tips and tricks to help make keeping plants alive easier (without wasting water) such as preparing the soil well with compost, using drip irrigation, applying thick wood mulch etc., but one of the most important steps is to start with good plant selection. Choose plants that are native or well adapted to the soil and environmental conditions of the Concho Valley. This will help plants stay healthier while reducing maintenance.
One resource to help with good plant selection is the list of Texas Superstar plants promoted by Texas A&M University, https://texassuperstar.com. These plants have been tested through the state, perform well and are generally available at most nurseries and garden centers.
The newest plant to earn the Texas Superstar designation is the holly fern. Holly fern has thick glossy leaves that appear similar to holly shrubs and makes a nice specimen plant, background or border. It prefers part shade but can handle full shade; morning sun and afternoon shade is an ideal site.
Also announced in 2022 to receive the designation were red yucca and Tangerine Beauty crossvine. Red yucca (hesperaloe) is a staple landscape plant in West Texas, and is very tough and hardy once established. The native variety has flowers that are more of a pink shade, but there are cultivated varieties available in an assortment of shades from dark red (‘Brake Lights’) to yellow. Tangerine Beauty crossvine is a spring blooming evergreen vine that boasts a profusion of flowers that look like an orange waterfall in the spring.
Other Texas Superstar plants that are favorites for the Concho Valley include annuals like fall zinnias, pentas, gomphrena, whopper begonia; perennials such as new gold lantana, Mystic Spires Blue Salvia; and shrubs – Lynn’s Legacy Cenizo, Blue Angel Althea. There are even fruit, vegetable and herb varieties that are Texas Superstars such as Balsamic Blooms basil, Victoria Red grape, Natchez blackberry, Green Magic broccoli, and Arctic Frost Satsuma.
Fall is the best time to plant trees, shrubs, perennials, groundcovers, cool-season annuals, wildflower seeds, and spring bulbs. For best results, try to find the ones that will thrive in the challenging climate of West Texas! Another good resource is the Earth-Kind Plant Selector, http://ekps.tamu.edu.
Allison Watkins is the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Agent for horticulture in Tom Green County. Contact her at aewatkins@ag.tamu.edu.
This article originally appeared on San Angelo Standard-Times: Consider adding a Texas Superstar plant to your garden in 2022
