Sage; Texas Sage

Sage; Texas Sage, Leucophyllum frutescens.  This hardy, evergreen shrub from the Chihuahua desert sports light grey, rounded leaves, and bright purple tube flowers which are intensely fragrant.  A popular flowering hedge, Texas Sage tolerates trimming, is drought resistant, prefers full sun, and blooms when nothing else will.  The light grey, slightly fuzzy, oval leaves are attractive in their own right, and smell only slightly of sage.  The grey color and hairs give the shrub protection from both the hot sun, and cold desert nights.  The plant blooms irregularly, breaking out into full blooms several days after a rain, all the sage plants in an area blooming so vigorously that the shrub is covered with light purple tube flowers that open to a 5 petal corolla.  Flowers bud singly from the node of each leaf, covering new growths with blossoms.  Honey bees swarm to the heavily pungent flowers for the few days they are open.  This shrub will reach 10 – 15 feet in height if watered, but is usually shorter, preferring to spread out in a dense, compact, naturally rounded shape that needs little maintenance.  It does not propagate naturally in the DFW region, but does well when planted.  Most plants are found in yards, hedges around shopping centers, or boulevard medians.

Texas Sage; a compact shrub with light grey, fuzzy leaves which blooms periodically with masses of purple tube flowers.

Note; oval, slightly pointed, light grey leaves are densely arranged in an alternating whorl.

Note; all Texas Sage shrubs in an area will burst into flower at the same time, covering the plant with pungent, lavender blooms.

Note; lavender tube flowers, the throats speckled with orange or red, open up to a corolla of 5 lobes, two pointing up, three pointing down.

Viburnum, Rusty Blackhaw

Viburnum; Rusty Blackhaw Viburnum Viburnum rufidulum Raf;.  A small, understory, evergreen tree with cubed, but not ridged, corky bark, V rufidulum yearly produces new sprigs of glossy green, oval leaves with a very finely toothed margin, arranged in opposite pairs along the stems, completely lacking any drip-tip.  New stems, often long arching suckers off of the main trunk and branches, have a slight layer of rusty colored fuzz, giving the plant its descriptive name. Panicles of small, white, tube flowers that are mildly fragrant, bud from the ends of new growth.  The short tube ends in a corolla of 5 petals, with five white stamen, each tipped with a yellow anther, protruding beyond the profile of the flower, giving the bunches a slightly fuzzy look. The fruit are oblong, dark blue drupe with a single seed. Viburnum cultivars are popular in hedges, both for their yearly bloom of large, showy bunches of white flowers, and their glossy, evergreen foliage. (957-958) 3/30 – 4/15/15; 3/15 – 4/5/16; 3/22/17 – 4/7/17; 3/28/18; 19 no obs; 3/25/20;

Note; terminal bunches of white tube flowers that unfold into a corolla with 5 petals, the white stamen tipped with yellow anthers protrude beyond the profile of the flowers, giving the bunches a fuzzy look

Rusty Blackhaw habit; an evergreen, understory shrub with dark, corky bark, glossy foliage, and showy bunches of white flowers that convert to oblong blue drupes

Note; the dark bark is corky and divided into cubes, not furrowed ridges.

Note; bright, evergreen, glossy, oval leaves with very fine serration along the margins, are arranged in opposite pairs along stems, completely lacking any drip-tip

Crape-Myrtle; Ladies Streamers

Crape-Myrtle; Crape-Myrtle/Ladies Streamers Lagerstoemia indica L;.  This relatively small, deciduous, multi-trunked tree, originally from drier parts of India, grows from a bulbous base, allowing it to survive fire, drought and flooding.  The smooth, reddish-brown bark sheds in layers, revealing greyish new bark underneath.  Though hardy, and having viable seeds, this commonly planted cultivar, grown for its attractive flowers and foliage,  has not been known to reproduce itself in forests, or on the prairies.  In yards, the tree sprouts, often as not, from roots, rather than its seeds.  An evergreen in tropical environments, but deciduous in temperate zones, or regions with a prolonged dry season, it tolerates Dallas summers, blooming in July.  New growth and suckers sprout in May, the attractive, glossy, oval leaves arranged in an alternating pattern, followed by terminal panicles of round, purplish buds which open to 1” showy, lightly fragrant flowers with crape like petals born on filaments, and curved pistols and stamen that project well beyond the petals.  Modern hybrids range from white to deep red to purple.  Flowers convert to black capsules less than ½” across, filled with small, hard seeds.  New shoots, covered in a light grey powdery substance, can grow as much as 5’ in one season, needing yearly pruning to shape the tree and encourage blooming. (787) 5/15/16; 5/8/17; 5/25/18; 5/25/19; 5/27/20;

Note; terminal, dense panicles of round buds open nearly all at once, weighing the stems down

Crape Myrtle habit; multiple, leggy trunks with bark that peels off in layers, glossy oval leaves

Note; glossy, crisp, oval leaves are arranged alternately along new growth, which are leggy and brittle

Note; round buds open to frilly, crape like petals and curved pistols and stamen that protrude beyond the flower profile

Note; flowers have a lite, pleasant fragrance most obvious during the heat of the day

Locust; Texas Honey Locust

Locust; Common Or Texas Honey Locust Gleditsia tricanthos var. texana L; needing a lot of water, this tall, deciduous, thorny tree is most common on moist, deep soil flood plains.  The pinnate, light green leaves are made up of tiny oval leaflets that, unlike most pinnate leaves, alternate along the rib rather than appearing as opposite pairs.  Thick, reddish thorns up to 3” long grow directly on branches, often branching into many points on main trunks.  Flowers bud off of last year’s stems, forming spikes of tiny, greenish yellow buds that open to very fragrant flowers little more than pistol and stamen.  The flowers are favorite sources of nectar for honey bees.  Seeds are born in crescent shaped pods 5-18” long, and up to 1.5” wide.  Honey Locust die in drier years, dropping thorns and thorny branches.  (531-533) 4/10 – 4/20/15; 4/7/17 – 5/7/17; 4/15/18; 4/21/19 – 5/6/19; 4/25/20 (blasted);

Honey Locust habit; tall deciduous tree with smooth bark, bearing thick, branching, reddish thorns, soft, light green pinnate leaves, and small spikes of tiny, green, very fragrant flowers that convert to curled, flat, bean like pods

Note; the thorns on trunks branch into clumps of thick, reddish spikes.

Note; pinnate leaves with alternating small, light green, oval leaflets

Note; axillary flower spikes bud directly off leaf scars from last year’s twigs

Note; tiny greenish flowers, barely more than pistol and stamen, framed by thick bud sepals, are intensely, sweet in fragrance

 

Laurel; Cherry Laurel

Laurel; Cherry Laurel Prunus caroliniana Mill;.  This attractive, tall, slender, slow growing, hard, understory evergreen, with smooth, dark gray trunks is often grown as an ornamental for its shrubbery.  Alternating, attractive leaves are small (2-3”) which have a slightly undulating edge often have small, soft, spike like projections along the margins, are dark glossy green above and dull light green on the underside.  Spikes of small white flowers emerge from the leaf axils of last year’s growth, each composed of 5 miniscule petals arranged around a central corolla formed by small anthers.  Flower spikes convert to hanging racemes of black berries about ¼” across, with thin greenish flesh surrounding a single hard pit.  P caroliniana grows in clumps, or dense groves, for it spreads as easily from the roots as by seed, making attractive, maintenance-free, groves or tall hedges.  Cherry Laurel prefers dense shade, but will bush out more if planted in brighter light.  Its bitter leaves contain prussic acid, which is poison to livestock, but a number of birds eat the fruit.  Leaves of young plants are often larger, and look more spiny.  (387-388) 3/23-4/10/15; 3/10/16; 2/16/17 – 3/15/17; 3/15/18-3/25/18; 3/26/19; 3/6/20 – 3/20/20;

Cherry Laurel habit; tall slender under-story evergreen tree with smooth bark,alternating leaves with undulating margins, and small spikes of white flowers that convert to blue-black berries

Note; the alternating, glossy green leaves with spike like projections along the undulating margins are glossy green on the upper surface, and light green on the undersides

Note; leaves are bitter due to levels of prussic acid toxic to livestock,

Note; spikes of tiny white flowers that bud from axils of this year’s leaves, the pistol and corolla of 5 stamen protruding beyond the tiny petals.

Note; Purple-black fruit with a thin layer of green meat around a single, hard pit

Greenbriar; Saw Greenbriar

Greenbriar; Saw Greenbriar/Cat-Claw Briar Smilax bona-nox L.;. This brittle, stout, green, spiny, climbing vine sprouts from thick, knobby tubers barely under the ground, which are joined by thick rhizomes. Lower parts of the vine are ¼” thick, and tough, but snap easily. The green thorns are not recurved, but are flattened (like rose thorns) and stout, up to ¼” long, often with a black tip.  Vines easily grow 30′ to 50′ long, the upper ends branching easily, forming tangles in trees.  New leaves may be lobed, and are often mottled with purple, and have thorn like teeth along their margins, but older leaves are green, tend to be heart-shaped and crisp, alternating around the stem.  New shoots are tender and can be eaten raw or grilled, like asparagus.  Abundant in thin soils over chalky limestone, in forests they climb into surrounding trees with climbing tendrils, but in the open they may form a bramble.  Umbels of small white flowers bud from the axils of new leaves on a long peduncle, each bunch of 5 petal flowers transforming into a cluster of black berries.  Spanish speakers grilled the new shoots, calling them zarza parilla, “grilled bramble”, and ground the tubers, soaking the mash to produce a spicy concoction.  English speakers transphonologized the Spanish as “sarsaparilla” [sasparila]. (72-73) 4/11/15 – 5/4/15; 4/1/16; 4/15/17; 4/6/18; 19 no obs; (new shoots 3/15/20) 4/10/20;

 

Saw Greenbriar habit; a stout, woody vine growing from knobby tubers, with sharp flattened thorns, often tipped in black, climbing by means of tendrils.

Note; Catclaw, or Saw Greenbriar grows from a hard, fibrous, knobby tuber

Note; young leaves may be heart shaped, or lobed, alternating in a spiral, often with a saw tooth margin

Note; some new leaves are maroon, mottled with green

Note; umbels of tiny, white, 5 petal flowers bud from leaf axils, converting to black berries

Note; umbels of small, green flowers convert to clusters of juicy, black, fall berries

Grape; Mustang Grape

Grape; Mustang/Champins Grape (rough/hairy wild) Vitis candicans?/champinii?; This wild grape has dark, rough, rounded or heart shaped leaves which have a light, hairy texture on the undersides and on new shoots.  The leaves, arranged in an alternating pattern along the stems, have scalloped rather than toothed margins, feel soft to the touch, and usually have a climbing tendril growing from the opposite side.  Fuzz on the underside may drop off as they age.  Several variable, similar looking species grow on the ILC, preferring full sun, where they drape low shrubbery. They may climb some, but tend to be brittle, and easily break under very much weight.  Tiny flowers, made up of only pistols and stamen (no petals), are born on open, drooping racemes, and though few are pollinated, they withstand the summer heat.  Fruit have several nutlets, often juicy and sweet, if tart.  Leaves not infrequently have reddish galls.  (714-731) 4/15-/15; 4/20/16, 4/22/17-5/5/17; 18 no obs; 19 no obs; 20 no obs;

Wild Mustang Grape habit; a sprawling grape with large, soft, heart shaped leaves forming clumps, less frequently climbing, bearing axillary panicles of flowers converting to grapes.

Note; large, soft, heart shaped leaves that have a scalloped rather than toothed edge, tent around the stems

Note; dense, axillary panicles convert to red grapes in late summer

Note; light colored hairs on undersides of leaves, on new shoots and even climbing tendrils.

Note; leaves often have reddish galls.

Grape; Frost Grape

Grape; Frost Grape (glossy wild); Vitis vulpina?. Wild grapes with glossy green leaves growing on the ILC may be one of several variable, similar looking species.  The mature, deciduous, woody vines have dark brown to black, flaking bark, though younger branches may be green.  Large grape vines grow from the forest floor up into trees, but they are often poorly attached, tend to be brittle, and easily break under very much weight, so forget Tarzan, don’t swing on them.  Large (up to 5”), pliable, glossy, light green leaves are deeply toothed, often with 3 to five lobes, a tendril usually growing from each node, opposite the leaf.  Tiny flowers, made up of pistol and stamen only (no petals), are born on dense, drooping racemes, and though many are pollinated, few bunches ripen, due mostly to drought.  Frost grape survives the winter well, but usually blasts in the summer, due to heat and drought.  Fruit have several nutlets, and though juicy, are sour, or even astringently tart, so they make better jellies than juices.  (714-731) 4/15-/15; 4/20/16, 4/22/17-5/5/17; 18 no obs; 5/1/19; 5/10/20;

Wild Frost Grape habit; a thick, woody vine with dark scaly, dark bark that climbs from forest floors into tree canopies, bearing large, rounded leaves, and axillary panicles of green flowers, occasionally ripening to grapes

Note; deeply toothed leaves, often with 3 prominent lobes, fall off each winter, budding only from new growth, arranged alternately along stems

Note; panicles of flowers with no petals, only pistol and 5 stamen, hang from the leaf axils of this year’s growth of new twigs

Ash; Hercules-Club Prickly-Ash

Ash; Hercules-Club Prickly-Ash (Toothache Tree) Zanthoxylum clava-herculis L;.  A small understory tree with sharp thorns on young stems, which become corky protuberances with age.  The deciduous, pinnate leaves have twin spines between each pair of leaflets.  The odd number of leaflets (one terminal leaflet) each have a finely toothed margin, which produce a strong, lemony smell when crushed, and a stinging or burning sensation when chewed.  Chewing the leaves temporarily numbs the tongue and relieves toothache, earning it the nickname “Toothache Tree”. Small clusters of white flowers form from tips of new growth each year, producing green berries which turn dark when ripe.  The white wood is soft, and rots quickly.  (594-595) 4/28/15-5/15/15, 17 no obs; 4/25/18; 19 not recrd; 20 no obs;

Prickly Ash habit; a deciduous understory tree with compound, with alternating leaves along new stems, each pair of leaflets guarded by a pair of sharp thorns.  Thorns on the trunk reduced to corky knobs, clumps of small green flowers budding from new growth.

Note; sharp spines on young stems, which turn to corky protuberances with age

Note; twin sharp spines between pairs of leaflets of compound leaves

Note; leaflets have a finely serrated margin, and a sharp, spicy smell and taste when crushed or chewed,

Note; chewing the leaves numbs the mouth and tongue, earning it the moniker “toothache” bush

Note; white flowers (April) from leaf nodes

Buckeye; Mexican Buckeye

Buckeye; Mexican Buckeye Ungnadia speciosa Endl;.  A deciduous bush with many leggy, smooth barked trunks, which forms dense clumps of small arching, boughs nver more than 3″ in diameter, growing from a central woody knot just under ground level.  Common on chalky limestone, it reaches tree proportions in some areas with deeper soil.  Clusters of attractive, pale pink, fragrant, peach-like flowers about ½” across bud directly from nodes on trunks and old stems, new growth coming in after the flowers have bloomed.  Each flower has 5 petals, the curved anthers and pistol protruding beyond them.  A deciduous plant, the flowers emerge shortly before the compound leaves bud out, each with 5-7 leaflets, on new, fast growing stems.  Blooming in mid-March, U speciosa overlaps somewhat with Redbud.  The fruit is a three lobed, pear-shaped, internally divided capsule, each of which has a single, shiny, black, slightly toxic seed about ½ across and ¾” long, with a pronounced white spot on one end.  Archaeological evidence of stashes of seeds mixed with Mountain Laurel (Mescal) seeds in remote caves suggests that Amerinds did not devise a method to detoxify the seeds for food, but used them in conjunction with Mountain Laurel as a ritual stimulant (686) 3/28-4/17/15; 3/23/16-4/20/16; 3/11/17-3/30/17; 3/22/18-4/15/18; 3/20/19-4/14/19; 3/17/20 – 3/27/20;

Mexican Buckeye habit; multiple, leggy, arching, small, smooth trunks growing from a common base bear clumps of pink flowers directly off of old stems before foliage emerges

Note; clumps of flowers bud directly from old leaf nodes on trunks and older stems.

Note; showy, pink, fragrant flowers with curved pistol and stamen that protrude out beyond the 5 petals

Note; three lobed seed capsules, each with three large, lustrous, black, oval seeds that rattle when the boughs are shaken.

Note; compound leaves do not emerge until flowers have bloomed