Regional Picks: Focal-Point Plants – Southern Plains

1. Yellow Butterfly Vine

Name:Mascagnia macroptera

USDA hardiness zones:8 to 11

Size : Climbing to 12 to 20 feet

condition : Full sun to partial shade ; drouth kind

A vine need vividness or interest group to be a focal point : Yellow butterfly stroke vine has both . The heyday , which count like bunches of small yellow orchids , start to bloom when the weather warms in April . lime tree unripe seedpods , resembling large butterflies , turn burnt orange as they senesce . If you remove these sometime seedcase , the plant life will proceed to bloom until hoar . This vine is mostly evergreen in Zone 8 and needs only a trim to keep it inbounds . The shiny leafage is likely resistant to drouth , disease , and deer .

2. Giant Timber Bamboo

Name:Bambusa oldhamii

Zones:8 to 11

sizing : Up to 40 foot grandiloquent , clumping to 4 to 6 feet extensive

Conditions : Full sun to fond shade ; moist , well - drained soil

The clumps of this bamboo are well behaved , not invasive . I have them embed in my own thou , where there is little maturation from the plant until late summertime , when the new canes issue . After eight years , the height seems fixed at 20 feet . Maintenance is limited to breaking off any new undesirable canes and pick out older one before the novel I come forth . I keep my bamboo prune back to a few canes deep because I habituate this bamboo to hide an ugly public utility company pole .

3. Variegated Century Plant

Name:Agave americana‘Marginata’

Zones:9 to 11

Size:6 to 8 foot marvellous and 6 to 10 animal foot wide

Conditions : Full sunlight ; well - drained soil ; drouth liberal

Variegated century works is sure to grab attention , but establish it at least 4 feet from any path because the spines are razor sharp . I love the way the strappy leaves , generally strip with chickenhearted on the margins , twist and curl back , indicate drive . The look is big and bold , although the plentiful pups that form at the base of this plant life are tiny and cute . lachrymation is optional , but this works require first-class drainage . It survived the wintertime here in Austin with temperatures in the teens , so perhaps it is hardy than commonly reckon .

4. ‘Charles Grimaldi’ Angels’ Trumpets

Name:Brugmansia×cubensis‘Charles Grimaldi’

Zones:10 to 11

Size:10 to 15 fundament tall and 6 to 10 base wide

Conditions : Full sun to partial shade , prefer afternoon shadowiness ; prefers moist , well - run out soil

The foot - long flowers of ‘ Charles Grimaldi ’ , which appear sporadically in spring and summertime and nonstop from autumn until frost , have an heady dark fragrance . The plant ’s leaf is large , coarse , and plentiful . It wilts badly if reveal to afternoon Dominicus , although it will perk up again when the sun moves on . transfer the lowly leaf to lessen wilting .

Gail Sapphoned her gardening skills renovating ugly property . Her own garden was a stop on 2009 ’s Inside Austin Gardens Tour in Austin , Texas .

picture : # 1 , # 2 and # 3 , Jerry Pavia ; # 4 , Saxon Holt

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Regional Picks: Focal-Point Plants - Midwest

Regional Picks: Focal-Point Plants - Southeast

Regional Picks: Focal-Point Plants - Southwest

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