Tag Archives: Frostweed

Autumn’s Abundance, Featured Flora From The October Garden

Posted on October 28, 2023 by Dallas Garden Buzz

October 28, 2023

From Mexican Mint Marigold and Pineapple Sage to the tall and stately Frostweed
filled with clusters of white blossoms, stunning displays of seasonal color fill our
gardens with enchanting beauty. Come along, as we find inspiration in the
richness of autumn-hued leaves, pumpkins and an array of natural elements.


Mexican Mint Marigold (Tagetes lucida) seems to stay under the radar for most
of the April to September growing season. And then, something magical happens
in October. Clusters of golden-yellow half-inch flowers begin to appear in early fall
attracting migrating butterflies and other pollinators. Considered by many as the
Texas substitute for French tarragon, it tolerates the hot, humid climate we
experience most summers.


Pineapple Sage (Salvia elegans) is an herbaceous herb used for both culinary and
ornamental purposes. The yellow-green, fuzzy leaves have a tropical, pineapple-
like aroma, especially when crushed. Late in the season, the plant will sprout long
clustered spikes of tubular scarlet-red flowers about an inch long.
While the vibrant red flowers are popular in flower arrangements, they also
attract butterflies and hummingbirds to the garden just in time for their fall
migration. Both the leaves and flowers offer a slightly bitter-sweet citrus and mint
flavor that is delightful to experience.


Frostweed (Verbesina virginica) In the fall of 2008, I was completing the three-
month program to become a Dallas County Master Gardener. During one of the
last few weeks, we were told about a special treat. As tradition would have it,
master gardeners from previous classes would be hosting a “plant give-away” to
offer their congratulations to us for completing the program. We could choose
three or four plants to take home following class that day.


For some peculiar reason, I chose a plant unknown to me but with an interesting
name. Another master gardener casually mentioned that it needed plenty of
room to grow in my garden. That strange plant with a funny name was
Frostweed! The next day it was planted in an uncrowded back area of my garden.

Fast forward to this week, and you can see that my tiny 4” pot from 2008 has
continued to grow prolifically and now covers an area over five feet in diameter.
I didn’t know it at the time but have since learned that Frostweed is a critical
nectar source for monarchs. Clusters of white flowers that appear starting in late
August and lasting until November are a welcome sight for Monarch butterflies
during their fall migration. It is one of the few plants with autumn flowers
consistently in bloom during that time. In addition to monarchs and other
pollinators, our Frostweed is visited daily by hundreds of honeybees.
In winter, prepare to be stunned by Frostweed’s unusual behavior. When a freeze
occurs, the stems will burst and make beautiful ice formations at the base of the
plants. Generically referred to as “frost flowers, it is truly a winter garden
phenomenon. My granddaughter got to experience the thin and delicate icy
ribbons a few years ago and was so mesmerized that her sweet little hands could
not stop touching them as she giggled with delight. Give this unique and
impressive Texas native a try.
In closing, please enjoy a brief video showcasing the magical gifts of autumn as
we celebrate this wondrous time of year!

Linda Alexander, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008

In case you missed September’s flora feature and movie, click here.

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Enchanted

Posted on November 9, 2020 by Dallas Garden Buzz

It was the sweet, anise like fragrance of Mexican Mint Marigold that drew me into the garden on the morning of October 18th. Brushing up against the plants, I yielded to the temptation and immediately tasted one of the delicate yellow blossoms surrounded by slender green leaves. My garden journey was just beginning.

Landscapes bursting with brilliant color, leaves gently tumbling down from trees and pumpkins spilling out from the porch and into the yard welcome fall in all its glory. I find myself truly enchanted, wanting the experience to linger beyond this moment in time.

Spending one blissful day after another outdoors renews my spirit and encourages me to immerse myself fully in the shimmering days of October and November. I’m immediately drawn to the garden where beauty abounds throughout. Join me on a creative journey of discovery among the flowers and foliage of the season.

Bringing the natural world indoors reminds me, once again, that Autumn’s gifts never fail to bring happiness to my home. From soft whispers of golds and ochre to vibrant shades of burgundy and orange, fall arrangements lend themselves to a more simplistic style. Gathering your treasures is almost as joyful as placing them in a cherished vase. Let nature speak to you in a soft, sweet seasonal whisper. Savor every precious sight, smell and color of this magical season.

My first experience with frostweed was in 2008 as an intern in the Dallas County Master Gardener Association. It was a “give away” during one of our classes. For the past twelve years it has continued to grow in my garden.

Frostweed growing in the garden

Grow It, Use It – Frostweed is a lovely perennial plant native to Texas and many other states. It is a member of the Sunflower Family. Frostweed grows from 3’-6’ and is covered with white disc-like blooms from late August until November. It is an exceptional nectar source for butterflies like Monarchs and Great Purple Hairstreaks. It grows well in dappled shade.

During the month of October Red Rubin Basil delivers a vibrant splash of deep purple in the garden. Paired with purple-veined kale leaves in a mustard colored French olive pot, the only elements needed to complete the picture are two glasses of robust Pinot Noir and freshly cut Black Mission Figs. Cheers!

Grow It, Use It-Plant Red Rubin Basil in April and watch the colors intensify as the months pass. A location with morning to mid-day sun followed by dappled shade in the afternoon will reward you with that spectacular fall foliage. Bees and butterflies will visit the spiky blossoms until the first frost ends its growing season.

A simple bouquet of Mexican Mint Marigold surrounded by the bold, deep red and purplish savoy leaves of Red Giant Mustard pair perfectly in an unassuming pedestal vase.

Grow It, Use It – Mexican Mint Marigold can be planted in the garden after the danger of frost has passed. It tolerates many different soil types but must have good drainage. Plant it in a location that receives early morning to mid-day sun. The distinctive anise flavored leaves can be harvested throughout its growing season from spring through frost. The real show-stopper attraction begins around late September when bright yellow, marigold-like flowers attract migrating butterflies and other pollinators. Mexican Mint Marigold is a perennial that usually freezes to the ground in winter but reappears in spring.

Red Giant Mustard gets two bonus points; it has good cold tolerance and is more insect resistant than other varieties. Start outdoors in late September and continue growing until late spring. Plant in partial shade. Enjoy its beauty as a dramatic landscape plant but harvest the spicy mustard flavored leaves for eating.

When the glossy dark-green leaves of Japanese Aralia began to lose their color, consider using them in unexpected and unusual ways. As the browning tips gently began to curl and turn upwards, create a sense of drama by giving each uniquely faded leaf its place within the arrangement.

Aralia and Dried Hydrangeas

Aralia growing under an arbor

Grow It, Use It – Japanese aralia is grown around the world as a cultivated plant. Enjoy adding a tropical feel to your landscape by using it as an understory plant beneath trees or large shrubs. Plant it in rich, moist soil that drains well. Aralias prefer part sun to shade and will typically grow to around 8 feet. Try to avoid afternoon sun which may scorch the leaves. Flower stalks with creamy flowers followed by black berries appear in late fall or winter.

Freshly squeezed rosy grapefruit juice is your invitation to come for a perfectly planned fall brunch in the garden. Cascading branches of ‘Rose Creek’ abelia create a relaxing and peaceful environment where you are embraced by nature. Dreamy blush colored blossoms found in this simply elegant tabletop setting create a calming effect.

Abelia ‘Rose Creek’ at Raincatcher’s Garden

Grow It, Use It – Monrovia best describes this variety of abelia as having showy clusters of small, fragrant, white flowers that emerge from rosy pink sepals in summer. It is best planted in rich, well-draining soil in a location that receives full sun.

Come visit our blog again Wednesday morning to see the remaining photos plus a spectacular ‘Grand Finale’ arrangement.  We encourage you to stroll through Raincatcher’s anytime this week to experience the full seasonal beauty of our garden.

Linda Alexander

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The Frostweed, yes.

Posted on January 2, 2018 by Dallas Garden Buzz

fROSTWEED

Good morning, I am sending you this article on an interesting perennial phenomenon  from a favorite blog of mine, called Portraits of Wildflowers. You can find it via this morning’s post: The Frostweed, Yes!

We also have several wonderful pictures and write ups about Frostweed on Dallas Garden Buzz. You can find them by using our search or clicking here.

Happy 2018 to all our readers!

Ann Lamb

 

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A Monarch Pit Stop

Posted on October 17, 2014 by Dallas Garden Buzz

 

The first semi-cool days around October bring the annual Monarch butterfly migration through Dallas.   Some of the Monarchs, coming from the northern states, follow a corridor through Dallas as they continue on their trip to their wintering grounds in the highlands of Mexico.  These travelers need all the “fuel”/nectar they can get for their long journey.  Even an urban backyard can provide a respite for them.

Picture by Janet D. Smith

Picture by Janet D. Smith

One of the Monarch’s favorite nectar plants is frostweed, Verbesina virginica . It is such an exceptional nectar plant, drawing in not only Monarchs but also Pipevine Butterflies and Great Purple Hairstreaks, that it has been selected as monitoring plant by Monarch Watch.  Dale Clark, local butterfly rancher and founder of the Dallas County Lepidopterists’ Society, says that he has seen Monarch butterflies literally drop out of the sky when they see a patch of frostweed.

Frostweed, a perennial, is a member of the sunflower family.  It will grow in sun but prefers shade or part shade.  It requires very little water.  Because it can grow up to six feet tall, it is best to use it in the back of a border and in a more natural, rather than formal, landscape.  It has large green leaves on a straight, winged stem.  Native Americans would sometimes roll the leaves and smoke them like tobacco.  It blooms in late September through October in Dallas, making it a perfect nectar plant for the migrating Monarchs.  The blooms are large composites, dirty white, and (at least to me) rather drab, but obviously Monarchs, bees, and small wasps see beyond superficial beauty and flock to it in droves.  Even a small group of frostweed plants may be covered with four or five Monarch butterflies on each flower.  It is a sight to behold!!

 

Picture by Larry Waisanen

Picture by Larry Waisanen

Like many plants, especially our native plants, frostweed has several common names. Karen H. Clary in Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine’s October 2012 issue says:  “Frostweed has other names, including iceplant, white crownbeard, Indian tobacco and squawweed.  Native Americans- including the Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek and Mikasuki Seminole- used the leaves to treat fever, chills and body aches, and they used the roots as a purgative to treat indigestion.  Mat t Turner, in Remarkable Plants of Texas, attributes the name “squawweed” to a specific use for women.  Turner notes that the Kickapoo, as late as the 1970’s, were still using hot decoctions of the plant for near-term and post-partum issues, such as cleansing the womb and stanching excessive bleeding.”

Frostweed gets its most commonly used name from the fact that with the first freeze, its stem splits and sap oozes out of the winged stem.   The sap freezes into fantastic ribbons forming mini-ice sculptures.  The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower center says that “the ice crystals formed on the stems of this and other plant species have been given many names – among them: ice ribbons, ice flowers, ice fringes, ice fingers, ice filaments, ice leaves, frost flowers, frost ribbons, frost freaks, frost beards, frost castles (Forrest M. Mims III http://www.forrestmims.org/gallery.html), crystallofolia (coined by Bob Harms at The University of Texas), rabbit ice and rabbit butter.”

Frostweed after Frost!

Frostweed after Frost!

There is one important fact to remember if you plant frostweed in your garden.  Not only is the “frost” part of its name representative of one of its important characteristics, but the “weed” part is too.  Just be careful, it will reseed freely—and probably in amended soils will spread rapidly by underground rhizomes.  I have my frostweed growing at home in un-amended black gumbo clay soil under the shade of a huge cedar elm.  I am also very careful to immediately cut off any flowers that are going to seed, bag them, and put them in the trash (not the compost pile).  Doing this I have never had problems with frostweed’s being an uncontrollable “weed.”

So, think about doing your part to help the Monarch “fuel up” for their long journey to Mexico.  Frostweed is a great plant for the Monarchs—but just take some extra precautions so it doesn’t become a “weed.”

Carolyn

 

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