Zoo or Arboretum?

Fall is a wonderful time to visit the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville.  The animals are okay but their plantings are what really interest me.  Today, my four year old grandson and I spent a few hours walking and playing at the zoo.  

They use lots of natives shrubs and trees with some  tropicals tossed into the mix.   The one thing all the plants seem to have in common is they're easy care and fairly drought tolerant. 

I thought this combo was especially striking.   Ti plant behind a line of firecracker bush.  I don't know what the small tree(s) on the right rear is - it looks similar to a Texas mountain laurel.  It was about to bloom and the flower seems to be white.   Here is an up close look at it below.

This planting bed also contains the mystery tree in the back right.  An orchid tree towers over the bed lined with ruellia. 

The canopy of this Kapok tree is a showstopper this time of year.    But most of the year it's the trunk that gets all the attention.

The thorns on this trunk always draw comments

Vasey's Adelia (above) is another showstopper.  I can't think of any native tree that I didn't see today: cedar elm, mesquite, Texas persimmons, chapote, ebony, Western soapberry, Texas sabal, and shrubs like pigeon berry, Turks cap, native poinsettia, and others  that I don't know by name  

This is another little tree I need to identify.  Check out the bloom below.  

Mesquite and bougainvillea - native and tropical - both staples in the Rio  Grande Valley

Texas Persimmons or Chapote tree.  This native is dioecious, meaning female and male flowers appear on different plants.  What it means to us is that we need a male and female tree if we want fruit.   The fruits have tons of seeds making them not to good for people-eating, but good for jellies.    

Persimmons fruits - they look like a miniature pomegranate

Texas sabals behind Huisache trees.  Great contrast in both color and texture.  

If you want to get to know the native trees, a trip to the Gladys Porter Zoo will give you an opportunity to see just about all of them!

Desert Willow

For the past decade, gardeners everywhere are looking for water-wise plants and Desert Willow is one that I want to add to my home landscape.    This Texas native is considered a small tree or large shrub.   We have been growing it at the nursery for the past 4 years and really like how it performs.   We are just now selling our first crop.  They are a little lankier than we would like but we've begun a pruning program that has added fullness to the trees.    

Now, more about Desert Willow.   It's not a willow at all - but a catalpa, if that means anything to you.    This small tree has willow-shaped leaves and blooms from June through October.   The blossoms look like miniature orchids and may be pink, purple, or white.  I've read that there is also a yellow variety but have never seen it.    I'm picturing a flower that's more cream-colored than yellow.

Desert Willow 'Bubba'

There are a couple of patented Desert Willows on the market:  Bubba which blooms a vibrant hot pink and Timeless Beauty which has burgundy and lavender bi-colored flowers.  If the color is important to you, purchase from a reputable nursery or buy when the tree is in bloom.  They begin blooming at a fairly young age - even in a 5 gallon container.


Desert Willow is fast growing and it tends to be a bit leggy.  It may be hard to do, but until your tree is 5 or 6 feet tall, prune it severely.   By that, I mean cut it back by a third.   Do it in late winter.   These trees are deciduous and experience a bit of die back each winter so you'll really feel like you're trimming bare sticks.    Your tree will thank you with a much fuller canopy.    As a bonus, it  flowers on new growth so you'll get more flowers too!   Because it flowers on new growth, you can prune it for the shape you want and not sacrifice any blooms.

Desert Willow is fairly new in nurseries but, they should be available throughout Texas.   Speaking of Texas, Desert Willow grows just about everywhere in Texas except east Texas.   They just get too much rain there - poor people.  It grows in a variety of soil types as long as it is well drained.