Herself’s Houston Garden

This alocasia is a plant that has done very well here. I just planted it this spring and it has tripled in size and needs little care. Other gardeners also report it grows with little care. It will reach a height of 6′ and a spread of about half that.

It can handle temperatures down to 10′F so no need to dig it up or cover it if we get a frost. But it will die back when temperatures dip below the mid 40′s to reappear in warmer weather, mid May in my garden. Water less in the winter to prevent rotting.

Partial shade and damp soil is preferred for this alocasia, though it can handle more sun if necessary. This can also be grown in a pot in a pond.

This plant dies back to the ground in droughts and in the cold. But returns when the weather improves. After last winter ( 09-10 ) winter’s cold it went underground and didn’t reappear until the end of May.

This is an aroid and part of the Araceae family as are philodendrons. You’ll recognize them by their flowers which have a single petal ( spathe ) and a inflorescence known as a spandix which is a phallic looking flower. Flowers are usually on a short stalk and hidden by the leaves.

This is another one of those very common plants that took forever to id. Three of these came with the house along the top edge of the driveway.

Hawthorne is a shrub that bears small white flowers in the early spring. Flowers are followed by berries. The berries are popular with the birds. The flowers are popular with bees and butterflies. If you need an early bloomer in your butterfly garden consider one of these.  It is the first shrub to bloom in my gardens each year.

Watering needs are average. Light needs are full sun to part shade.

Leaf spot is a big problem with hawthornes.  The leaf spot is caused by the fungus ‘Entomosporium mespilli’. Small red spots appear, they turn into brown patches, the leaves turn yellow and drop off. Cool rain splashes the spores onto the plant where they settle in.

Mulching helps prevent leaf spot. Remove fallen leaves which contain spores to re-infect the plant. Prune so there is air space between leaves. And water early so the water can dry before evening.

Some people love it and use it everywhere, others have leaf spot problems and hate it. There are resistant varieties available if you love Indian Hawthorne but have problems with leaf spot.

These make great foundation plants because they grow so slow, but they really need to be in a sunny area.

Shrubs tend to reach 4′ by 4′.

Propagate by cuttings.

In Australia it is invasive in many areas.  I think the leaf spot keeps it under control in Houston.

I really wanted to grow these out back under the trees. No luck. I tried for two years and finally gave. Calla lilies need lots of sun. I now have a patch happily growing in a small bed near the front door where they receive full sun all afternoon.

They do not like to be dry. Stick them in a wet part of your garden or plan to water them daily. Or pot them up and put the pot in a shallow part of your pond. In the wild, in Africa, they grow in marshes.

The flowers are not the colored petal at the top of the stem, that protects the flower. The flowers are very tiny and inside of the spathe which can be white, pink or yellow, leaves are heart or arrow shaped.

There are six species of calla lilies, some are evergreen some are deciduous.

Most calla lilies grow to between 12″-18″ there are some larger varieties that will grow to 24″ and have much larger flowers.

Plant the bulbs in the fall about 3″ to 4″ deep. In time they will multiply and fill in an area so leave a little room between the bulbs.

If they are exposed to wind you may need to stake the flowers, they do best tucked up near a house or fence where they are sheltered.