Herself’s Houston Garden

Transpiration is the process that allows water in the ground to be pulled up by plant roots into the stem and out to the leaves. Transpiration appears to take no biological energy.

Learning how to duplicate this process could have an important impact on building designs.

Scientists have made the world’s first synthetic tree: a palm-sized duplication of the elegant process by which trees drink. . . .

Cornell University researchers modeled the water-transporting tissue, called “xylem,” with fine networks of hydrogel-embedded capillaries. The hydrogel itself had nanometer-scale pores — the same material is used in contact lenses — that allowed water to evaporate, creating the necessary pressure differential.

The artificial tree proved capable of transporting water, raising the possibility of applying transpiration mechanisms to the heating systems of buildings or the cooling systems of computers. [ read more A Synthetic Tree Grows at Cornell]

See also:
Stroock lab creates first synthetic tree

While this isn’t something I can grow in my yard it is such an unusual plant I had to find out what it was and research it.

These lotus ( Nelumbo lutea ) are common at Brazo’s Bend Park every summer. I always feel as if I’ve wandered into the land of the lost when I see them. Notice the unusual center? This distinctive flat topped seed holder is what tells you it is not a water lily.

They grow in water as deep as 8′ and the stems each have a single round leaf up to 2′ in diameter. The flowers are about 10″ across and the largest of all flowers in North America.

More information:
Floridata: Nelumbo lutea
Directions for planting Lotus

White flies are usually only a problem in green houses, so they say. But I’ve run into many a Texas gardener who begs to differ. There are over 1200 species of whitefly only a few of which are usually a problem in Texas, the silverleaf ( Bemisia argentifolii), banded wing ( Trialeurodes abutiloneus) and the greenhouse (Trialeurodes vaporariorum ).

These insects are very tiny, white and not much bigger than spider mites and have four wings.

You’ll find them in huge quantities underneath leaves when you have them.  Eggs are laid under the leaves and the newly hatched crawlers damage the plant by sucking out juice from the plant.  Plants will look mottled, really bad cases will yellow the plant and eventually cause its death.

White flies leave a sticky sap on the plant which is then followed by black sooty mold on the top of the plants.  Just wash off the sooty mold with soapy water.

Treat with insecticidal oils or insecticidal soaps.  The difficulty is that they all fly away as soon as you start to spray.  So getting the pesticide to the pest can be a challenge.

They are especially fond of hibiscus, gardenias, and small annuals.