The recent welcomed rain will bring spring flowers. It is easy to see the bluebonnet, Mexican Hat and poppy plants that are waiting for the longer days before they bloom.
Each year the weather conditions favor different plants. By the end of January in past years I have had hyacinths and narcissus blooming. This year I don’t even see hyacinths poking their heads through the ground and the narcissus do not have buds yet. The bulbs of narcissus that I forced in the house around Christmas time bloomed, as expected.
Our local male cedars (Juniperus ashei) are dispersing the pollen to the female cedar. If you are new to the area you might not be aware that cedars are dioecious, meaning the male and female plant parts are born on different plants. After the pollen fertilizes the female cedar, dark blue Juniper berries will appear on the female. Thus you can tell the male cedar that has yellow pollen this time of year from the females with the dark blue berries. If you are allergic to cedar pollen you could cut down the male plants to reduce the pollen in the air near your house.
Valentine’s day is the official time to trim roses in Central Texas. By trimming the roses you initiate the growing of sprouts on the rose stems. However, if those tender new sprouts experience a hard freeze you might totally lose the rose plant. It happened to me when we had a late hard freeze.
Along with the roses, it is safe to cut back the lantana, yellow bells and pigeon berries, but don’t cut back spring blooming shrubs like Texas Mountain Laurel if you want it to bloom 2025. Enjoy our early spring.
