American Star Thistle or American Basket Flower

The name basket flower refers to the portion of the flower just beneath the flower head.  This is a tall plant similar to the Texas Thistle only lacking the prickly parts. These flowers are a magnet for butterflies. The fully developed flower reaches 4 inches in diameter. This is a picture of a budding flower.

This wildflower is one the wild mints. It’s easy to grow, but prefers hot dry conditions. It has a  lemon scent and lavender flowers, butterflies and hummingbirds are attracted to it. A plants square stem can help identify it as a member of the mint family. This plant is also known as Purple Horse Mint.

Eve’s Necklace is a small native Texas tree. It favors limestone soils in the center of the state. In spring it produces  flowers that hang in clusters.  We have a grove of about 10 trees growing at the edge of a thicket. It produces dark seeds that are strung together like a necklace which explains its name.

The Mexican plum tree is a beautiful spring-flowering small tree.  It is a native Texas tree that grows well in east Texas.   When it blooms in early spring it is covered with sweet smelling white flowers. Its fruit ripens in late fall and is edible. The fruit is about an inch in diameter and its seed is large so there is not much fruit to be enjoyed.  The fruit can be made into preserves and jellies. The scientific name of this tree is: Prunus Mexicana.

Spring has arrived in Northeast Texas. Wildflowers and fruit trees are starting to bloom. This is an apricot tree in our yard. If we don’t get another frost there should be a nice amount of fruit on the tree.