We are discovering a horticulturist’s cornucopia in Payne Gap. Our four-acre property and environs host a variety of surprising plant life that before now largely existed in anonymity under our feet. Thanks to the Seek app, we have been able to identify most of them, many of which local farmers and ranchers refer to as weeds, and often for good reason.
My favorite discovery so far is London Rocket, a member of the Brassicales order, which includes mustards, capers, and allies. We’ve been using it as greens on sandwiches and as tart boost to breakfast egg sandwiches. Another ubiquitous variety, Dakota Mock Vervain, blankets fields with purple and is a member of the Verbena family, which includes, strangely, teak. Expect more species to appear in this post as we make discoveries.
One of our goals is to explore some of these plants’ aesthetic potential in the landscape. For instance, I think Horehound, a justified a pest by local ranchers, looks spectacular in a mass planting.
Payne Gap Plant Cornucopia
I love seeing the wildflowers!!! I have some of them in my wildflower garden. If you gather seeds I would be interested in buying small packets as per your recommendation. I have bee balm or monarda, my favorite, various coreopsis.
Hi Evaline, it means the world that you stopped by the site. Remember the wildflower seeds you gave me a while back? I broadcasted them in mud balls as you recommended, but I can’t guarantee I’m seeing any results (yet). It would mean so much to have some of your flowers down here. What do you recommend for the setting?
Beautiful flowers! I like the Seek app also. I mostly use iNaturalist. I am the keeper of our native plant garden at Goldthwaite middle school. Drive by sometime. Lots blooming!
Hi Joy. Clearly we need to pow-wow about plants and art. Let’s make a plan.
Yes!