By Amanda Moon

A large group of plants which provide brilliant spring, summer and fall color in our landscape is the Apocynaceae family, known more commonly as dogwort or vinca. 

The most popular plants in this family are the vinca-periwinkle annuals, and the oleanders. 

Periwinkles are used a lot as summer bedding plant color, and oleanders – which are mostly evergreen shrubs – supply a great show of summer color and can lend a tropical feeling to the landscape. 

Here are a few ideas for some other plants in this family. Many perform well in our intense summer heat. However remember they’re tropical and need protection in our winters.

Plumeria

This is also known as frangipani. It’s most famous as the flower used to make leis in Hawaii. 

They have leafless stems up to 2 inches thick with long slender leaves mostly at the tips. In Australia they are called dead man’s fingers because of their stems’ leafless appearance and color. 

Their flower color ranges from white to pink, yellow, and red. Plumerias are most fragrant during the evening and night to lure insect pollinators. 

And they are incredibly fragrant. I’ve kept a variety for years that I call piña colada because of its heavy coconut scent. 

For gardeners they are easy to propagate from sections of their stems. Just take a section, and allow the ends to dry or form callouses before sticking them into good potting soil. 

In the warm time of the year they will root in a few weeks and begin to grow a new top. 

Protection in the winter can be minimal. Just keep them above freezing. They can last through the winter in a garage or a cold room. When they have gone leafless and dormant, remember to keep them dry.

Butterfly weed 

This is one of the leading butterfly attractors in our central Texas landscape. 

This perennial plant grows to 3 to 4 feet and has beautiful orange and red flowers. They are an important source of nectar for bees and butterflies, and a food source for the larvae of monarch butterflies. 

Luckily for us gardeners, they bear their seed in pods that can be easily saved. The seeds have silky filaments, which are spread by the wind. This wonderful plant will begin showing up everywhere in your garden.

Mandevilla 

This vine, in the periwinkle family, can develop spectacular flowers in the heat of summer. Full sun is what they like best. One gardening manual I came across said 110 degrees and full sun is okay. Mandevilla is available in white, yellow, pink, and red. One of the largest flower varieties is called Alice Dupont, a pink form. This pretty vine is native to Central and South America. The genus was named after Henry Mandeville (1773-1861), a British diplomat and gardener.

Allamanda

Also known as buttercup flower, this is a native of Central America. This shiny green-leafed shrub will grow to 3 feet and adds a tropical look to the landscape. Often it is used around swimming pools to add a splash of color. 

It can be found in white, purple, yellow, pink, and orange. This bush needs protection in the winter. It can be easily grown as a pot or tub plant and brought in when the temperature drops.

For those who like to collect unusual house plants, look for desert rose (Adenium obesum) and Madagascar palm (Pachypodium lameri). These unusual and exotic house plants, both within the dogwort family, are easy to grow and make for showy, conversation pieces.

We recently added some loam to our garden and are plagued with a little glossy leaved grass. What is it called and how can I get rid of it?

It sounds to me like a case of nut grass. Its real name is purple or yellow nut sedge and it’s an invasive weed that is really hard to remove from one’s garden. 

Every time you pull it up, its remaining nuts just spread it more. It either has to be physically removed by meticulously deep digging or by chemical spray. 

There is a product on the market called Image. This selective herbicide targets nut sedge and field sandbur. It can be sprayed over desirable plants without hurting them… but please read the label carefully first: it will have a list of what is safe to spray. Happy gardening everyone! 

Send questions to: iathyme@yahoo.com. Or mail a postcard to Chris at: It’s About Thyme: 11726 Manchaca Road, Austin, TX 78748  

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