San Miguelito (Antigonon leptopus) is quite the Mexican native plant. I read that it’s found in habitat not only in Sonora and Chihuahua and southward, but also Baja California. Unfortunately, where this tough Mexican vine has been introduced as an ornamental in more mesic areas like the southeastern US, it has become an invasive varmint. Sad, but true, so don’t go sending seed back to friends in Florida. They already have some.
And finally; this episode of Growing Native is a tribute to Tucson and the surrounding wild landscape. It’s where I first cut my teeth on native plants and animals and I’ve been on a marvelous journey ever since.
The photo of the flowering San Miguelito is not mine, but stolen from Spadefoot Nursery’s website. Thank you Spadefoot.
Mentzelia pumila is in the family Loasaceae. Kearny and Peebles in Arizona Flora note that “the family is remarkable for the diversity and peculiar...
Petey encounters a black bear while on his annual hunt and gather in the Galiuro Mountains.
Petey explains how a tiny moth insures the soaptree yucca will have seed. Wow.