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.
Petey peers into an old bird nest in a tree and discovers the work of a deer mouse.
The common name of chocolate flower refers to the surprising chocolate fragrance of the flower. Another common name I came across is lyreleaf greeneyes....
Xanthisma gracilis is an annual and found all over the southwest and into Mexico as well. Duh. A common name is slender goldenweed or...
