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, so a thank you to them.
The first time I identified crimson sage (Salvia henryi) was years ago just outside Paradise in the Chiricahua Mountains. Marian and I were checking...
Though other insects (garden varmints!) are mentioned, the star of this show is a type of stink bug called the harlequin bug or Murgantia...
I meant to mention in this ramble that in old range plant books and even in some floras, it’s noted that this plant is...
