Rewilding My Lot

In the spring I planted a Huisache tree, because this native plant is resilient and drought-tolerant. I later discovered that Huisache has some significant disadvantages and I regretted that choice. (Not all native plants are ideal for all situations.)

So then I condemned the tree to be removed when I had something more polite with which to replace it, and gave it a severe pruning, basically cutting almost all of the branches back to the trunk. That was only about three weeks before this photo, during which time it grew back even more vigorously than before. Perhaps I should name it Audrey (those thorns are sharp and they will draw blood).

The tree I had in mind to go in that spot instead was a Mexican Olive (Cordia boissieri). I had heard that they might be hard to find, so when I happened to be at a nursery in San Antonio (shout out to the excellent Fanick’s Garden Center) and saw a lovely specimen, I bought it.

I think we’re over the very hottest time of the year, but we still have temperatures in the mid- to high-nineties every day and virtually no rain. I would prefer to plant trees when it’s cooler, but mine was already here and I thought it would be happier in the ground than in a pot.

After I removed the Huisache, I was left with a fairly small hollow, because that tree had come in a small pot. I needed to dig a larger hole for the Mexican Olive, so here’s what came out of the ground. From left to right: “good” soil that I had added for the first tree, “poor” soil that was deeper in the hole, stones that I will discard, and stones that I will keep.

Then I filled the hole with water and let it drain, which took about an hour.

The Mexican Olive was then planted with plenty of water, some mycorrhizae, a few handfuls of new compost, the original soil, and a mulch ring on top. Welcome!