Rewilding My Lot

I think that about once a year I will take approximate measurements of the trees and shrubs that I have here. Like children, when you see them every day, sometimes you don’t appreciate how much they’re growing (or not).

The measurements were recorded on January 6, 2024 and the photos were taken a day or two earlier.

Live Oak 1 (nearest the street) — planted 2022

Of the two trees that our builder planted, this one produced most of the acorns this year. Many of the builder-planted trees in our development have not survived, but ours seem to be fine. I do worry that these trees might become too big for their location, but since they seem happy I have kept them. I hope I don’t regret that choice.
Height 8 ft, Width 4 ft

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Live Oak 2 (nearest the house) — planted 2022

Of the two builder-planted trees in front of the house, this produced more new leaves than its companion.
Height 8 ft, Width 4 ft

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Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis) — planted 2023

This is the tallest tree in the back yard. It hasn’t gained height since I planted it, but it has filled out in width. It moves gracefully, and I can tell at a glance from indoors how strongly the wind is blowing by looking at it.
Height 6 ft, Width 6 ft

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Mexican Plum (Prunus mexicana) — planted 2023

This deciduous tree was planted in the fall, after its leaves had fallen. It looks alive, but I won’t know for sure until it buds in spring!
Height 65 in, Width 28 in

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Mexican Olive (Cordia boissieri) — planted 2023

This tree was purchased in San Antonio, since I had been told that it might be hard to find. I happened to see this nice one in a nursery when I was there for another reason and decided to snag it.
Height 42 in, Width 30 in

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Texas Mountain Laurel (Sophora secundiflora) — planted 2023

This was the first tree I planted here, after almost everyone I asked about favorite native trees mentioned this one. With hindsight, I dug the hole too deep and the soil settled after planting, so this tree now sits in a slight hollow. I’ve also had some issues with (perhaps) iron deficiency that has caused some of the branches to be paler than the others and not produce new growth. The tree is certainly not dead, but I wouldn’t say that it’s thriving yet.
Height 26 in, Width 38 in

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Barbados Cherry, dwarf (Malpighia glabra)— planted 2023

To be honest, I didn’t notice that this was a dwarf variety until I brought it home. However, I did notice before I planted it, and so I put it in a location that should fit its size.
Height 10 in, Width 25 in

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Turk’s Cap (Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii) — planted 2023

The Turk’s Cap was one of the first shrubs that I planted here, before our brutal summer drought. As it happens, the first location where I planted it was not a good idea for a couple of reasons, but it seems to have survived the move to a shadier spot just fine.
Height 15 in, Width 16 in

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American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) — planted 2023

I don’t know if this plant is going to thrive. I put it in what I thought would be a shady enough spot behind the house, but it seems to be struggling in the afternoon sun. American Beautyberry plants are happiest in an environment that mimics a forest understory and I can’t really provide that yet.
Height 15 in, Width 9 in

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Flame Acanthus 1, front (Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii) — planted 2023

This plant is still small, but I am hoping that it will be a major feature of the pollinator garden in front of the house.
Height 13 in, Width 8 in

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Flame Acanthus 2, back (Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii) — planted 2023

I was so impressed by this plant when I saw it in a local park that I bought two, one each for the front and back gardens. This one doesn’t look as happy as its front yard sibling. They were purchased at the same time, although this one had to wait longer in its pot before I planted it.
Height 15 in, Width 9 in

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Rock Rose (Pavonia lasiopetala) — planted 2023

I’m looking forward to getting to know this plant. I’ve put it towards the back of the garden, where it gets lots of sun.
Height 13 in, Width 24 in

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Texas Barometer Bush aka Texas Sage (Leucophyllum frutescens) — planted 2023

This plant has grown a lot since it was planted in the spring. It’s known for flowering just after a rainfall, and I saw it do this twice in 2023.
Height 36 in, Width 30 in

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Texas Lantana (Lantana urticoides) — planted 2023

This is one of the plants I have that grows equally well in Houston (my previous home) and Seguin. This small shrub has already produced one self-seeded pup that I gave away to a neighbor.
Height 16 in, Width 44 in

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Skeleton-Leaf Goldeneye (Viguiera stenoloba) — planted 2023

This completely fortuitous plant is one of my favorites. It volunteered in a neighbor’s garden and I transplanted it here before I even knew what it was. Even newly replanted, it thrived in the severe drought that we had, is still blooming months later, and is a constant venue for visiting insects.
Height 24 in, Width 36 in

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Chile Pequin (Capsicum annuum) — planted 2023

I thought this plant would do better. It’s still alive, and it did flower and fruit during the summer, but it hasn’t really thrived.
Height 13 in, Width 8 in

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Red Yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora) — planted 2023

This plant is technically a succulent, and not actually a yucca. I bought one pot in the spring that had four growing points, which I split into three clumps to plant in a rock pile structure. They didn’t flower in 2023, but that doesn’t concern me. Surviving the rude transplant and summer’s drought was enough to deal with. This measurement is for the largest plant.
Height 17 in, Width 30 in

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