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Saturday, July 26, 2014

Best of Texas!



Was walking through the yard this morning chasing after Daisy when I heard a lot of buzzing.  It was coming from the Pride of Barbados.  The bees were all over this plant this morning.  It is in full bloom right now.

If you've traveled through Texas or spent any time here, you're bound to have seen a particular lush green plant with bright red, orange, and yellow blooms. It's a plant that loves and thrives in our steaming summers here. It's a member of the pea family.  I won't bore you with the exact scientific name, but you might have heard it called the Mexican Bird of Paradise or even the Peacock Flower, but most commonly as the Pride of Barbados.

When we moved back to Texas three years ago, it was during a drought. The property we settled on had a small barren yard.  The soil wasn't too good, but the weeds loved it.  So the first order of business after getting rid of the weeds was to try to spruce up the place.

At the local nurseries, we talked to many people and these beautiful plants were recommended. They typically grow to about 5 - 8 feet in this area. Mine in the picture are about to the 8 foot range now.

They have suffered a bit in the winters here, but they grow back beautifully every spring.  It can be pruned fairly easy, which is good because they will block walkways if you let them. It loves full sun, and it is very drought-resistant.  We water these minimally.

Most of all, it is beautiful and adds lots of color to any yard.

What more can you ask of a plant?

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