Designated in 1997 as the official Texas State Shrub, crape myrtles provide welcome shade and beautiful color to our state's summer landscape. Sometimes called "the Lilac of the South," this Texas treasure is among the toughest and most adaptable plants on the Texas landscape.

The deciduous crape myrtle is among the longest-blooming shrubs (up to 120 days) and varies in size from dwarf to large shrubs or small trees. It has dense clusters of crinkled, crepe-papery flowers in white or shades of pink, red or purple, and it is happiest in hot-summer climates.

The dark green leaves often turn orange or red in fall and are some of the most beautifully branching flowering trees in the world.

The popular "Natchez" variety, which has long panicles of pure white flowers in the summer, grows to 30 feet tall and wide. Other popular crape myrtles that grow in the 20- to-30-foot range include "Biloxi" (pink); "Muskogee" (lavender); "Potomac" (pink); and "Tuskegee" (deep pink to red). Popular mid-sized (7- to 15-feet-tall) crape myrtles include "Catawba" (dark purple); "Hopi" (pink); "Osage" (light pink); and "Zuni" (lavender).

Also on the market are several dwarf forms. "Cherry Dazzle," "Ruby Dazzle," "Dazzle Me Pink," and other crape myrtles in the "Dazzle" series are great for mass plantings in the garden or containers. The largest of these dwarfs will top out at 5 feet tall, while the smallest will stay in the 2- to 3-foot range. Other dwarf varieties that give dazzling bloom are "Continental," which has bright purple flowers, and "Victor," which has dark red blooms.

Although relatively carefree plants, all crape myrtles respond well to some pampering. Feed crape myrtles regularly during the growing season with a crape myrtle fertilizer. Water crape myrtles deeply when there is insufficient rain and keep an eye out for pests and disease. Prune off spent flowers to encourage repeat bloom.

Remember, there is a crape myrtle size and shape for every garden. This plant laughs at heat and humidity and, once established, is very drought-tolerant. For more information about Texas crape myrtles, contact your local nursery or visit www.gotexan.org/.

Texas Turfgrass

Water is a precious resource and planting Texas Turf helps conserve it. A recent study commissioned by the San Antonio Water System and Turfgrass Producers of Texas, and conducted by researchers at Texas A&M University, demonstrated that 25 commonly sold turfgrasses could withstand a 60-day drought and help protect your landscape. For tips on growing Texas Turfgrass and a list of drought resistant Turfgrass varieties, e-mail growtexan@texasagriculture.gov and request your Texas Turfgrass brochure. 

Guide to Landscape Success

From climates and soils to hardiness zones and plant selections, landscaping in Texas is always a challenging task.

The GO TEXAN "Guide to Landscape Success" brochure offers information about seven important steps, including:

• Proper planning and design
• Right soil mixture
• Right turfgrass
• Appropriate plant selection
• Efficient irrigation
• Mulches
• Appropriate maintenance practices

To receive a copy of our "Guide to Landscape Success," e-mail growtexan@texasagriculture.gov.

By George Ayres
Texas Department of Agriculture
May 2010

Spring brought us our fair share of rain, and with summer right around the corner, we'll have a new variety of Texas plants to enjoy. Now's the time to plant tough Texas native and Southwest desert plants to ensure your landscape is ready for those sun-soaked and often overly dry summer months.

Cacti and succulents are one of the least demanding plants for your Texas landscape and are well adapted to our summer climate.

Below is information to help you find the right Texas native and Southwest desert plant.

CACTI

Most cacti need little rainfall and sandy, well-drained soil to do well; however, just about all soil types in Texas will support some species of cacti, even clay soils. Popular cacti include Texas Fish-Hook Barrel, Prickly Pear and Hedge Hog. 

Texas Fish-Hook Barrel cactus is a rounded solitary cactus with pure yellow to red-orange flowers that bloom in late spring and produce yellow edible fruit.

Prickly Pear, also known as nopal, has yellow, red or purple flowers. Fruit and pads are edible, but the tiny, barbed spines on the pads must first be carefully removed.

Hedge Hog cactus produces showy red fruit and goblet-shaped flowers that stay open at night. Its cylindrical stems grow up to 1 foot tall.

SUCCULENTS

Most succulents can be grown in any sunny, well-drained area and require little maintenance.

Agaves

Agaves are ornamental succulents that vary significantly in size, color, form and flowers.  Their bold shapes contrast sharply with other landscape plants to provide a dramatic accent. Agaves have sword-shaped leaves and produce a tall spike covered with flowers. Two popular Texas-grown types are Agave mapisaga, a large plant with excellent heat tolerance, and Agave samiana, or century plant, which flowers once in a lifetime. Its average lifespan is 25 years.

Yuccas

Yuccas are hardy, drought-tolerant landscape plants with spiky foliage and magnificent springtime flower clusters. A member of the agave family, yuccas complement landscapes from desert to traditional.

Download your Root For Texas brochure, a handy guide to choosing Texas native and Southwest desert plants for your landscape. To find Texas-grown native and Southwest desert plants, simply look for the GO TEXAN mark.

Sometimes the best decisions are the smartest. Not only are potatoes fat free, cholesterol free and only 110 calories per serving, they have no cholesterol, no fat, but plenty of complex carbohydrates to fuel an active lifestyle. Plus, they are packed with nutrients such as potassium, vitamin C, fiber and vitamin B-6.

GO TEXAN member Pro-Health Smart Potatoes in Carrollton works to ensure their Texas potatoes are not only tasty, but extra clean, for consumers. By using a Pure Wash Cleaning System^TM, there is no need to scrub or peel Pro-Health potatoes before eating.

"We invite you to try our potatoes to see and taste the difference," said Scottie Williams, sales representative with Pro-Health. "Our Texas Grown program, in association with GO TEXAN, is designed to help consumers identify and buy Texas Grown potatoes."

Here are some delectable suggestions:

Russet Potatoes

Russets are light and fluffy when cooked, so they're perfect for preparing potato favorites like stuffed, baked and mashed.

Butter Russets Potatoes

Butter Russets combine the best attributes of the Russet and the Gold potato varieties. Their unique sweet, buttery flavor combined with the hearty skin of a Russet, make them perfect for baking, mashing, boiling, frying and roasting. 

Sierra Rose Potatoes

Sierra Rose Potatoes combine the best attributes of the Red and Gold potato varieties. Their vibrant red skin and buttery flavor make them perfect for grilling, adding to stews, or providing a richer taste to your potato salads.

"Pro-Health Smart Potatoes are grown for Texans by Texans," Williams said. "Buying Texas Grown potatoes helps keep the economy growing by keeping Texas dollars in Texas. We are proud of our reputation for quality and freshness, and we are proud to be Texas Grown."

For more information, visit www.pro-health.com/.

Garlic & Onion Pro-Health Butter Russet Mashed Potatoes
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 pound Pro-Health Butter Russet Potatoes
1/4 cup onion, diced
8 cloves roasted garlic, chopped
1/4 cup evaporated skim milk
2 tsp. butter
1 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. salt

Directions: Dice potatoes into small cubes and place in a saucepan with cold water. Bring to a simmer until potatoes are tender. Caramelize onions in a saucepan. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl with a large spoon or hand mixer.

Recipe courtesy of Pro-Health Smart Potatoes.

Blue oak, canyon oak, mountain oak, smoky oak, rock oak ... all different names for the same great Texas tree! Official name ... (drum roll, please) ... Lacey Oak!

Regardless of the name, this plant has much to offer as a landscape plant in its native Texas. Named for Howard Lacey, who first collected specimens on his property near Kerrville, the Lacey Oak is a beautiful small oak, native to the Texas Hill Country. With its spreading canopy of attractive bluish-green foliage, it provides a nice habitat for wildlife. Its high heat tolerance and resistance to drought, alkaline soil and pests put the Lacey Oak in the esteemed Texas Superstar® category, a distinction awarded by Texas AgriLife Research and Extension, part of the Texas A&M system. The Lacey Oak is a super-performing plant under Texas growing conditions.

It grows wild on the thin, hard limestone escarpments of the Edwards Plateau in central Texas. Its leaves are peach-colored when they emerge in the spring, then turn a dusky-blue to blue-gray in the summer. The Lacey Oak makes wonderful shade trees for small yards. The largest known Lacey Oak grows in Blanco County.

Exposure: full sun
Height: 25 feet
Plant type: deciduous tree
Planting time: fall and spring
Soil type: will survive in well-drained clay soils and grows best in well-drained limestone soils
Suggested uses: xeriscapes or low water-use landscapes are perfect conditions for growing Lacey Oak. Works best as a shade tree in a small to medium landscape
Special notes: Best adapted to the western two-thirds of the state. Do not water too frequently.

This beautiful tree adds a touch of the Texas Hill Country to your urban landscape. For more information, visit www.gotexan.org/ or contact Richard De Los Santos at (512) 463-7472.

By Mandy Hobby
Texas Department of Agriculture
January 2010

Check your expiration dates and clean off a few shelves because Texas winter greens are moving into a refrigerator near you. From lettuce and cabbage to kale and turnip greens, this month's seasonal suggestion serves as a tasty foundation to salads, appetizers and sides.

According to USDA, Texas is a major producer of winter greens in the United States, with nearly 12,000 acres producing almost 300 million pounds of greens. Cabbage is the state's No. 1 winter green crop with 8,200 acres worth $46.1 million grown in 2008. Spinach is Texas' No. 2 greens crop with 1,200 acres yielding $3.4 million in 2008.

Even with the state's outstanding production numbers, Texans still consume much more than they grow. Each year, Texans eat more than 1.2 billion pounds of green leafy vegetables, nearly 50 pounds per person.

Nationally, Texas ranks in the top six producers of turnip greens (No. 3), spinach (No. 4), cabbage (No. 4), collard greens (No. 5), kale (No. 5) and mustard greens (No. 6).

To read more about Texas winter greens, go here.

For a delicious recipe using Texas greens, go here.