Wildflower Wednesday: Deja Vu All Over Again

I posted this for September's Wildflower Wednesday in 2010 and forgot all about it. I even stopped on the back road today to take pictures for September 2012. Then I got home and discovered this old post!  The plant I dug 2 years ago didn't make it but seeds were available from Prairie Moon Nursery.  I sowed a packet last year but only a couple of plants made it to bloom size.  I blame myself for that: I didn't sow them in the kind of conditions they require.  If I can find a spot that meets those criteria, though, I hope to see them blooming on my corner of Katy next fall!

Today is Wildflower Wednesday, Gail of Clay and Limestone's meme for native plant lovers. As I was driving to the Arbor Gate on Saturday, I saw stands of small pink flowers growing wild along the roadside. Being pressed for time, I told myself I would stop on the way back to investigate. But I came home a different way ... so I jotted myself a note, which has been lost in the clutter of the little red truck.

Much to my delight, as I was ferrying the Garden Terrierist to a grooming appointment, I spotted the same flowers growing along the back road that leads to the shopping center.  After dropping Annie off at the pretty parlor, I trundled down the road a bit and stopped to get a closer look at the blooms.  I didn't swoon but I came close ... I am entranced, I am enamored, I am enthused by the delicate beauty of this flower!


Agalinis heterophylla, known as Prairie False-Foxglove or Prairie Agalinis, is a member of the Scrophulariaceae family.  According to the information from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, it grows 1 to 3 feet tall and blooms from June through October.  That site lists it as needing part shade: while that was true of the site where I originally spotted it growing, it's in full sun where I saw it today.  It's possible that the plants receive some afternoon shade from taller vegetation nearby, though.  The long wiry stems have needlelike leaves, and not very many of those.  Since I was wearing sandals, I couldn't get far enough into its habitat to get a good look at the crown of the plant where it emerged from the soil.  I managed to gently wrest one plant from the ground with root intact and I'm hoping I can get it to grow or reseed in my gardens.  

Trundle yourself on over to Gail's blog and check out the other Wildflower Wednesday posts!

Comments

Gail said…
Oh Cindy that is a beauty! I am so glad you rescued it from being mowed over. My fingers are crossed that it finds Wit's End as the perfect place to reside! xoxo
Fairegarden said…
Such a wonderful little plant. I hope you have even more success with the seed sowing in the future.
Layanee said…
Another new one to me. Lovely.
Rebecca said…
These are BEAUTIFUL! (I wonder if these are the same as those I've admired frequently on the roadside but never stopped to look closer????)
Carol Michel said…
Very pretty and the spots on the inside are a sure sign that garden fairies love them, too.
Alison said…
That's a really pretty flower. I love the fringed petals. Hope it thrives for you!
Rose said…
What a pretty little flower; I'm glad you had the chance to see it up close. Hope it does well in your garden, too!
sweetbay said…
A similar species grows on our farm that's a wetland species. It has a gorgeous vivid magenta color.
Randy Hyden said…
Great Pics ! I have this stuff growing all over the property. It`s foliage is cool too.