GPOD on the Road: South Texas Ecotourism Center

An educational center at the southern tip of Texas promotes biodiversity with the striking native plants from the region

glad Friday GPODers !

We ’re wrapping up our week of diverse garden spaces with Lisa Adam in Texas . Lisa lives very close to the southernmost point of Texas , and shared photos of her garden in Weslaco last fall ( agree out that post here : Lisa ’s Wildlife Haven Near the Southernmost Point of Texas ) , but today she ’s sharing a recent visit to a really cool ecotourism shopping centre that highlights and educates on the the ecosystem aboriginal to this singular part .

My name is Lisa Adam and I live in Weslaco , Texas . ( I previously submitted picture from my retirement cottage . ) Today , I ’m take on readers to theSouth Texas Ecotourism Center ( STEC ) . settle in Laguna Vista , Texas , STEC is on route to the pop beach destination , South Padre Island . STEC promotes exploration of the region ’s nature through gardens , interpretative exhibits and sculpture , bird blind , and a boardwalk overlook . Today I ’ll concentre on some of its iconic plants . It ’s zone 10 in this realm , so excuse the mirky skies , which we appreciate as a easing from the Dominicus .

The downcast - slung STEC building is a mod take on the traditional wiener - trot , with an assailable passageway between two flank . In front of the building is a modern garden featuring deep row of mass plant , mostly aboriginal . seeable in the photo are quarrel of yellow - bloom retama tree ( Parkinsonia aculeata , Zones 8–11 ) , century plant life ( Agaveamericana , Zones 8–10 ) , non - aboriginal blue plumbago(Plumbagoauriculata , Zones 9–11),triangle cactus(Acanthocereus tetragonus , Zones 9–11),and non - aboriginal aloe vera .

Another perspective of the retama and 100 plants .

cryptical rows of tough aboriginal grasses draw the heat - radiate road frontal . Here , a delicate Texas vervain(Verbenahalei , Zones 7–10)stands out against the smoke .

Past the overt enactment of the construction , visitors walk through multiple garden country that simulate several different ecosystems of the region : thorn forest , savannah , and coastal prairie . Beyond those is a boardwalk that looks out over Bahia Grande , Texas ’ great wetland restoration project and part of the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge .

Cacti feature conspicuously at STEC since they grow in most every eco - region in South Texas .

Tasajillo(Cylindropuntia leptocaulis , Zones 9–11)is a shrub - alike cactus . It ’s also call Christmas cholla or Christmas cactus , because the red fruit sometimes persist until the vacation season if they are not all eat by bird .

Texas prickly pear cacti(Opuntialindheimeri , Zones 8–11)usually rosiness in white-livered , but occasionally in orange or red . Their wide - open blossoms give easy access to nectar and pollen for native bee .

Coral bean(Erythrina herbacea , Zones 8–11)is a magniloquent bush , not a cactus , but it is also thorny , as well as poisonous ! But its fantastic bloom make it a hummingbird attracter and a suitable ornamental in the arena .

These slubbed buds on the tepeguaje , or lead tree(Leucaena pulverulenta , Zones 8–11),will turn into creamy - white-livered puffballs in a few days . Locally , tepeguaje is consider a right “ nurse Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree . ” The trees grows fast , and their in an elaborate way combine leave provide much - call for shade for untried or modest plant below them .

I trust the gage in this photo is Gulf cordgrass(Sporobolus spartinae , Zones 8–11).The neatly bermed bound makes clear this is a educate space . Behind the grass are honey mesquite trees(Prosopis glandulosa , Zones 7–11)and Spanish dagger(Yuccatreculeana , Zones 7–10 ) .

An artificial peninsula by a pool mimics the arena ’s lomas , which are ancient clay dunes cut through with grass and scrubland . At far left in the photo , you may glimpse the coastal wetlands of Bahia Grande in the distance . Their restoration has shorten dust - cause asthma in the region , boosted the part ’s fishing and shrimping industry , and provided much needed home ground for endangered species .

Thank you so much for sharing this incredible plant goal with us , Lisa ! I ca n’t think of a better place to give us an penetration into the unbelievable plant palette of your region , and your selection of high spot was a delight .

We want to see YOUR garden!

Have photo to portion out ? We ’d lie with to see your garden , a special collection of plant life you love , or a wondrous garden you had the chance to visit !

To relegate , send 5–10 photos to[email protected]along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you direct the picture . We ’d love to hear where you are site , how long you ’ve been gardening , successes you are proud of , failures you acquire from , hopes for the future , favorite plants , or funny stories from your garden .

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