Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Sunday - August 02, 2015
From: New Braunfels, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Seed and Plant Sources, Planting, Groundcovers, Shade Tolerant, Herbs/Forbs
Title: Where to find Horseherb seed
Answered by: Guy Thompson
QUESTION:
I would like to purchase some Horseherb seeds. Can you tell me where I can do that? Either locally or on line. Thank you.ANSWER:
Calyptocarpus vialis (Straggler daisy), also called Horseherb, seems to be native in your area. It is usually considered to be a weed, but many people appreciate its properties. It is great as a groundcover in shady areas. I recently saw a nice solid "lawn" of it by the cell phone lot at the Austin-Bergstrom airport. You may be able to find Straggler daisy in the wilds by looking in shady areas. I will attach several photos to guide you. Perhaps one of your local nurseries carries it. I have seen it in a vegetative state in nurseries but not as seed. The following suggestion for planting Straggler daisy is lifted from a web site I found.
"HOW TO EASILY “SEED” AN AREA: Simply find a fast growing, blooming stand of Horseherb and mow it periodically using a lawnmower with a grass catcher attachment. Then thinly spread the Horseherb catchings (clippings) onto the area to be planted. Let the clippings dry for a few days then water or let the next rainfall germinate the very small seed which were collected during mowing. Horseherb will establish itself in stony, shady areas where grass will not grow well. NOTE: Horseherb DOES NOT kill or crowd out grasses; the grass thins or dies and the Horseherb covers the bare spots!"
FROM THE IMAGE GALLERY
More Herbs/Forbs Questions
Trimming bloom stalks of iris
April 15, 2008 - Mr. Smarty: I live in Nevada, and have some very beautiful Iris plants. They have all blossomed and now I am left with stems. Is there any way I can cut them back so they blossom again? If so how shou...
view the full question and answer
When do you put out bluebonnet seeds in Bastrop, TX?
April 17, 2012 - When do you put out bluebonnet seeds?? I hear fall but don't the seeds pop out of dried up plants in early summer?
view the full question and answer
Why did my Prairie Flax plant die in Austin, TX?
April 27, 2012 - Hello,
We planted 4 prairie flax last fall in garden. They were all growing nicely until last month when I found that one of them has completely dried up and died. The plants are planted together a...
view the full question and answer
Native plant for border in central coastal Texas
September 29, 2015 - I am looking for a native plant suggestion for a border along my front porch in central coastal Texas. My site has heavy gumbo soil and strong sunlight. I want something not more than 2 or 3 feet t...
view the full question and answer
Effects or insecticide on Monarch butterflies
July 28, 2013 - Thank you for fielding questions about plants!! Our nursery just informed us that their milkweed grower was using imidacloprid in their milkweed production. As a follow up to the question already in...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |