This week in my garden - Sept 22nd

 Zizotes milkweed in bloom!

I have planted innumerable milkweeds over the years. They never take, but I keep trying (see the three green milkweed I planted this year). In June of 2021 I purchased some zizotes milkweed. I knew it was the wrong time of year to be buying plants, but I did it anyway. And then I kind of forgot about it. It gets no soaker hose water, only the once a week yard sprinkle. This spring, I noticed the small plant come back up, and was pretty sure it was one of the milkweeds I planted.

This week it bloomed for the first time. It is still as tiny as when I bought it, but stil I am super excited to have an established milkweed.

Native grass

I purchased these two native grasses. And now I cannot remember which grass I purchased. I feel like they were little bluestem. Whatever they were, there are both still alive and going to seed. Woot!

Cardinals galore

Just this morning, I counted a total of 10 cardinals in the yard. This week, i also saw a Downy Woodpecker, in additional to our regular Ladderback visitor. And a Cooper's Hawk has been hanging around as well.

Everything in bloom and Butterflies everywhere

Despite not getting any recent rain, and very dry conditions, the garden is suddenly in its fall bloom. Lantana, Esperanza, Thryallis and Rock Rose are this week's highlights. And they butterflies love the lantana. We have seen so many gorgeous butterflies this week, including a very large Giant Swallowtail that has been hanging around. This Bordered Patch might be using the zexmania as its larval plant. 

Th Giant Swallowtail may be using our Lemon tree as a larval host. I will have to add Rusty Black-haw (Virburnum rufidulum) to my list of plants I want to buy!

Unknown - maybe milkweed?

I was looking at the solar garden, which hasn't fared very well. And smack in the middle of the garden I saw this little plant. I am not sure what it is.