Victoria County Master         Gardener Association

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Master Gardeners to hold virtual plant sale

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October 16, 2020

by Heidi Bloebaum/Victoria County Master Gardener Intern

Edited by Suzanne LaBrecque/Victoria County Master Gardener

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY VICTORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER JOY REED

Elephant Food

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY VICTORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER BRENDA HEINOLD

African False Hosta

PHOTO COURTESY OF TEXASSUPERSTAR.COM

Vitex



Webmaster's note:

The link for this virtual plant sale will be published

                       HERE!!

during the week before October 23 & 24, 2020.

It will be posted here and on our Facebook page.

We thank you for your continued support throughout the years and especially during this time of distancing and staying safe from COVID.

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY VICTORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER SUZANNE LABRECQUE

Plumeria

Yes. You are invited to the Victoria Master Gardeners’ Premier Virtual Plant Sale.

The virtual plant sale will be Oct. 23-24. You will have two days to shop and checkout. You will also be able to schedule your own pickup time from a choice of time slots Oct. 25-26. An order is not complete until checkout is completed.

Planning for this virtual event is ongoing. Details will be posted on the Victoria County Master Gardeners website, at vcmga.org, and on the Victoria County Master Gardener Association Facebook page.

Victoria Master Gardeners have been busy propagating and growing plants for the sale. You will find a variety of plants for your fall garden, including the six highlighted below.

• African false hosta

The African false hosta is an easy-care, winter-hardy perennial. It grows best in partially shady to fully shady areas. It requires well-draining soil and moderate moisture. This plant grows well both indoors and outdoors. When planted outside it can be used as a landscape ground cover and grows 6 to 8 inches high and 6 to 12 inches wide.

The fleshy oval-like leaves have dark green to purple spots that disappear by late summer. The African false hosta is also known as “Little White Shoulders” because of its tiny clusters of white blooms.

• Elephant food

This succulent cactus has small green leaves and reddish stems. They like well-draining soil and full sun but will grow in light shade. Water occasionally especially during hot, dry summers. It can be planted in containers and grows well in a sunny part of the house. Its pink star-shaped flowers appear from late winter to early spring. An interesting feature of this plant is that the leaves are edible and have a tart taste.

• Night blooming cereus

The night blooming cereus is a tender, tropical perennial cactus that requires little watering. Plant it in a well-draining, sandy soil or cactus mix. As its name suggests, its blooms only open at night after 11 p.m. Night owls will enjoy its large white blooms that produce a heavenly scent. This beautiful plant will grow multiple feet in height.

Night blooming cereus cannot tolerate harsh sun. It does very well in light or partial shade. If it gets too much shade it will not bloom. It is important to remember that the more root-bound the cactus, the more abundant the cereus flowers will be.

• Pinecone ginger

Pinecone ginger is a fragrant, ornamental perennial. It gets its name from the large green, yellow or red “flower” that resembles the shape and appearance of a pinecone. Due to the fact that it is filled with a fragrant liquid used to make shampoos and lotions, its common name is shampoo ginger.

This aesthetically-pleasing plant grows best in a rich, well-filtered, moist to moderately moist soil. Although it thrives in filtered shade, pinecone ginger needs six hours of full sun daily. From late summer through fall expect to see pinecone-shaped blooms appear among the 10- to 12-inch blade-shaped leaves.

• Plumeria

Plumeria is a deciduous shrub or tree that goes dormant during the winter months. It cannot tolerate extremely cold temperatures. Therefore, it is very important to keep it protected during the winter.

Also known as “frangipani,” plumeria can reach heights ranging from 25 feet to 40 feet. Its flowers can be pink, red, yellow or white. Plumeria are highly fragrant and bloom from spring through fall.

During the spring and summer growing season, Plumeria requires at least six hours of full sun. When watering, allow plants to dry out before watering again. If vertical wrinkles appear on its leaves, that is plumeria’s way to tell you it needs watering. If you wish to attract butterflies and hummingbirds in your yard, plumeria is definitely worth considering.

• Vitex

Vitex is a deciduous large shrub or small tree that can be a welcoming addition to any garden or landscape. It is often called the “Texas lilac.” Vitex grows quickly to 10- to 15-feet tall and up to 15-feet wide. It requires full sun, moderate moisture and well-draining soil.


Its clusters of purple blooms attract butterflies and bees. Flowering is more spectacular if the plant is pruned heavily after it blooms. Two major advantages of this Texas Superstar are that it is both drought tolerant and deer resistant.

These six plants are amazing and grow well in this area. Online you will find many more plants to consider. Enjoy our first virtual plant sale.

The Gardeners’ Dirt is written by members of the Victoria County Master Gardener Association, an educational outreach of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension – Victoria County. Mail your questions in care of the Advocate, P.O. Box 1518, Victoria, TX 77901; or vcmga@vicad.com, or comment on this column at VictoriaAdvocate.com.
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