ThinkWater

Happy Friday!

Plant Highlight!
Snow-on-the-Mountain
𝘌𝘶𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘣𝘪𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘢

Have you been wondering what the showy plant is on the side of the road? Snow-on-the-Mountain is a tough, drought tolerant annual that reseeds prolifically. It is native to Oklahoma and likes to grow on roadsides and in pastures. It's a good plant to have in the landscape for late summer/early fall interest. It's actually the white-margined leaves which provide the eye-catching display, which means it doesn't rely on a flower to provide the show. The flowers themselves do provide important food for resident pollinators and migrating butterflies because they occur a time of the year when nectar sources can be hard to find. Especially if there hasn't been much rain. For more information on this and other water-efficient landscape plants, see E-1051: Water-Efficient Landscapes for Oklahoma

Plant Highlight!
Giant Cone Flower
𝑅𝑢𝑑𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑘𝑖𝑎 𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑚𝑎

The Giant Coneflower is an herbaceous perennial that is native to Eastern Oklahoma but is suitable for growing in other parts of the state. It is drought tolerant and does best in full sun to part shade. The Giant coneflower’s leaves have a glossy texture and a blueish-silver color to them. Its flowers are a dazzling shade of yellow that protrude out underneath the earthy-toned cone that is connected to the stem of the plant. These plants grow to be between 6-8 feet tall and are relatively low maintenance.

Photo Courtesy of Oklahoma Proven

Plant Highlight!
Purple Fountain Grass
𝑃𝑒𝑛𝑛𝑖𝑠𝑒𝑡𝑢𝑚 𝑠𝑒𝑡𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑢𝑚 ‘Rubrum’

Purple Fountain Grass would be an eye-catching addition to anyone’s flower bed with its burgundy to purple leaf blades and wispy purple seed heads. These features make it a great addition to add that pop of color that makes the garden or landscape aesthetically pleasing. Purple Fountain Grass is a perennial, warm-season grass that is grown as an annual in Oklahoma. It is heat and drought tolerant but does best in moist, well-drained soil and it grows to be 3 to 4 feet tall.

Photo Courtesy of Oklahoma Proven

Happy Thursday!