Newsletter Number 3 --- Grasses

Grasses are of great importance to the open areas. They provide economic value, aesthetic value and are extremely valuable for erosion control. In Texas, we have at least 560 species of grasses and in just the Hill Country, there are over 280 species. Of these 280 species, 65 have been introduced, mostly intentionally. Many are now viewed as invasive pests because they do not offer intended benefits and tend to push out native species. Perhaps the most common and widespread introduced grass is King Ranch (KR) Bluestem Bothriochola ischaemum (L) Keng. Native to Asia and Central Europe, it was introduced with a cattle grazing purpose on poor soils and droughty conditions. Ranchers liked it because they said “it could grow on a pane of glass”. In Texas it has now become one of our state’s most undesirable weedy grass species.
Texas botanists often talk about the big four native grasses of the plains, and therefore of Texas. These four are little bluestem, big bluestem, indian grass, and switchgrass. All are bunch grasses and tend to grow tall. Tall enough so that the early settlers wrote that the grasses were up above the stirrups as they rode horses through the fields.
In our area, there are no large stands of any of these grasses, which makes it more of an interesting challenge to identify what we do have on our own acres here in BWR. Two books we have found useful in our search are Grasses of the Texas Hill Country by Brian Loflin & Shirley Loflin and Grasses of South Texas by James H. Everitt etal.[1] Gould’s book is also a good source.
We continue on the subject of grasses with, Texas winter grass Nassella leucotricha [2], a cool season perennial native, as it has already flowered and is busy making those barbed and needle sharp seeds that catch in one’s socks.

Now that the seeds are developing the barbed seeds,  the grass will be irritating as cattle feed but birds will eat the seeds and can use the grass for nesting. Texas winter grass is the grass that gives us the early green color in the pastures in late winter.

Texas winter grass with its silvery seed heads.

Plains lovegrass Eragrostis intermedia Hitchc. This is a warm season perennial native bunchgrass. See the books for descriptions, economic value and uses. Note that this grass because of its delicate appearance can be used in the landscape with wildflowers and other native grasses.
Sideoats grama Bouteloua curtipendula (Michx) Torr. A warm season perennial native, this grass is a real winner in the cattle and animal forage area and its seeds are eaten by wild turkeys and Bobwhite quail. The dotted skipper and green skipper butterflies use it as a larval host and it is another choice for a wildflower garden.
Little bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx) Nash. Has not grown much so far this time of the year, but you can spot the colonies now because the growth from last year is brown and still standing.

In our travels, the most extensive stand of little bluestem we have spotted was about two acres not shared with other grasses.
Texas native bunch grasses spread mostly by seed, but some spread by runners (stolons) or even by rhizomes. For the grasses that depend on seed production, it’s appropriate to rotate grazing areas allowing the native grasses to develop seed for reproduction of new plants. It takes a long time for native grasses to come back from near extinction because of the competition from other grasses and, of course, weeds.
Yellow indiangrass Sorgastrum nutans (L.) Nash has large seed heads and presents a very dominant stand. Indiangrass is a large plant, easily reaching 4 feet in height and, with a large seed plume. It is native and perennial reproducing from seeds and rhizomes. Its leaves are broad and very noticeable. Like the little bluestem, it is a warm season grass and the growth from last year hangs around until early summer when it rots and falls to the ground. Here is a small stand of Indian grass, what’s left from last year’s growth.

Springtime is when we all talk about wildflowers---that is, those wildflowers that we can see. But grasses develop flowers as well, because these flowers develop into seed heads just like most other plants. So, the next time you look out on a field of green grass that is getting near the seed stage, just make the observation that these flowers are beautiful too, in spite of their minute size and general lack of color.
Shortspike windmillgrass Chloris subdolichostachya. It is a warm season native perennial reproducing by seeds and tillers. As it rates only poor to fair for grazing cattle and wildlife the only attribute it seems to have going for it is its interesting windmill aspect with 5-11 horizontal “branches” that are fastened closely together at the top of the stem and form a whorl.
Rescuegrass Bromus catharticus
Rescuegrass is an annual cool season introduced pasture plant that received its moniker because, according to the Loflins, it has many times come to the rescue of ranchers following drought or hard winters. This is what it looks like in our field on the 9^th of April.

It is a lovely green now and will turn to straw yellow when it’s ripe. It is relatively good forage for livestock and fair for wildlife. It also provides seeds, forage and nesting material for birds and small mammals.
Virginia wildrye Elemus virginicus A 2’ to 4’ cool season native perennial grass, blooms as early as March and makes seed April through June. It provides good livestock forage, fair wildlife forage and forage for birds and small mammals. It reproduces by seeds and tillers.
Bermudagrass Cynodon dactylon A 4”-12” warm season perennial, it was introduced from Africa probably via Bermuda. Looking down on its 3-6 splayed, digitate spikes, it looks like the track a bird’s foot would make. It is a common lawn and pasture grass that is excellent for cattle but poor for wildlife. However it should be noted that it is sometimes susceptible to a fungal growth producing tryptophan rendering it toxic to livestock. It provides seeds, nesting and denning for birds and small mammals. Butterfly aficionados will be delighted to learn that it is host to fiery skipper, umber skipper, Julia’s skipper, obscure skipper, gemmed satyr, Carolina satyr, southern skipperling, sachem and whirlabout butterfly larvae. It reproduces year round from seeds, tillers, stolons and rhizomes. In gardens, it is a pest.
Common sandbur Cenchrus spinifex A warm season native perennial that has no redeeming qualities and has made itself a pesky weed throughout Texas.
Showy chloris Cloris virgata A warm season annual native that varies in size up to 3’ is also called feather fingergrass and feathertop rhodesgrass. Its 2” seedheads above blue-green stems and leaves make it a showy plant for the garden as long it is prevented from becoming weedy. Cattle find it edible and birds and small mammals consume its seeds.
Silky bluestem Dichanthium sericeum Silky bluestem is a 20”-40” warm season perennial introduced as a forage grass from Australia where it is known as Queensland bluegrass. It flowers May through September and is identified in the field by blue-green leaves and branches topped with straw colored spikelets that have long awns (heavy hair-like projections) that are covered with fine silky white hairs. Its foliage is food for some butterfly caterpillars.
Silver bluestem Bothriochloa laguroides ssp. Torreyana Silver bluestem is a 18”-48” warm season native perennial bunchgrass usually growing from tillers. It is only fair forage for livestock and poor for wildlife. However, it produces seed and forage for birds and small mammals. The Loflins cite that warblers and other migratory birds perch on the seedheads and pick out seeds while American Indians used the stems as toothpicks. Also called silver beardgrass, they are easily seen in the field after their into 4”-8” silvery cotton-like seedheads mature.

Sightings

Sightings are what we have observed that are a little out of the ordinary and may be of wide interest. We have a few this month and would like to hear of your sightings.
First, there is the Hummingbird moth. This is a moth, not a bird, that probes flowers. Just as a hummingbird would, it flies and darts around probing flowers for nectar.. There are several species, but this one we photographed was a Commom clearwing Hemaris thysbe.

We spotted three False gromwell Omosmodium bejariense wildflowers;[3] one on the property edge of Siemmsen’s land, the other two on the roadside of the Miller property, up by the big majestic oak.
This plant is not common in our area.

The Antelope horn milkweed Asclepias asperula is making a good showing this year all along Bridlewood Ranches Drive.
It has an unusual flower head so it should be easy to spot. It’s obvious that the cattle do not like it, nor do the deer. But the butterflies find it a valuable food source and egg laying site. So, please don’t mow them until they have gone to seed and all the seed has been dispersed by the wind.

Interesting article on this plant. Click here Antelope

Antelope

The tiny 3”-5” bright pink Golden-eye phlox Phlox Roemeriana is still to be seen in some places along Hugo Road and on the right side going into BWR not far from the entrance.

Hugo Road is a good place to look for wildflowers as their only enemies on this county road are an occasional yard mower and the county mowers later in the season. County mowers are instructed not to mow down the bluebonnets, but that protection doesn’t extend to most all the other wildflowers.
Eastern bluebird Sialia sialis. After building over 200 bluebird houses, Robert finally has a resident pair in one of his boxes.

Herbertia Adolphia drumondii a lovely, small, three-petaled blue/purple flower of the iris family is now gracing some of our fields in BWR. Don’t miss getting a close look at its delicate beauty.
It won’t be found in Everitt’s Hill Country book, but is present in Geyata Ajilvsgi’s book Wildflowers of Texas. Perhaps this is because, as Ms. Ajilvsgi says,” Herbertia is endemic to the southern portion of Texas and is usually abundant where found, forming large areas of almost solid blue”. These can be seen in the fields along Bridlewood Ranches Drive.

Cattle egret Bubulcus Ibis One last sighting. This afternoon ( 4-12-18) on our way back home, we saw two cattle egrets on the Vinson’s property standing on the ground by the two horses.
R & D Tusch

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[1] Both of these books are available at the Wimberley Village Library.
[2] Also known as speargrass and Texas needlegrass.
[3] A good wildflower book for this area is Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country by Marshall Enquist.

Newsletter Number 2--The Understory

Most of BWR land consists of wooded areas and open grassland.  The wooded areas are mainly live oak and ashe juniper with the low areas having a significant cedar elm population. Cedar elms like more water. The oaks and elms provide a canopy under which many small trees and shrubs thrive, not so much that they like the shade, but because there they can escape the grazers.  On the edge of wooded areas  where there is some protection and a bit of sunlight, you can find Texas persimmon, agarita, lime prickly ash, elbow bush, bee brush and several other small shrubs.
The Texas persimmon (Diospyros texana) is a good example of a small tree or shrub that prefers sun but exists where there is cover for protection. The trees are very tall and "leggy" when found under the oaks as they search for sunlight. According to Taylor,[1] it is a very valuable source of food for wildlife. Deer browse the leaves and eat the fruit that is also eaten by songbirds, quail, turkeys and smaller mammals. Birds use the trees to nest and roost while the canopy provides shade and cover for mammals. The flowers attract pollinators, such as bees. Butterfly larvae feed on the plant and the adults use it as a source of nectar.
Another tree you will find in the understory here is the Mexican plum. Prunus mexicana is a member of the Rose family along with cherry and peach trees. Horizontal lines on the trunk are an identifier of this tree.

You might take a look in your woods or protected areas right now as the flowers are evident and do attract bees and butterflies. Wildlife enjoy the fruit and so do we when we make tart and colorful jams and jellies.[2]
Elbow bush (Foresteria angustifolia) is another woody plant you can find in the understory.  We have nicknamed it the ‘tripper upper’ as the 90 degree angled branches interlock with each other making it difficult to walk through a thicket of these plants.  Elbow bush provides deer and cattle browse and fruit for many mammals as well as quail, white-winged doves and songbirds. Bees like the flower nectar.
Agarita (Mahonia trifoliate)is a 3’-8’ shrub with stiff, holly-like leaves, yellow flowers and red berries. Its young leaves are eaten by deer and it provides berries for birds and mammals as well as nectar for bees and butterflies. Humans imbued with patience and determination use the berries to make delicious jellies and wines. In addition, the nest builders find a safe haven behind its prickly leaves and small birds, animals and plants hide in the safe shade below it. See Siemmsen authored newsletter.
Lotebush, (Ziziphus obtusifolia) is a wickedly-spined, stiff shrub and another provider of cover and protection for birds and animals while they dine on its small, black berries.
Frostweed that you see clustered under the live oaks and that spectacularly burst during our freezes this past winter was not one of our favorites until I read that it is a nectar source that attracts bees and butterflies, a redeeming quality. 
The mountain laurel is a bit of a mystery to us.  We know it will grow nearly everywhere it’s planted, but we have seen no naturally occurring specimens in the surrounding areas. We have grown it in the gulf coast gumbo soil, it is abundant in Bandera County, and we have two good examples of this plant at the entrance to Bridlewood, but we have seen no native ones.  Know of any in the wild?
Plants that we’ve introduced that have done well in our shade and part shade are the salvias.  Cedar sage (Salvia roemariana) with its pretty geranium-like leaves and red flowers lights up shady spots and reseeds easily.

Just save the seed heads and scatter.  Tropical sage (Salvia coccinea) grows in part shade and reseeds itself as well.  It is more aggressive, but if you love volunteers it will make you very happy. 
Mealy blue sage (Salvia farinacea) is native in BWR and we have added more.
Heart-Leaf skullcap (Scutellaria ovate var. bracteata) has a deep purple flower and the plants are naturalizing beautifully in the shade of the oaks.

These salvias and the skullcap are all square-stemmed and belong to the mint family.
That ends our short overview of unusual flora to be found in the understory. Now is a good time to look for these plants because many are in bloom and are more easily detected. You will have to walk to find them, as they are hard to identify from the seat of a bulldozer.
Worth mentioning just because it is an interesting little volunteer in the disturbed soil of a garden bed. Henbit (Lamium amolexicaule)[3] is an exquisite herb of the mint family with two-toned green leaves and tiny pink upright, orchid-like flowers. [4]

Each newsletter will feature a listing of unusual sightings of birds and mammals. The authors invite responses from readers who have sighted not-so-common species.
This month, we report that a Say’s phoebe hung around thinking it might make good use of the eastern phoebes nest under the eave. But that was not to happen as the eastern phoebe ran it out of town.
All issues of the newsletter will appear in a blog established solely for the purpose of publishing the newsletter (naturenewsletter.blogspot.com). There you can enlarge the photos for better detail and add your interactive comments to the newsletter.
R & D Tusch

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[1] A Field Guide to Common South Texas Shrubs by Taylor etal
[2] A Field Guide to Texas Trees by Benny J. Simpson
[3] WIldflowers of the Texas Hill Country by Marshall Endquist p. 167
[4] Read about its medicinal and food value qualities at www.naturalmedicinalherbs.net

Newsletter Number 1-An Introduction

Welcome to the first issue of the Bridlewood Ranches nature newsletter.  We have responded to the Board of Directors request to publish a newsletter that would inform our members of the interesting aspects of plant and animal life on the ranch and in Central Texas.  We are situated in an interesting part of Texas because we are between the blackland soil to the east and the caliche soil to the west and between the heavier rainfall of the east and the sparse rainfall of the west.  In addition to the plant and animal life, the newsletter will provide information on local organizations that offer information on these subjects.  Most importantly, please note the word interactive in the title.  Readers are encouraged to send us text and pictures that they would like to share with other readers in the newsletter and on our website.  Please send that information to dgtusch@aol.com.

Spring Lake Garden Club in San Marcos will meet on February 8 at 9:15 a.m. at McCoy’s Headquarters.  The program will be Earthkind Gardening presented by Master Gardener Marilyn Love.  Visitors are welcome, so if you are interested, you may attend this meeting at the time and place.  Call Dee for details if needed.

Wimberley Garden Club will meet on February 14 at 9:30 a.m. at the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, 101 Spoke Hill Road.  (This road is right off RR12 between the “junction” and Wimberley) At this meeting, Darrell Vasquez, a local coffee roaster, will present information on coffee roasting and its by-products.  Both this program and the one in San Marcos should be interesting to many of us.

Our website, bridlewoodranches.org has a tab at the top of the screen labeled Natures Gallery. Clicking this tab will take you to a page describing the intent of this gallery and a way to then migrate to an offsite blog we maintain as an inventory of what animals and plants we can observe here on the ranch.  You can go to this blog directly using this internet address:  bwranches.wordpress.com.   We are always looking for input on stories and pictures of what you have observed on our 1600 acres.

For some reason, two of our plant suppliers in the area have decided to end their businesses. They are:  C & J Nursery and Reid’s Nursery, both to the east of I-35.   In the immediate area, we still have Lowes in San Marcos, and King Feed in Wimberley. If you haven’t checked out King Feed, do so as they have excellent selections of seeds, plants, trees and shrubs and Tim writes a very good, free gardening letter. It’s also fun to check out the new little chicks, quail and parakeets. Please let us know if you’ve found any other reliable plant suppliers in the area.

If you take the local Record newspaper you have no doubt seen Joe Urbach’s gardening page on Sundays.  Urbach, affiliated with the AgriLife Extension delves into his subjects deeper than most and he has a very interesting website.  He can be found at www.gardeningaustin.com.

Okay, so what is first to let us know that spring is not too far away?  Leucojums, aka snowflakes, are up with their bell-shaped white flowers with the little green dots on their scalloped edges.

The daffodils’ tall, spiky leaves are up, but no flowers yet. Quail have not yet started to sing, the rattlesnakes are still hibernating, but phoebes have made themselves heard along with chickadees. We saw a rufous-sided towhee the other day in the woods doing its usual frantic scratching around in the leaf mold looking for food. On the way in or out we always look for the American kestrels taking off from the wires on Bridlewood Ranches Dr.  These are the birds we used to call chicken hawks.

Speaking of birds and the interconnection of prey and preyed upon, do some of you remember the hordes of mice that existed here a few years ago?  It was a dramatic change and we had a terrible time keeping them out of the attic of the house.  We also saw and heard owls more frequently who obviously were happy with the mouse population explosion.  Then for some reason the mice disappeared and now we rarely see or hear any owls.

This reminds me of the odd sighting we had during the summer.  We were returning from town in the middle of the day and we heard a bird that we’d thought in the past was some sort of nightjar. It was a descending call that was quite unusual.  I got the binoculars and finally discovered the bird quite close.  He was a good-sized bird with a streaked breast, but with a long, narrow beak!  That was a surprise. Our mystery bird was a roadrunner.  I never would have guessed from the sound of its call.

It will soon be Valentine’s Day and for those of us who garden by the holidays that means it’s time to plant, fertilize and prune roses.  So Belinda’s Dream is looking at a haircut in the very near future.  She has been a wonderful, carefree, bountiful bloomer.  The Mutabilis was planted last year and is doing well. A rose with single petals, it doesn’t require pruning and its beautiful claim to fame is the changing colors of the flowers from pale yellow to white to pink.

Hope to see some of you at the garden club programs and hopefully hear from you with info, pictures or both.        

                      R & D Tusch