Reptile & Amphibian Forums

DVL, I am intersted in feeding my chucks more flowers as I did in Southern Califrnia. I live in San Antonio area (Castroville) and there is a common yellow flowered plant called an esparanza wich blooms heavily through the year and lives well in the Texas Sun. I also found that roses don't so well here or at least mine don't, at least like they did in SOuthern California, I am going to buy a fully mature hibiscus plant and put it in the back yard south facing in a corner where there is mostly shade, I found these do not do well where sunlight hits them a lot. I just want to get some plants that would be good for Texas and good for chucks. I have tried growing some flowers and they are here just for a short time, get enough heat and even with water they just seem to take a dive. Any other suggestions? I have a red-tail and a Varius and will be getting back into Angel Islands pretty soon as well. Anyone out there with CB red-tails? I have a bueatiful male (Tom Greb Stock), looking for a female of any size.......
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signature file edited. [phw 11/14/04]

I've heard that desert willows (Chilopsis linearis) produce blooms that are much enjoyed by chucks. I bought one recently with this in mind, but it's still just a little guy. Being a desert plant, it should take the heat well. Brittle bush, Encelia farinosa, might be another plant to try. It produces yellow daisy flowers. When I went to Baja I caught a chuck that had a crevice that she was occupying just above a blooming brittle bush and her lips were covered with pollen from it. Some of the desert globe mallows, Sphaeralcea sp., might also be worth trying (I've got one of these growing up too).

I remember reading past posts about some weed in the Euphorbiaceae and a purple flowered plant that were also drought tolerant and well liked. I can't for the life of me remember their names, so hopefully someone else will.

-Alice

Lou,

Hows it going ---

Well--- To ALL--Hows it going!! Sorry I don't pop up more. Just busy as heck and interst running all which a ways.

I have been real quiet lately even though I still have chucks & even have a clutch of Redtail eggs in the ground.

Here are several of my Mainstays as far a plants growing in the pen goes.

Common Ragweed -- they eat on the leaves,

Prostrate Euphorbias ( that reddish flat weed that grows in every sidewalk crack with white sap)and all similar weedy euphorbias-- same thing-- they eat leaves & all

Palafoxia - lizards seldom eat the leaves but love the purple flowers. A favorite!
Gaillardia-- tough & common wildflower. Leaves & flowers both eate--great chuck plant !
Calylophus--another great tough wild one that gets flowers & leaves eaten.
Indigofera miniata-- a great little creeping plant with small red flowers. They wallow in it with love!Flowers & leaves
Dalea--- flowers & leaves
Epazote (Chenopodium ambrosioides)nasty pungent weedy plant used to flavor beans in mexico--chucks love it. Almost a ragweed!
Scutellaria -- or Skullcap-- mainly the small flowers.
Lepidium-- weedy ol Peppergrass--they love all of it.
Erodium -- Storksbill/ Fillaree
Phacelia
Mallows/ Sida---- almost anything in this family works!
Palo Verde flowers---I break off limbs full of flowers & let em eat!
Mirbalis - the Four O'Clock family.
Verbena
Bladderpods-Lesquerella

These are some of what I grow in the pen-- -- the Palo Verde is in the yard so I utilize the flowers & trim limbs at the same thorny time!
I think 90% of the above are Texas natives & grow faily close to San Antonio area`

Hope this is of some help.
I can send you seeds of some of these plants if you want.

Later

DVL