A Pollinator Sanctuary In Suburbia

A Pollinator Sanctuary In Suburbia Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from A Pollinator Sanctuary In Suburbia, Gardener, Houston, TX.

TINY PLOT FILLED WITH DENSE AND DIVERSE FLORA ||| RULED BY A NATIVE PLANT OVERLORD WITH HOARDING TENDENCIES WHO THINKS HE HAS A WICKED SENSE OF HUMOR

HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS, USA ||| ZONE 9 ||| GULF COAST PRAIRIES & MARSHES ECOREGION

06/13/2026

6.13.26 POV - Houston, Harris County, Texas, USA
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Let me tell you a story...A story of how this container came to be. You see, more than 5 years ago, I rooted Elderberry. I planted one of the cuttings in this container. Ever since then, every Fall, I root cuttings from this same Elderberry and then I give 'em to friends (who have 30, 40+ acres of properties). Several years ago, I made the decision to share the gift of native life to fellow gardeners. They make great bday, anniversary, Ground Hog's Day, Flag Day, Gargamel and Smurfette day gifts...

But that's not the great part...I mean, it is super, believe me, IT IS. No, the great part is...LOOK AT MUCH LIFE THIS CONTAINER CAN SUSTAIN!

HOW?
1) Notice where the container is located. Corner of the covered patio. My house has rain gutters all around it and in this location, the rain gutter goes down the patio post and empties beside this container.
2) I removed 60 percent of the bottom of this container using a circular saw. I then buried 2.5 maybe even 3.5 inches of it.
3) I'm able to take advantage of free water and when I do water, it goes all the way down the container, deep into the soil.

Oh - see comment section for native plants happily living in this container.

ALSO - bonus vid at the end :)

I am not sure who needs to hear/see this but Houston Audubon ecoregion native nursery has Blue Mistflower for sale - 4 i...
06/13/2026

I am not sure who needs to hear/see this but Houston Audubon ecoregion native nursery has Blue Mistflower for sale - 4 inch containers for only $4!
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I SWEAR TO YOU - I SWEAR TO YOU - Here at A Pollinator Sanctuary In Suburbia, the male queen butterflies LOOOVE THIS AND MY GREGG'S MISTFLOWER!

Where to buy? https://my-site-107999-109426.square.site/product/conoclinium-coelestinum-blue-mistflower-/179?cp=true&sa=true&sbp=false&q=false

More Plant Details
https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=coco13

I don't know who needs to read/hear this but Mossy Oak Nativ Nurseries has Paw Paw seedlings for sale! And the shipping...
06/12/2026

I don't know who needs to read/hear this but Mossy Oak Nativ Nurseries has Paw Paw seedlings for sale! And the shipping is only $9! They're big!
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Where to buy:
https://www.nativnurseries.com/products/paw-paw-tree-seedlings-for-sale-asimina-triloba?_pos=1&_sid=bb0e9f6a4&_ss=r&utm_source=Klaviyo&utm_medium=email&_kx=jbx2JpI5GS-wgtcOjDe6w_AvGlUS-a_GbHmp5vMQrqQ.HrvhRP

More plant details: https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=astr
Benefit
Use Ornamental: Understory tree, Aromatic, Fall conspicuous
Use Wildlife: Small mammals relish the fragrant fruit which tastes banana-like. Fruit-mammals, Fruit-birds.
Use Food: First Nations People and European settlers have long used the fruit as food. First Nations People used the fruit fresh and made it into cakes and sauces, or dried and used it as winter food.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Attracts: Birds , Butterflies
Deer Resistant: High

Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA)
Larval Host
Zebra Swallowtail
(Eurytides marcellus)
https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/neographium-marcellus

Larval Host
Pawpaw sphinx
(Dolba hyloeus)
https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Dolba-hyloeus

The Houston Audubon ecoregion native plant nursery has 4 inch containers of Desmanthus illinoensis (Illinois Bundleflowe...
06/08/2026

The Houston Audubon ecoregion native plant nursery has 4 inch containers of Desmanthus illinoensis (Illinois Bundleflower) for sale.
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I love this native plant. 5 years ago, I bought 2 of 4 inch containers. I've never had to buy any since then? HOW? This plant is so easy to grow from seed. Go get you some~

Ecological Value:
Use Wildlife: Seeds are desirable for wild birds. The plant is considered a nutritious and palatable browse for wildlife.
Attracts: Butterflies

More details: https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=DEIL

Where to buy:
https://my-site-107999-109426.square.site/product/desmanthus-illinoensis-illinois-bundleflower-/13?cp=true&sa=true&sbp=false&q=false

Want more ECOREGION NATIVE PLANTS? https://houstonaudubon.org/conservation/nursery.html

05/25/2026

8:01 PM, Sunday, May 24, 2026 POV
This area is usually dominated by my S. altissima (Tall Goldenrod) and Helianthus maximiliani (Maximilian sunflower). Not this year. Somehow, the Chasmanthium latifolium (Inland Sea Oats) took off faster than the other plants. And guess what? The last time I watered A Pollinator Sanctuary In Suburbia?!? Last year! During the hottest summer months.
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Not everything in this vid is a win, however. You see those pretty purple flowers? That's my hybrid passionflower. I pulled out the original plants 3 years ago but this is a super super super aggressive hybrid (Incense variety, I believe). And it's traveled more than 50 ft! All I can do is pull the vine when it's close to the edge of the garden bed.
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Before I go, here's some info on the Inland Sea Oats. If this is native to your area, go get you some~
Benefit
Use Ornamental: An attractive, dense-covering grass for shade, with decorative seedheads. Also good in pots.
Use Wildlife: Seeds eaten by small mammals and granivorous birds. Leaves provide graze for mammals. Stems and leaves used as nesting material by birds.
Use Other: Cut seed stalks decorative in dried arrangements.
Interesting Foliage: yes
Attracts: Butterflies
Larval Host: Pepper & salt skipper butterfly, Bell's road side skipper butterfly, Bronzed roadside skipper butterfly
Deer Resistant: High
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Harris County, Texas

Turns out I'm salty...Not just in my clapbacks, but literally, I'm salty.I don't mind providing nutrients to sweat bees ...
05/24/2026

Turns out I'm salty...
Not just in my clapbacks, but literally, I'm salty.
I don't mind providing nutrients to sweat bees and butters...
BTW, here are 3 more low water needs native plants. Go get you some~
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And bc I like ya, Imma give ya some tips on how I grow starter plants, even in the middle of summer. Hop on to the comment section.

05/08/2026

American Beautyberry and her roomies appreciation post
1. She's blooming
2. She's happily living in a large and tall container for over 5 years now
3. I haven't watered her at all this year
4. 7 years ago I stopped putting out birds seeds...Now I grow native plants like this one
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Callicarpa americana, American Beautyberry
Water Use: Low
Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
Cold Tolerant: yes
Heat Tolerant: yes
Soil Description: Moist, rich soils, Sandy, Sandy Loam, Medium Loam, Clay Loam, Clay, Acid-based, Calcareous
Conditions Comments: American beautyberry is a wonderful, large understory shrub with a naturally loose and graceful arching form. In the fall and early winter, the branches are laden with magenta purple (sometimes white) berry clusters that look spectacular as the leaves drop in autumn. It is useful as a screen in swampy or wooded locations or under shade trees in a garden setting. It can be cut to 12" above the base each winter to encourage more compact growth, flowers and fruit. It can also be left to mature naturally into a tall woody shrub. The shrub may temporarily defoliate and lose developing fruit during periods of prolonged summer drought.

https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=caam2

05/08/2026

A HOST PLANT AND CAN TAKE DRY SOIL!
Note: Do your research before planting this one...It is an aggressive colonizer. I LOVE THIS, but not everyone does. Here you can see it's still happy and thriving in a container.
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Artemisia ludoviciana aka Louisiana Artemisia, Louisiana Sage, White Sage, Prairie Sage, Silver Sage, White Sagebrush, Louisiana Wormwood, Silver Wormwood, Louisiana Sagewort, Gray Sagewort, Cudweed Sagewort, Mugwort Wormwood
https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=arlu
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Prairie Sage is also one of the host plants for the American Lady and the Painted Lady. The plants reach heights of 3’ and are easily propagated by rhizome cuttings in spring, tip cuttings in early summer or by division of mature plants. This species is the Sage used in Sage Bundles for smudging and ceremonial purposes for many Native American tribes.

Prairie Sage, also called White Sagebrush, is aggressive and rhizomatous and therefore may not be suitable for small landscape plantings.
https://www.prairiemoon.com/artemisia-ludoviciana-prairie-sage

05/05/2026

While at work, my phone decided to go a lil cray cray on me. When I opened the app, this is what I see.
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As the Native Plant Overlord of A Pollinator Sanctuary In Suburbia, my goal is to provide a habitat that is dense and diverse with native flora. OUTSIDE, BOOKIE! OUTSIDE! I'm not a wasp hater, btw. FROM AFAR, I have a healthy appreciation for their role in a healthy ecosystem balanced with predators and prey.
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https://www.instagram.com/apollinatorsanctuaryinsuburbia/

05/05/2026

Ratibida columnifera akaMexican Hat, Red-spike Mexican Hat, Upright Prairie Coneflower, Prairie Coneflower, Long-headed Coneflower, Thimbleflower
and
Scutellaria ovata, aka Heartleaf Skullcap, Heart-leaf Skullcap
Entertaining guests..
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TWO OF THE EASIEST NATIVE PLANTS TO MAKE MORE OF! All I do is sprinkle the seeds where I see soil...that's it. And these 2 are prolific reseeders...talk about an incredible ROI!
Harris County, Texas
See comment section for more plant details

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Houston, TX
77007

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