Western Sun Garden

🌵 Plantober Day 21: Fishhook Barrel Cactus

Today’s plant has one of the coolest nicknames in the desert.

Some mature barrel cacti develop a noticeable lean toward the south or southwest, which is why you’ll sometimes hear them called “compass barrels.”

But Fishhook Barrel has another pretty obvious feature — those long, curved central spines that look a whole lot like fishing hooks.

It’s tough, heavily armored, perfectly adapted to dry desert conditions… and then flowering season comes along and suddenly this intimidating cactus starts showing off.

That contrast is probably my favorite thing about it.

Naturally, we had to try getting all those ribs and hooked spines onto paper too. ✏️🌵

Plantober Day 21 is up! Ten more to go.

If you’ve been enjoying the series, give the Short a like and subscribe to Western Sun Garden so you can finish Plantober with us!

#Plantober #FishhookBarrelCactus #BarrelCactus #ChihuahuanDesert #DesertPlants #Inktober

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Western Sun Garden

🔥🌿 Plantober Day 20: Flame Acanthus

Today’s plant is basically a hummingbird invitation.

Flame Acanthus is a Texas native shrub that produces bright orange-red tubular flowers through the warm season, often right when the garden could really use an extra shot of color.

It handles heat, dry conditions, and sun really well — and hummingbirds seem to know exactly what to do when those flowers open.

This is one of those plants that makes drought-tolerant gardening feel pretty easy to get excited about.

And naturally, we had to get those fiery little flowers into the sketchbook too. ✏️🔥

Plantober Day 20 is up!

If you’ve been enjoying the series, give the Short a like and subscribe to Western Sun Garden so you can follow the rest of Plantober with us.

#Plantober #FlameAcanthus #HummingbirdGarden #NativePlants #SouthwestGardening #Inktober

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🌸🐦 Plantober Day 19: Texas Hummingbird Mint

Some plants make the wish list because they’re tough.

This one made it because of the hummingbirds. 😄

Texas Hummingbird Mint produces tall spikes of pink flowers that are perfectly shaped for hummingbirds, along with aromatic foliage that gives the plant even more character.

It’s also well suited to hot, sunny, relatively dry conditions — so it gives you that combination we keep looking for with Plantober: less water without giving up flowers or wildlife.

And naturally, those flower spikes had to make their way into the sketchbook too. ✏️🌸

Plantober Day 19 is up!

Would you plant something like this mainly for the flowers, or for the hummingbirds?

#Plantober #TexasHummingbirdMint #HummingbirdGarden #NativePlants #PollinatorGarden #Inktober

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Western Sun Garden

🍫🌼 Plantober Day 18: Chocolate Flower

Today’s plant has probably the easiest fun fact of the entire series.

It smells like chocolate.

Chocolate Flower — Berlandiera lyrata — produces bright yellow flowers with dark centers, and those blooms can give off a surprisingly chocolate-like fragrance, especially in the morning.

It’s also drought-tolerant, loves the sun, and provides flowers for pollinators.

So yes, we’ve officially reached the point in Plantober where the desert is giving us chocolate-scented wildflowers. 😄

Naturally, we had to try getting this one onto paper too. ✏️🌼

Plantober Day 18 is up!

Would you plant this one for the flowers… or just for the smell?

#Plantober #ChocolateFlower #NativePlants #PollinatorGarden #SouthwestGardening #Inktober

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🌾 Plantober Day 17: Black Grama Grass
Today’s plant isn’t trying to steal the show — but it helps create the entire stage.
Black Grama is one of the native grasses that gives Southwestern desert grasslands their texture and movement. It grows in clumps, spreads gradually across the ground, and is incredibly well adapted to dry conditions.
That might not sound as dramatic as a cactus covered in flowers, but grasses like this are a huge part of what makes these landscapes work.
And honestly, I love the idea of bringing some of that natural grassland look into the garden someday.
Naturally, we had to try getting all those fine blades and seed heads onto paper too. ✏️🌾
Plantober Day 17 is up!
Would you ever replace part of a traditional lawn with native grasses?
#Plantober #BlackGrama #NativeGrass #ChihuahuanDesert #DesertGardening #Inktober

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Western Sun Garden

🌺 Plantober Day 16: Autumn Sage

Today’s plant is one I can very easily imagine finding a spot for in the garden.

Autumn Sage is a small native shrub from Southwest Texas and northern Mexico that handles heat and dry conditions really well — but it still gives you a surprisingly long season of flowers.

Those tubular blooms are especially attractive to hummingbirds, and depending on the variety, you can find Autumn Sage flowering in everything from red and pink to purple and white.

That combination is kind of the whole reason we started making this list: plants that actually belong in our climate without giving up color or wildlife value.

And yes, we had to get those little flowers into the sketchbook too. ✏️🌺

Plantober Day 16 is up!

Who else has Autumn Sage growing in their yard?

#Plantober #AutumnSage #SalviaGreggii #NativePlants #HummingbirdGarden #Inktober

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5 days ago (edited) |[YT] | 0

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🌵 Plantober Day 15: Sotol
Sotol is one of those plants that instantly looks like it belongs out here.
You might mistake it for an agave or yucca at first, but Sotol — also called Desert Spoon — belongs to the genus Dasylirion and has its own very distinctive look.
The plant forms this big fountain of narrow leaves, and when it flowers, a stalk can shoot several feet above the foliage and completely change the silhouette of the plant.
It’s tough, drought-adapted, and right at home in the Chihuahuan Desert.
Basically everything we’ve been looking for with Plantober.
And naturally, all those skinny leaves had to make their way into the sketchbook too. ✏️🌵
Fifteen plants down. Sixteen to go.
Agave, yucca, or sotol — which one has your favorite desert look?
#Plantober #Sotol #DesertSpoon #ChihuahuanDesert #NativePlants #Inktober

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🌳 Plantober Day 14: Texas Persimmon
Today’s plant might have one of my favorite trunks in the whole series.
Texas Persimmon develops this smooth, pale gray bark that really stands out against the darker leaves. Then later in the season, it produces small fruits that ripen to a deep purple-black.
It’s native to Texas and northern Mexico, does well in dry, rocky conditions, and the fruit is an important food source for wildlife.
It’s one of those plants that proves a drought-tolerant landscape can still have real trees, fruit, texture, and character.
Naturally, we had to try getting that bark onto paper too. ✏️🌳
Fourteen plants down. Seventeen to go.
Would you plant this one for the fruit, the wildlife, or just for that bark?
#Plantober #TexasPersimmon #NativeTrees #TexasNativePlants #DesertGardening #Inktober

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🌼 Plantober Day 13: Three-Nerve Goldenrod
One thing I really like about today’s plant is when it decides to bloom.
Three-Nerve Goldenrod can bring a big splash of yellow late in the season, right when a lot of other plants are starting to call it a year.
That’s great for us — but it’s even better for pollinators looking for one of those last reliable sources of nectar and pollen before winter.
It’s another good example of why a desert or native garden doesn’t have to mean giving up seasonal color.
And naturally, all those tiny yellow flowers had to make their way into the Plantober sketchbook too. ✏️🌼
Thirteen plants down. Eighteen to go.
Anybody else think goldenrod deserves way more love in the garden?
#Plantober #ThreeNerveGoldenrod #Goldenrod #NativePlants #PollinatorGarden #Inktober

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🌸 Plantober Day 12: Desert Anemone

After yesterday’s Cholla, today’s plant feels like the complete opposite.

Desert Anemone is a delicate-looking Southwest wildflower that can show up in rocky desert country, with soft blooms and finely divided foliage that look almost too fragile for the environment around them.

That contrast is exactly what I love about it.

The desert has plenty of plants that look tough — but every once in a while, it gives you something like this.

Naturally, we had to try putting those flowers onto paper too. ✏️🌸

Twelve plants down. Nineteen to go.

#Plantober #DesertAnemone #DesertWildflowers #NativePlants #ChihuahuanDesert #Inktober

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