Date: 02/09/2005

Number: 1

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose . . . " but in Southwest Texas that season isn't as closely related to the advance of the Earth along its orbit, to Springtime on a calendar, as it is to regional weather patterns.

Native plants in hot, dry regions have a different mechanism of response. They feel the warming earth, the longer days, the brighter sun, but they wait, then they wait some more, if need be. Deep in their roots they are holding back: they are a cautious lot! But let there be rainfall; and hey, presto! There are flowers and tiny green leaves, seemingly overnight! Some respond with vigor within three to five days after the least moisture.

We see this in our native milkweed, Asclepias oenotheroides (hierba de zizotes), on the banks of the Rio Grande.

The year 2002 found us in an almost decade long drought. We began to see monarch butterflies up from Mexico on March 16th, but found no milkweed until 10 days later (3-36-02.)

On 3-16-03 we checked the pastures along the Rio Grande for milkweed and found plants 4"-6" high.

In 2004, we found our first milkweed on 3-14 ,when we saw our first monarchs and went out to look for larvae.

But all of 2004 was heavily influenced by weather patterns (El Nino) in the Pacific; and we went from a region getting 15"-24" of rainfall up to a whopping rainfall total just over 50" in one year! Now keep in mind that Maverick County is just 20 or 30 miles outside the official edge of the Chihuahua Desert, and you can better imagine how startling this is!

So when we waded in the mud along the irrigation canal on 2-9-05 we weren't too surprised to fine A. oenotheroides up and growing.

Spring for this region is more determined by the amount of rainfall in October, five months ago, than any other factor, BUT something else is also happening! This past winter we had only 21.1dF for a winter low and fewer than 10 nights of frost, possibly as few as 6 nights below 32dF for a few minutes or hours. One day in January went as high as 85dF.

A neighbor found a Eurasian Collared Dove who had already made a nest and laid an egg!

So Spring in Maverick County and Southwest Texas is on a fast track this year. Dandelions, huisache (acacia), and yucca are blooming. Milkweed will have a good head start waiting for the arrival of the monarchs.

Eagle Pass, TX

Latitude: 28.5 Longitude: -100.5

Observed by:
Contact Observer

The observer's e-mail address will not be disclosed.
Contact will be made through a web-based form.