Plant of the Month
The plants listed on this page were selected by the members of the Allen Garden Club at their monthly meetings. Look for these plants at your local nurseries to grow in your own home gardens.
February 2026: Carolina Jessamine Gelsemium sempervirens
Native from Virginia and Florida west to Arkansas and east Texas and south to Guatemala, Carolina Jessamine is a twining, evergreen vine, 10-20 ft. long, that will climb trees, scramble over fences and structures, or develop a mound of tangled stems if left to its own devices. Lustrous, dark-green foliage develops a slight yellow or purple cast in winter. Axillary clusters of very fragrant, yellow, trumpet-shaped flowers. The fruit is a 1 1/2 in. long capsule.
This high-climbing vine is very common in parts of the South, frequently found in abandoned fields and climbing high into the canopies of pine forests. It is quite adaptable and tenacious, with no serious disease or insect problems. These qualities, along with its glossy, evergreen leaves and waxy, trumpet-shaped flowers, have made it a mainstay of the suburban landscape in the Southeast. The flowers, leaves, and roots are poisonous and may be lethal to humans and livestock. The species' nectar may also be toxic to honeybees if too much is consumed and honey made from Carolina Jessamine nectar may be toxic to humans.
March 2026: Texas Bluebonnet Lupinis texensis
Texas bluebonnet has larger, more sharply pointed leaves and more numerous flower heads than similar lupines. Light-green, velvety, palmately compound leaves (usually five leaflets) are borne from branching, 6-18 in. stems. These stems are topped by clusters of up to 50 fragrant, blue, pea-like flowers. The tip of the cluster is conspicuously white. Bluebonnets start blooming in early May and continue producing flowers through April and sometimes into May. Seeds can be collected and scattered where you want them to grow next year or sprinkle them in local wildflower meadows. If you are planting a new flowerbed with seed, spread it in August or September and make sure the seed is pressed into the soil for better germination. Bluebonnet seeds need cold stratification over the winter to germinate the following spring.
This is the species often planted by highway departments and garden clubs and is one of the six Lupinus species which are collectively designated the State Flower of Texas.
April 2026: Rose Rosa
Growing roses in Texas requires 6-8 hours of full sun, soil that has been amended with plenty of compost/organic matter, and planted in a raised bed for the best drainage. Crown the soil where you are going to plant. Incorporate 3-inches of expanded shale with your soil to improve drainage and soil aeration. There should be enough room between your rose and other plants to provide for good air movement around the rose which will reduce the chances for foliar diseases. Mulch around your roses to regulate soil temperature and moisture, especially during the summer months. Remove dead, decayed, or broken pieces of the plant to promote plant health. Picture to left: Peggy Martin rose
May 2026: Rose of Sharon or Althea Hibiscus Syriacus
Rose of Sharon is a large shrub growing from 6 to 10 feet tall and 2 to 10 feet wide depending on the variety. You can find this plant with lavender, pink, or white flowers. Plant it where it will receive at least 6 hours of full sun during the day. This plant is native to China and parts of India, but it performs well in Texas. Rose of Sharon will attract pollinators to your garden with it's large hibiscus-like flowers. The leaves are deciduous. It does require medium moisture. It blooms from mid-spring into the fall.
June 2026: Daylily Hemerocallis
Daylily gets its name because each flower lasts only one day. There are thousands of registered varieties of daylilies and even more unregistered hybrids. Daylilies have the largest growing range across the United States.
They grow best when planted in soil amended with plenty of organic matter in full to part sun. Dig and divide your daylilies every three to five years. Plant divisions in your own garden or give the extras away to neighbors and gardening friends.
Select early, mid and late season blooming daylilies for the longest succession of blooms. There are even daylilies that re-bloom in the fall. Look for lots of flower buds on each stalk. This indicates it will bloom for a longer period of time. Look for thicker flower petals.The thicker flower petals will hold up better in our hot summers.
August 2026:
September 2026:
October 2026:
November 2026:
December 2026:
Previous Years Plants of the Month
2025 Plants of the Month:
February:
March: Grape Hyacinth Muscari neglectum
April: Iris Iris
May: Rose 'Peggy Martin' Rosa 'Peggy Martin'
June: Indian Blanket Gaillardia pulchella
August: Turk's Cap Malvaviscus arboreus
September: Rock Rose Pavonia lasiopetala
October: Autumn Sage Salvia greggii
November: Autumn Sage Salvia greggii
December: Yaupon Holly Ilex vomitoria
2024 Plants of the Month:
February: Pansy Viola
March: Daffodil Narcissus
April: Iris Iris
May: Oakleaf Hydrangea Hydrangea quercifolia
June: Zinnia Zinnia angustifolia
August: Black-eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta
September: Spider Lily Lycoris Radiata
October: Chrysanthemum Chrysanthemum
November: Turk's Cap Malvaviscus arboreus Dill. ex Cav. var. drummondii
2023 Plants of the Month:
February: Lenten Rose Hellebores orientalis
March: Redbud Cersis canadensis
April: Bluebonnet Lupinis texensis
May: Salvia "Henry Duelberg" Salvia farinacea
June: Daylily Hemerocallis
August: Lantana Lantana urticoides (L. horrida)
September: Butterfly Weed Asclepsias tuberosa
October: American Beautyberry Callicarpa americana L.
November: Fall Aster Symphyotrichum cordifolium
December: Tillandsia Tillandsia
2022 Plant of the Month:
February: Lenten Rose Hellebores orientalis
March: Daffodil Narcissus
April: Texas Gold Columbine Aquilegia chrysantha ‘Hinckleyana’
May: Iris Iris
June: Plumeria Plumeria
August: Turk's Cap Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii
September: Plant of Barbados Caesalpinia pulcherrima
October: Autumn Sage Salvia greggii
November: Fall Aster Symphyotrichum cordifolium
December: Kalanchoe Kalanchoe blossfeldiana
2021 Plants of the Month:
February: Ornamental Kale/Cabbage
March: Daffodil Narcissus
April: Texas Gold Columbine Aquilegia chrysantha ‘Hinckleyana’
May & June: Lance-leaf Tickseed Coreopsis Coreopsis lanceolata
August: Shasta Daisy Leucanthemum × superbum
September: Turk's Cap Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii
October: Autumn Sage Salvia greggii
November: Chrysanthemum Chrysanthemum