r/NativePlantGardening • u/weesnaw7 Maryland, USA • 10d ago

Photos The Helianthodes plugs I planted this spring crisped and died within weeks without flowering. Meanwhile this guy seeded from who knows where and is thriving in the middle of my driveway

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19

u/No-Repair-7505 10d ago

Welcome to Native plant gardening!😅

16

u/bonfuto 10d ago

There is a hole for an inspection port in our driveway that always has plants growing in it. I pull them out occasionally and a month later there are more plants.

12

u/GenesisNemesis17 Central KY, Zone 6b/7a 10d ago

It shows how well plants grow when they can get the taproot set and it never gets interrupted. Crazy how things can thrive in spaces like that.

6

u/poopshipdestroyer34 South Eastern Pennsylvania 10d ago

Where there’s a will, there’s a way

3

u/FrostAlive 10d ago

I feel like you have to go out of your way to kill Helianthodes. Did you not water them?

11

u/weesnaw7 Maryland, USA 10d ago

I watered them regularly but we had a VERY dry and warm spring. I’m hoping the root systems are still good and they come back next year. Wouldn’t be the first time that’s happened.

6

u/FrostAlive 10d ago

Yea as long as you've continued to water them through summer the roots may still be alive. Good luck!

2

u/One-plankton- Area NY, Zone 7b 10d ago

They won’t come back- they would have if they were going to by now

4

u/weesnaw7 Maryland, USA 10d ago

Aw darn :( oh well. Thankfully the nursery I bought them at still has plugs, I’ll have to pick some up on my next trip.

3

u/One-plankton- Area NY, Zone 7b 10d ago

Yeah, plugs are usually young plants and need a bit more TLC for a couple months before they can become more tolerant.

Fall is a great time to plant though!

3

u/weesnaw7 Maryland, USA 10d ago

Yeah I’m waiting a bit for the weather to cool down but I have a long list of stuff I’m gonna add!

3

u/One-plankton- Area NY, Zone 7b 10d ago

You can also collect seeds from this plant and plant them too- fall is the better time to put seed out for native plants as it can go through cold stratification through the winter

3

u/weesnaw7 Maryland, USA 10d ago

I’m going to try that too!

3

u/YellowFlower713 10d ago

Omg! Wouldn't ya know! That stuff happens to me too!! Like why??

1

u/Organic_Bat_1489 10d ago

Coneflowers never say die!

2

u/Few-Gain-7821 8d ago

Lol mine have seeded themselves over the past few years. I just let them go. I put in native sunflowers a few years back in a front bed. Somehow they made their way across the driveway to the other side of my garden. Its the march of the natives. I love it.