Textures of the San Antonio Botanical Garden

The San Antonio Botanical Garden has much to offer, from formal gardens to a native-plant trail complete with replicas of historical homes.

Wherever we went, I found myself most drawn the the rich textures there.

This burlap palm (Coccothrinax miraguama) really grabbed my attention with its loose fabric that looks human made.

The similarly intricate weave of this bamboo fence is one of the most beautiful aspects of the Japanese garden, which has run dry because of the current drought.

Fortunately, the tropicals are housed beneath these glass roofs.

Including this wall of maidenhair fern and waterfall:

And this wonderful variegated tapioca from South America (Manihot esculenta variegata):

The captivating collection of cacti is similarly protected in its own microclimate.

A number of sculptures are mingled among the living art.

Blue Candle (Whortleberry Cactus) Myrtillocactus geometrizans, Central Mexico

Euphorbia pseudocactus, South Africa

Fish hook barrel cactus, Ferocactus wislizeni, Northern Mexico and Texas

Austrocylindrobpuntia vestita, Bolivia and Argentina

I didn't find the names of the next two but must include them:

This next one was my favorite in the cactus room:

Queen Victoria agave, Agave victoriae-reginae variegata, Central Mexico

Back outside in the San Antonio sun, we encountered many trees of unique character. This Chinese parasol tree (Firmania simplex) was bursting with blooms just outside the cactus room:

On the opposite side of the courtyard, this Ombu-Yumbi (Phytolacca dioica x webbauri) had created with its roots a perfect spot for a flower bed:

Its identification plaque reads, "Cross hybrid between the fast-growing Ombu tree (from the pampas area of Argentina where Indians had many mystical beliefs involving it) and the Yumbi tree." It certainly seemed magical to me.

Even more enchanting is this chitalpa:

"Chitalpa Chilopsis lashkentensis hybrid of the trumpetcreeper family. An intergeneric hybrid between southern catalpa and desert willow, able to withstand the wide range of temperatures and conditions suggested by its unusual parentage, chitalpa is a fast-growing and long-flowering tree with long taproots that do not disturb patios and walkways. Popular with hummingbirds. The hybridizations were conducted in Tashkeni, Uzbekistan in the former Soviet Union."

In the native Texas area, we found these very sculptural cypress knees.

and its companion horsetail (Equisetum spp.):

Matt Turner writes about both cypress and horsetail in Remarkable Plants of Texas, which I reviewed in my last post.

If you find yourself in San Antonio, you won't want to miss this treasure. The nearby Sunken Gardens are also well worth the trip.