My Halloween Garden

Devil's Walking Stick gets its common name from the thorn like bark that covers its trunk. It is a small tree that is covered with large clusters of white flowers in spring which are used by a variety of pollinators. In the Fall, Black berries, that are devoured by many fruit eating song birds, follow.

Green Dragon is a relative of Jack in the Pulpit, another more attractive native. This plant looks like it belongs in a Halloween garden. It is a perennial which grows from a corm like root in partial shade.

Rattlesnake Fern is a small, uncommon fern that grows along the openings in forests in Louisiana. The spore casings look like the rattle of a rattlesnake.

Skullcap is a beautiful native perennial. There are several varieties, but S. integrifolia is the only one native to Louisiana. Skullcap gets its name from the shape of the seed pods, which look like the skullcaps that the friars wear.

Rough Skullcap, Scutellaria integrifolia by naturegirl7

Water Spider Orchid is an unusual native orchid that grows along the edges of ponds and in the mucky soil of wetland areas. The blooms look like hundreds of small spiders, so you can see why I included it in my Halloween garden.

Bat Face Cuphea Photo is Public Domain.

Bat Face Cuphea and most of the other Cuphea flowers are favored by hummingbirds. The flower of Cuphea llavea looks like the face of a tiny bat. These plants like dry, sunny spots and do well in pots. They are not cold hardy.

Black Dragon Coleus photo courtesy of Amazon.com.

Black Dragon Coleus is one of the many colors of Coleus. Coleus are annuals that are prized for their colorful leaves. They are easy to propagate from cuttings or seeds.

Candy Corn Vine photo GNU Free Documentation

The flowers of the Candy Corn Vine look like little pieces of the Halloween candy. Hummingbirds swarm over them. Manettia inflata and M. luteorubra are hard to grow in Louisiana. They like cooler, less humid air. I have better luck with its cousin, Manettia cordifolia which comes back every year.

Annual Lion's Ear by lalagniappe

You can see by the picture why it is called Devil's Pin cushion. The flower heads are covered with orange tubular flowers and the seed pods have sharp points. This great hummingbird plant certainly deserves a place in the Halloween Garden.

These plants usually come back from seed each year. But to be sure, we collect some of the seed heads when they turn brown by clipping them with clippers into a large margarine container. Then we put the lid on and shake. Remove the sticky seed heads and the small seeds will be in the bottom. Let them dry out for a week or so so they won't mold. Put them in a paper envelope and store in a cool, dry place.

Flying Dragon is a cultivar of the citrus tree, Trifoliate Orange. This hardy tree is commonly used as root stock for more hard to grow citrus trees. Flying Dragon has winding branches with many thorns. In some areas of the south, Trifoliate Orange has escaped cultivation and can be found growing in the wild. The fruit has many seeds, but can be used to make lemonade.

Voodoo Lilies photo GNU Free Documentation

We got our first Voodoo Lily many years ago from the Marie Laveau Voodoo Shop in the French Quarter. The eerie looking bulb sprouted and bloomed while it was sitting on the window sill, unplanted. We planted it in a pot and it grew and multiplied for many years with little care. Sadly, the colder winters that we have in our new home have done it in. I simply must get another one soon. Did you know that flies are attracted to Voodoo lilies? A Halloween garden should not be without a Voodoo Lily.