Cheri' Smith, Realtor Prudential Gary Greene

To continue on the tour of the local area, here is a list of flowers you may see growing in the wild or in people's yards in southeast Texas. Many have medicinal properties but you will have to do your own investigating in that area as I can not give medical advice.

BLACKBERRY-IF you see these flowers growing then know that blackberry fruit is soon to follow. The flowers bloom in March and the fruit can be found by April-May. The fruit is edible. Watch for snakes that like to hang out around these plants.

Bluebonnet- Our state flower....it can be seen along Texas Highways in the Spring. Don't pick them because it's against the law! Please forgive us if you see us on the side of the highway taking pictures of our children among the bluebonnets. It may seem crazy but it's sort of a tradition with some families. Besides, the bluebonnets look beautiful in photos.

Buttercup- as a child, I walked around with a yellow nose from playing with these flowers. They grow all over our part of Texas.

Cherokee Rose- This one grows all over the place in Northwest Harris County and in my yard. Be careful of the areas it grows in though because there will be thorns. You can make a tea from this one.

Indian Paintbrush- Also seen growing along Texas Highways, it compliments the blue of the bluebonnets. There are stories or legends surrounding both this flower and the bluebonnet that we all read as children. I won't tell the story here but if you've never heard the legend, then search for it on the internet.

Lantana- this is one of my personal favorites. It's a flower made up of many small flowers. It really doesn't smell too good but it is pretty.

Texas Sage- Silvery grey with pinkish- purple flowers. What can I say about this one except that it grows well here and it's pretty. It is a very hardy plant that can survive a dry summer.

Black-eyed Susan- People confuse these with sunflowers but they are NOT sunflowers. You won't get seeds to eat from this little flower but they do brighten the scenery with their autumn colors.

Sweet Pea- My grandmother's favorite, I've seen this one growing around mailboxes my whole life.

Petunia- This "creeping" flower can take over your garden if you allow it to and why not, it's beautiful when it makes a big carpet across an area.

Daylilies- They are named this because they close at night and open up to welcome you in the morning. When the flower goes away you still have a nice ornamental grass border. I dig mine up and seperate them and make two or three more plants out of one every year.

Goldenrod- a lot of people confuse this with ragweed. They say it doesn't effect you like ragweed but I'm telling you that when this stuff is blooming.......I get sick!

Wisteria- Another of my personal favorites. It smells Heavenly. It looks like grape clusters hanging. I love to wake up to the smell of Wisteria.

Nettle- Also known as stinging nettle. Touch it and you will see why.

Dandelion- you either hate it or love it but if you have grass, you will eventually have this growing in your yard. It looks like a ball of cotton when it seeds and kids like to blow them all over the yard so they can grow more the next year. You can eat this one on salads.

Honeysuckle- this one smells really good too. You can pinch the bottom off and suck on the nectar. Well, at least we did as kids.

Prickly pear cactus- This one REALLY doesn't grow here as much as it does in the more western areas like Laredo but it does grow here. It gets pretty yellow flowers but beware the thorns!

Agave- there's one of these growing in front of a store on FM 2920. When it's blooming it gets REALLLLLY tall.

Thistle- Beware the cactus that make you want to reach out and touch the flower!! It's nature's little trick on kids who don't know any better.

Winecup- I always thought these were poppies until someone set me straight.

Azalea- Seems to be a favorite among gardeners in the Houston area. You will see these in the color shown plus pink and white and even a reddish color.

Gardenia- Another favorite of mine because it's easy to grow in our climate and it smells great. I use this one to make my own perfumes.

Trumpet vine- This one is actually illegal in some states because it can be very invasive and likes to grow up phone poles.

.....and you thought Texas was all about cactus and cows!!!

If you are new to South East Texas, thinking of relocating to southeast Texas (that would be in or around the Houston area in case you are confused!) or if you've been living in a closet for most of your life, you may need or want to know a little more about what animals roam the Texas landscape. It's really no fun walking out and stumbling on an unidentified creature and not knowing if it is friend or foe. Having been born and raised in Texas, I am pretty familiar with what lives and breathes in our warm, humid climate and I've compiled a list with pictures of what the creatures look like below along with my own personal notes about their behavior.

Armadillo- The armadillo is seen by some as the Texas Mascot. I see one of these about once a week. I wouldn't try to pet one but I wouldn't run the other way if I saw one either. Most of these will run out in front of your vehicle at night and try to run you off of the road, but they are otherwise pretty harmless.

Cats-These furry little creatures like to do nothing but lay around and sleep all day then dig through your garbage at night. Not on the list of dangerous animals, these animals are known to carry fleas (a biting insect). Don't be surprised if one shows up on your doorstep. Beware these creatures, they've been known to take over homes and never leave once allowed in. For some reason, kids like them.

Chickens-This is a chicken commonly seen roaming around in our area. While the females are pretty harmless, the males can have razor sharp spurs on their legs that can and do hurt if they attack you. The chicken pictured lays brown eggs. These animals are great for eating bugs out of your yard. Call it organic pestacide. Chickens tend to roost at night (meaning go hide from predators somewhere like a coop if they have one). If you see one at night she is probably either sick or running for her life!

Copperhead Snake- Considered a foe by most, this nasty little creature slithers on the ground, likes to lay on wood piles and is a general menace to Texas citizens. I would avoid them at all costs. They are poisonous and although few people die from their bites, the bite can lead to severe pain and death in some people.

Coyote- While you may never see this creature, you are sure to hear it at least once in the night if you live in Texas. I live in a rural area so I hear them most nights. I have seen one during the day but I believe he was ill. Though they look like dogs, they are not dogs. They are wild animals and should be treated as such.

crawfish- typically seen near lakes, in ditches or in yards where they build their "mud homes" these creatures are also known as mud bugs or crawdads. Small children have been known to play with them so they are pretty harmless. They are on the menu at many restaurants and there is a festival in Old Town Spring dedicated to the creatures every year. If you've never eaten them, think of them as a Texas Shrimp. They are pretty tasty.

DEER- Typically seen at night, another creature that likes to run out in front of speeding cars. Have been known to fight back with antlers and hoofs but usually a pretty timid creature. Likes to eat some shrubbery. Some people like to eat them but I'm not one of them.

Dog- Just like the domesticated cat, they tend to move in and take over the home and stick around for about 15 years. Be sure and get their rabies shots as it is the law in Texas. Be aware that mosquitoes in Texas can cause heart worms in your dog, so have a vet exam them yearly for heart worms.

Hummingbird-A beautiful little bird with very fast moving wings. Tiny in size, some are as small as bumble bees. They tend to "buzz" or hover around brightly colored flowers. If you want to attract them, plant things that are brightly colored like hibiscus, verbena or honeysuckle. You can also hang humming bird feeders outside to attract them.

lizards- If you walk outside you will eventually see one of these brown to green little creatures. Pretty harmless. I played with them as a kid, even getting them to open their mouths and clip onto my finger. They eat bugs....not humans and average about 4 inches in length.

Longhorn cattle-A true Texas Mascot, these cows or bulls are popular in our part of Texas. The horns can hurt you so while these are pretty docile animals, I wouldn't corner one.

Mudpuppies-I'm sorry but these have to be the UGLIEST thing in Texas. A lot of people hook them on a line and use them for fishing. They are acutally a sort of salamander. If you spend any time near a South Texas river, creek or lake you will eventually see one of these ugly things. You can also get them at bait and tackle shops. They are about 8 inches long. Some people keep them as pets. They must stay in water as they can not breathe air.

Possum-I see these EVERY single night in my yard. They look like large rats with very sharp teeth to me. They are typically more afraid of me than I am of them. They run when they see me. I would not corner one as they can be ferocious if cornered. They spit and hiss.

rabbits- look out the window when the sun is rising or setting and you might see a rabbit. Cute as a button.....they don't really leave Easter eggs and will run if they see you. My dog loves to chase them.

Raccoon- the bandit looking mask on his face says it all. He is nosey, can open ice chests and garbage cans and will destroy things looking for food. I think they are adorable. If you leave cat or dog food out....they will come. Just don't try to pet him.

Skunk- Last but not least is the skunk. Their self defense is that they are capable of emitting the most GOD awful spray from under their tails. If you've never seen one, you've probably smelled one. AVOID AT ALL COST. If you get sprayed.....try vinegar or tomatoe juice and stay away from humans for a week!

So, now that you know what "horrid" creatures might be lurking in the night in our part of town, lol, you can rest easy knowing that they are all pretty tame compared to politicians (aka copperheads).