The extreme hot and dry conditions in Texas do prevent some invasives from being as aggressive as they are in better areas. In my area (north Georgia), Mimosa has long been an invasive, especially on roadsides and vacant open land. It's rapid growth out-competes slower growing native species that might have grown there otherwise. Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) is making great strides in new locations, increasing it's spread every year. Amazingly, our northern neighbor Tennessee, is more infested that we are with this pest. It stands shoulder to shoulder with the invasive bush honeysuckles that extend from where it is too shady for Tree of Heaven deep into the forest interior. I have seen "natural" areas in Tennessee that are just nothing but bush honeysuckle. Chinaberry is moving into the metro area of Atlanta from the southeast where it has been a pest for years. Spread has been accelerated by folks that bring some seeds from elsewhere because "one more won't harm". However, bringing a new invasive into an area where it wasn't is harmful so now I guess these can fight with Mimosa and Tree of Heaven for the roadsides. That is, if they can get in there in between the Chinese privet .... Princess Tree ( Paulownia tomentosa) is also a horrible plant and I've seen it on highways way up into the North Carolina mountains. It's small seeds are scattered by the wind mostly. But our newest invasive is courtesy of man (again). Ornamental pears (think 'Bradford' pear) are producing viable fruit and being spread by animals/birds. Sunny roadsides and vacant lots now have lots of these thorny seedlings - very obvious in spring when they bloom. And while I might appreciate the beauty of some of these plants, I can't help but consider how little they contribute to the natural environment which they have stomped on. Insects in our environments have not evolved with these plants and so get little nutritional value from them. Birds might eat some of their fruit/seeds, but birds heavily rely on insects as part of their diet (especially for their babies). Reduced native plant biomass in an area that is already reduced thanks to man's destruction of habitat means fewer insects for birds to consume. And that means fewer birds. So while I agree that man is the worst impact on the natural environment ... it is also man that has the brains and the power to make it better. I'm not saying that all non-native plants are awful, but these plants truly are. Their ability to spread themselves beyond your yard - even if you can personally see it, it is documented - makes them so. Plant a forsythia, a gardenia, a camellia, a crape myrtle, a hydrangea, daylilies, even knockout roses ... but don't keep these invasives going.

My brugmansia came back after the summer heat. Here it is right now and it's getting quite big. It does very well in the shade and it's been giving me quite a lot of flowers lately. Yes, elephant ears work here. I'd suggest getting some from the alocasia family, not colocasias. I've tried colocasias, they grow well in the spring and fall but they just cannot take the heat at all in the summer, in my experience. Here's one of my Borneo Giants in full shade They will die back when it hit below freezing for more than a couple hours, but if that happens, don't water them again for the rest of the winter or else the bulb will rot. Just wait for them to pop back up in spring. Same thing with Cannas. If you're going for tropical, get some Cannas, since they LOVE being in full sun here. another one I'd recommend is the Chinese Parasol Tree. Big foliage and can take some sun. I have mine in morning sun/full shade in the afternoon. The plant loses its leave in the winter and goes dormant. Here's mine now after a week from coming back from dormancy. It's already grown about 6+ inches! Birds of paradise are great as well here in Phoenix. They're frost hardy down to 25-26f I believe. Split-leaf Philodendron are great as well. Just plant them in the shade. Plus you can find these easily at HD or Lowes. I wouldn't risk planting a castor bean though since you have pets. They drop a lot of those red spiny bean pods all over, and from what I've read are very poisonous. I'm not sure about the brug's toxicity though. Their flowers might be poisonous?

Either day works fine for me ... let me know which you prefer and I'll set it aside. oklibrarian ... join the crowd ... I'm sure there will be enough. Dawn ... I'm rather shocked ... I was expecting to throw all the iris out and I was feeling incredibly guilty. And while I'm sure a lot of people apologize for their yards whether they need to or not, trust me, mine really does need the apology. Currently I have downed trees/shrubs, ground out stumps, etc ... it looks like WWII was fought here.

Tally, I have water plants and might be able to get you some tad poles. I have a massive bull frog that I might hire a gang to catch if you want him.:-) Here is my list of haves and wants. I'm headed out to look for more stuff. Copperleaf- Alternanthera reineckii Four leaf Clover Variegated-Marsilea quadrifola variegate Hardy Frog Bit- Limbonium spongeanum Parrots Feather- Myriopyllum aquatica Variegated Water Celery Oenanthe Javanica "Flamingo", Water Hyacinth- Eichornia crassipies White Snowflake Arrowhead- Sagittaria latifolia Bog Lily-Crinium americanum Canna 'Bengal Tiger' Canna Wyoming Pink and White Mexican Bluebell Chocolate Mint Creeping Jenny Fairy lilys pink Forget-Me-Not- Myosotis palustris 'Gold Strike Rush' Juncus effuses Horsetail Rush- Equisetum hyemale Pickerel Rush Blue Sensitive plant-Aeschynomene fluitan Star Grass Dichromena colorata Sweet Flag Dwarf Variegated Taro Green - Colocasia esculenta Taro Violet stem Thalia- Thalia dealbata Umbrella Palm Variegated Dwarf Bamboo Widows tears spiderwort Musa Zebrina Blood Banana Coral Honeysuckle Lonicera sempervirens Caster bean seedlings Taro Green Taro Black Taro Violet stem. Artemesia 'Lime Light' Creeping Fig Green Plectranthus amboinicus Variegated Cuban Oregano Vinca major-Greater Periwinkle 'Variegata' 'Firepower' Agave americana Variegata Century plant Agave Blue Jazz Aristolochia fimbriata White Veined Hardy Dutchman's Pipe Nandina domestica 'Firepower' Bulbine Frutescens Kalanchoe -Bryophyllum daigremontianum Mother of Thousands Kalanchoe Fedtschenkoi Variegata "Creamed Scallops" Kalanchoe "Gastonis Bonnieri"- Donkey Ears plant Opuntia microdasys Bunny Ears Cactus Opuntia Prickly Pear Clematis 'Sweet Autumn' Nephrolepis exaltata `Bostoniensis' Boston fern Arundo donax 'Variegata' (Variegated giant reed) Liriope Green Hibiscus Confederate Rose Lantana, Gold lantana Lantana montevidensis (sellowiana)Purple Trailing Lantana Cycas revolute Sago Palm Philodendron Monstera Oblique Leichtlinii 'Swiss Cheese' Philodendron Radiatum Dubia Special Trade Philodendron Scandens Heart Leaf Philodendron Philodendron Scandens Medio Pictum - "Flame Leaved Heart Plant" Philodendron Xanado Ruellia squarrosa Creeping ruellia 'Blue Shade' Tradescantia minima Callisia repens Bolivian Jew Salix cinerea 'Tricolor' Japanese Dappled Willow Lonicera japonica Japanese , Purpleleaf Honeysuckle Lonicera sempervirens (Coral Honeysuckle) Passiflora Vitifolia Senecio confusus (Mexican Flame Vine) Wisteria Beaucarnea recurvata Pony Tail Palm Plants I want Thunbergia Blue Sky Vine Thunbergia mysorensis Strongylodon macrobotrys "Jade Vine" Oxalis deppei 'Iron Cross' Musa I dont have Gingers I dont have Rose Joseph's Coat Palms I dont have Hoyas I dont have Texas Star Hibiscus Pink and White Ferns I dont have that will live outside during our Winters Clematis I dont have Butterfly bushes Alocasia I dont have. Lost several over the winter