Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
2 ratings

Monday - May 28, 2007

From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Pruning, Seasonal Tasks
Title: When to prune Texas betony (Stachys coccinea)
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

I bought Texas Betony plants several years ago at Wildflower Days. They are thriving, but a bit leggy. Somewhere I read that they should be cut back several times during the year. Now I can't find the article. Please tell me about pruning for continuous blooms and fuller plants. Many thanks.

ANSWER:

Stachys coccinea (scarlet hedgenettle) is, as you know, a lovely perennial, blooming Spring, Summer and Fall and a great attracter of hummingbirds, with the flame red tubular blooms. The first thought on the legginess of your plants is that they may not be getting quite enough sun. Although Texas Betony is generally regarded as a "Sun to Part Shade" plant, the question is "How much shade is it getting?" The phrase "Sun to Part Shade" tends to mean it needs sun but can tolerate some shade. When the shade last too many of the daylight hours, the plant will adapt by growing longer and, unfortunately, weaker stems in its search for more sunlight. What sometimes happens is that a gardener plants a group of plants, maybe even a small tree or some shrubs, in an area according to their light needs. However, as time goes by, the shrubs and/or trees may grow taller than the two to three feet ordinarily reached by Texas Betony, and begin to shade out the plant more than the original intent. And, of course, at different seasons of the year, more or less sunlight may fall on the plant than was allowed for in the original siting. If this seems to be your problem, removing or trimming some of the larger plants that are shading out the Texas Betony may be one solution. Another, of course, is to move the plants themselves to a sunnier location. It certainly won't hurt the plant to have some trimming. Moderate trimming of faded flowers, also referred to as "deadheading" is good for most perennials, and may result in additional flowering. You could certainly try that, but if the stems continue to be leggy and appear weak, then getting some additional light may be your best bet.

 

From the Image Gallery


Scarlet betony
Stachys coccinea

More Seasonal Tasks Questions

Native flowers and plants for landscaping in March in Austin
February 18, 2004 - What are the best flowers and plants to landscape with in the Austin area in March?
view the full question and answer

Wildflowers for a wedding site
November 11, 2007 - My fiance and I would like to get married on his family's ranch, just north of Johnson City on the Pedernales river, in April of 2009. Currently, we are clearing the over-grown meadows of cactus and ...
view the full question and answer

Cutting Juncus effusus back from Bellevue WA
November 18, 2010 - I read your posts about Juncus effusus and just have one follow-up question. When is the best time to cut them back to the ground - before winter or early spring? I live in the Pacific NW. I recent...
view the full question and answer

Oak Sucker Reprise
May 02, 2015 - ----Original Question---- SUNDAY - JULY 06, 2014 Title: Live Oak Suckers Reprise, Austin TX QUESTION: Referring to an entry dated March 11, 2011 about Live Oak suckers - what happened to the su...
view the full question and answer

Protection for plants against a Spring freeze from Easley SC
April 15, 2014 - Is there anything we can do to protect our beautiful spring gardens from the freeze tonight? (April 15, 2014)
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.