Native Plants
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.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
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.
rate this answer
Saturday - January 30, 2016
From: New Braunfels, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Non-Natives
Title: Pruning Leggy Santolina
Answered by: Anne Van Nest
QUESTION:
We are members of the society and have loved your section offering advice. We have green santolina that is becoming quite leggy. I would like to prune them to get them more compact come spring and summer. Can I do it and how much do you recommend?ANSWER:
Santolina virens (green lavender cotton) is native to the Mediterranean region so you won't find any details about it on the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center website. But I do know that you can prune it back quite hard and it will resprout easily from the base of the plant. Do this in late winter just before it starts to put on a lot of new growth. You can start by pruning 1/3 of the branches or alternatively cut the entire plant back to 1/2 the height.
More Non-Natives Questions
When to plant bermudagrass in East Texas
July 17, 2009 - When to plant Bermuda grass in East TX, Center, Nacodoches, Lufkin and Center area?
view the full question and answer
Should non-native Royal Empress tree be planted in Lawrence MA?
May 13, 2010 - I am researching the Royal Empress Tree because I want to plant one in my yard in Massachusetts. I wanted to know if the Royal Empress will have rapid reproduction and bring more Empress trees to the ...
view the full question and answer
Yellow bands around edges of leaves in Whitney TX
July 20, 2009 - How can you tell whether esperanzas are getting too much water or not enough - ours have a small yellow band around the edges of the leaves - crape myrtles - same question
view the full question and answer
Deer resistance of non-native Leyland Cypress from Kerrville TX
April 19, 2014 - Are Leyland cypress deer resistant?
view the full question and answer
Looking for yellow bottlebrush (Callistemon sp.) and native substitutes
February 14, 2008 - I have been looking for years for a yellow bottle bush. It is identical to the red but is yellow. there are several varieties, but the one i want is just like the red one in appearance. I live in Flor...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |