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 is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Tuesday - March 30, 2010
From: Katy, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Non-Natives
Title: Non-native Callistemon damaged by freeze in Katy TX
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
O.K. Smarty pants, Callistemon bought here in Houston Texas froze and will they recover after the freeze? The huge tree is totally brown and about five years old. Do we cut them back or do the leaves fall off? Ours are twelve feet tall.ANSWER:
It's Smarty Plants, if you please. There are several species of the genus Callistemon, including the red-blooming Callistemon citrinus, from this website by Floridata. All are native to Western Australia and therefore out of our range of expertise. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is dedicated to the use, protection and propagation of plants native not only to North America but to the area in which that plant is being grown. While Katy is in USDA Hardiness Zone 9a, and Callistemon is hardy in Zones 9 to 11, we had most unusual weather in Texas this year, and your bottlebrush is apparently one of the casualties. It might come up from the roots, but obviously won't be a big tree again. If you decide to plant another, try mulching the roots and, if a bad freeze is predicted, cover the plant.
More Non-Natives Questions
Removing a hackberry stump from a non-native fig tree
April 02, 2008 - I have a fig tree that is at least 50 years old. A hackberry tree is growing up through the fig. I have cut it back several times (it is probably 3 inches in diameter at ground level), but have been...
view the full question and answer
Identification of non-native Viburnum lantana
July 23, 2007 - Could you tell me what this plant is? I have no idea!
Vib Iantana Mohican - this is all the info. I have, other than it can grow in the mid-west.
view the full question and answer
Pruning of non-native abelias in Fair Oaks Ranch, TX
January 24, 2011 - I have some old established Abelias that are leggy at the bottom. Can I cut them back, and if so, how far and best time to do so?
view the full question and answer
Care for non-native Mexican ruellia in Monroe LA
October 27, 2009 - Dwarf Mexican Petunia
I have found information that late in the season, when growth becomes leggy, cut back plants by as much as a half to force a new spurt of growth.
Watch for tobacco bud wo...
view the full question and answer
Crape myrtle in Austin
August 01, 2012 - Please don't bother to answer my question about how to treat a crepe myrtle with sticky stuff falling from it. I just found the answer on your site. Good site, by the way.
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |