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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.

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Sunday - July 04, 2010

From: Mt. Pleasant, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Non-Natives
Title: Will cattle eat non-native Star Jasmine from Mt. Pleasant TX
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

Will cattle eat Star Jasmine if planted on driveway entrance from pasture?

ANSWER:

Never having been much into cattle, we don't have firsthand information. However, our understanding from people who know is that cows will eat anything they can reach, including someone's vegetable garden and a plastic cleaner's bag. Trachelospermum jasminoides, Star Jasmine or Confederate Jasmine is native to China, and therefore falls out of our range of expertise. Here is an eflora website, South China Botanical Garden Checklist. which says the whole plant is poisonous. 

Another website, from Floridata, Trachelospermum jasminoides, warns against letting it get up into trees as it can get too heavy and pull limbs down.

 

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