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
Friday - September 17, 2010
From: Dallas, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Shrubs
Title: Need Small Native Shrub in Dallas, TX
Answered by: Marilyn Kircus
QUESTION:
We live in Dallas and are looking for a dwarf bush that we can plant in the space between the sidewalk and the street in front of our house. It would receive full sun to partial shade. We would like for it to flower or change color throughout the seasons, but mainly we want color in the fall and winter. Our friends have suggested Dwarf Nandina and Flowering Quince, but the Quince doesn't appear to have leaves and the Nandina could easily spread elsewhere. Can you give any advice or suggestions?ANSWER:
My first thought was dwarf wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera var. pumila). This is a beautiful little plant with berries for winter interest. It also has a wonderful scent and pretty bark. You will have to give it water until it gets established. Then it can withstand both drought and flooding. I have grown the plants in Houston in alkaline clay in part sun successfully. The full size myrtles are growing as small trees in Dripping Springs, in the Texas Hill Country.
The Lady Bird Johnson database has information on Wax Myrtles in general.
Dwarf Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria 'Nana') is another possibility. It is slow growing and stays in a mound. It is a tough ornamental that stays green all winter – but doesn't usually produce berries. It tolerates hot, dry locations.
And another possibility – although not a shrub – is Lindheimer’s muhley (Muhlenbergia lindheimeri). Its seed ripens in December so you will have beautiful seed heads all winter. This plant is being used extensively in landscapes in the Texas Hill Country and will do well for you. The movement of the grass in the wind is mesmerizing and the seed heads form in the fall and last all winter. In the spring, you can use Duct Tape to tape around the lower stems of the plant, about twelve inches from the base of the plant. Then take electric hedge trimmers and cut the plant just below the tape. Recycle or dispose of the grass tops. In early spring, the grass will again begin growing. And plants in four inch pots planted in the spring will be full grown by fall.
If you are like me and can't do with just one species, you could combine two or even all three of these to make an even more interesting landscape in the space between your sidewalk and street. And from the house, it would form a backdrop to a border in your front yard, thus visually extending your yard.
More Shrubs Questions
Pride of Barbados seed for Ft. Worth TX
February 07, 2013 - When can you plant the Pride of Barbados plant seeds and how to go about it in Fort Worth Texas?
view the full question and answer
Beautyberry Dying Back
August 06, 2015 - I've got an American Beautyberry which I planted in the spring. It's now about 2-3 feet tall and has 3 trunks (or limbs). It's in an area which gets about 5 hours of direct sun per day and I've be...
view the full question and answer
Trees and shrubs for South Austin
April 18, 2011 - I live in South Austin about 5 miles east of LBJ Wildflower Center. Soil: about 2" apparently amended, about 2 inches black soil, then hard caliche. What trees or large shrubs would be able to sur...
view the full question and answer
Xeriscaping in clay on a slope in Fort Worth
April 06, 2006 - Xeriscaping in clay (Fort Worth) on a slope --
Please offer suggestions and publications.
Thanks
view the full question and answer
Replacing yellow bells with hibiscus from San Antonio
July 03, 2012 - Help! Will the roots of the yellow bells keep sprouting if I've removed the shrub? I'm replacing it with a hibiscus shrub. Will it do well in the same spot where the yellow bells were?
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |