Native Plants
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Removing Persimmon plants from the base of Live oaks October 15, 2015 I live in Bastrop county and have hundreds of Texas wild persimmons at the base of my huge oak trees. Should I cut some of them? I am worried they are taking up water my oaks need. I like them but do... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Identity of evergreen tree at Barton Springs in Austin TX October 11, 2015 I am trying to identify an evergreen tree at Barton Springs in Austin. It is growing on the south lawn overlooking the pool. It has needles arranged in a fan like shape and makes a kind of crown-shape... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Are Royal Poinciana and Royal Empress trees the same? October 09, 2015 Hi, can you tell me if the Royal empress tree and the Royal Poinciana are the same tree? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Restoring riverfront from Blanco Flood October 04, 2015 We have cleared our riverfront from the Blanco Flood and I am now looking for help in replanting native trees/grass on our property. Our home was in the Flood of Hayes county Memorial Weekend. I am ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Native Tree for Narrow Space in PA October 04, 2015 I have a narrow space along my cedar fence in full sun. A Japanese maple approximately 15 feet tall and 10 feet wide is failing there due to winter rodent damage to its base. I would like to replace i... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Possible allelopathic properties of Prosopis glandulosa (Honey mesquite) October 02, 2015 I want to plant a coral honeysuckle at the base of a mesquite tree. Anything in the mesquite that would inhibit the honeysuckle from growing? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Young huisache trees dying October 02, 2015 We have had several young huisache trees suddenly die. These trees are only three or four years old and were apparently healthy when they just died. They are growing by the curb on a city street and w... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Willow Tree with Bark and Leaves Falling Off in Missouri October 01, 2015 My willow tree is suddenly lost leaves on 1/2 of the tree. The tree has 2 major trunks and the leaves that have fallen (all off within about 3 weeks) are on one trunk but the bark is impacted on both ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Honeybees swarming around galls on oak trees September 28, 2015 A large number of honeybees have descended on a live oak tree in my backyard. They appear to be feeding on the numerous galls on the tree as if they were flowers. What's going on? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Will a Texas Mountain Laurel thrive in a 4'x4'x4' brick planter. pl September 14, 2015 Would a Texas Mountain Laurel thrive in a 4'x4'x4'x4' brick planter with a drain at the bottom? It will get full sun all day. If not, would a Green Cloud Sage or a Waxleaf Myrtle work? Thanks! View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Pruning Spruce Pine (Prunus glabra) September 02, 2015 I have a Pinus glabra/spruce pine that is approx. 7' tall. It's limbs are few and some have been broken. Will trimming back the longer limbs to give it a Christmas shape harm this tree? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Need suggestions for plants for bioswales in Philadelphia, PA August 24, 2015 Hello, Are there a handful of species you would recommend for inclusion in bioswales throughout the US? I realize plants need to be selected based on climate, but I'm wondering if there are two or... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Tree with light-colored bark, thorns and long white clumps of flowers August 18, 2015 I bought a tree at the LBJWC plant sale a couple years ago but lost the name of the tree. I'm finally ready to plant it in the ground and would like to learn more about what its needs are. Can you ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Identity of tree in South Carolina August 18, 2015 I don't know if this is native as I'm new to South Carolina. This is a tree about 40' tall. The leaves are trilobal, 10" to a foot across/long and are trilobal, not glossy and have big veins. T... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Can a Quaking aspen grow in central Texas? August 11, 2015 I live in Austin and like the idea of a Quaking Aspen tree. I live on a creek and the tree(s) would get good sun and water. Am I crazy? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Erosion controlling plants for a shady Minnesota lakeside August 11, 2015 I live about 50 yards from a lake and there is a steep embankment. Recently someone decided to cut the trees off the embankment and now the dirt is eroding off the embankment as well as off my back ya... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
American Beech with Brown Leaves August 06, 2015 I have a North American beech tree in Oregon. Its leaves started out with big brown spots on the leaves and is pretty much turning all the leaves on the tree brown. What could be causing this and wha... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Pests on Fan Tex Ash July 30, 2015 We planted a Fan Tex Ash last year on our property. It's doing very well, but there are a lot of large stink bugs, yellow jackets and red wasps on it daily. We cannot seem to find any information on ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Powdery Mildew on Monterrey Oak July 30, 2015 Monterrey oak developing gray-white patches on some but not all leaves leading to wilting. could this be powdery mildew? Tree not stressed. Thanks. Best treatment? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
July 27, 2015 Hi, thanks for all your help in the past! I have a generous spot in my spacious back yard that is begging to be filled. The top soil is 4" sandy loam, below which is black clay.With frog strangler r... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Why is my Texas mountain laurel growing so slowly? July 22, 2015 I have a Mountain Laurel, Anacacho Orchid Tree and Desert Willow on the northern side of our yard - all three get full sun most of the day. The Mountain Laurel is closer to the east side. The other... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Stopping erosion on bank of a Florida retention pond July 21, 2015 I live on a retention pond, which has had all vegetation killed by the lake doctor. As a result the bank has eroded so there is a drop off directly to the water rather than a sloping bank. What plan... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Can the non-native ylang ylang tree grow outdoors in Arizona July 14, 2015 Can the ylang ylang tree grow outdoors in Casa Grande, Arizona? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Looking for an evergreen vine to grow on trellis as a privacy screen July 11, 2015 Hello, I'm looking for an evergreen vine to grow on a free standing trellis. It is used as a screen on our back porch, so ideally we would not like to use anything that flowers due to the insects ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Source for Pyrus ioensis var. Texana July 09, 2015 Any idea where I can find Pyrus (now Malus) ioensis var. texana for sale around the Austin area? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Magnolia in West Virginia ? July 07, 2015 Hello, is the Dwarf sweet magnolia a native shrub to WV? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Rocky Stream Bank Plants for Dallas, TX July 02, 2015 Need live stake shrubbery or tree ideas for a rocky stream bank prone to high water. Thank you View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Protecting storm-damaged pecan and black walnut trees in TX June 29, 2015 Several trees on our property in northeast Texas were uprooted by a tornado. A pecan tree with a circumference greater than 93 inches was carried to the ground. Although it is completely horizontal,... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Dog-safe Privacy Screen for Ocala, FL June 25, 2015 Am desperately searching for fast growing privacy that would be non toxic to dogs in Ocala, Florida (zone 9 I think). Wanted Leland cypress but due to toxicity it won't work. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Why are large numbers of leaves falling from my Live Oak trees in Driftwood, TX? June 24, 2015 Today is June 6, 2015 and I have noticed that for the last week and a half, only a few live oaks out of many, have been losing large numbers of green leaves and turning brown on the ground. I cannot ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Can Crataegus viridian be grown in Houston, TX? June 21, 2015 I am looking to plant Crataegus viridis (species or cultivar "Winter King") at a location in full sun in Houston. Many places I've found online say that it is hearty through Zone 9, but others have... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Native flowering aromatic trees for Frisco, Texas June 21, 2015 Dear Smartplants, I live in Frisco, Texas. Could you please suggest me good native flowering aromatic trees from 12 to 50 feet. Thank you so much View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Poolside plants for East Texas June 18, 2015 What are the best plants, shrubs, ornamental trees, etc. for poolside planting in East Texas? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Pruning non-native peach in Austin, TX. June 18, 2015 I planted two five gallon Texas Star peach trees last February but didn't have the nerve to prune them back to knee height. After having been convinced that this is a good thing to do, I'd like to k... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Spacing of Trees near a House Foundation June 18, 2015 Can you recommend non-invasive shade tree that can be planted 6 to 7 feet from foundation. We are buying a new home in zone 8a and choices that are given are: Live Oak, Lacebark Elm, Cedar Elm, and B... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Need fast growing shade tree in San Diego County, CA June 17, 2015 I am looking for a fast growing tree that provides great shade. The reason being, is I need shade for three horseshoe pits and the sooner i get shade, the better. I live in San Diego county, zone 9b. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Red oak leaves have a swelling along the veins June 17, 2015 I have red oaks in my back yard, approx 30 or more have a disease that are wilting the leaves. Looking at the back of the leaf there is swelling along the spines. I've gone to one nursery in town ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Brown spots on native oak trees June 16, 2015 Hi, My native live oak trees are declining. The leaves have small brown spots that increase in size until the leaf dies and falls off, then the branch and then the entire limb. I have not watered the... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Driveway through a cluster of Oak trees June 16, 2015 Construction of a cement driveway through an 8 tree cluster of escarpment oaks is going to require removal of 2 trees in the center. How can this be done without causing damage to remaining trees? Als... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Recommend a plant similar to Corkscrew Willow for Austin, TX. June 16, 2015 Do corkscrew willows do well in Austin, TX? If not, can you recommend a willow like tree to plant along the banks of a creek? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Shade Trees for Flagstaff AZ June 14, 2015 I live in Flagstaff, AZ and in need of good shade trees all around the house. We live in the Doney Park area (east of Flagstaff) and it is very windy in the spring time. We need the trees for priva... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Desert Willow size question from Austin, TX June 12, 2015 Dear MSP, I have a desert willow named Edith. We got her from the CoA a couple of years ago for recycling our Chirstmas tree. She's doing well except her three little trunks are teeny-tiny. We wan... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Central branches on Texas Ash have died June 09, 2015 I have a Texas Ash tree that was planted about 4 years ago. It seemed fine last summer and was well watered. This spring, when it started leafing out, the central branches at the upper part of the tre... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Pruning Live Oak trees to limit height. June 08, 2015 I notice many of my neighbors here in Katy (Fort Bend county) would have landscapers cut the lower limbs/branches of the live oak trees in their front yards, and the trees naturally keep getting talle... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Need help for my Texas Persimmon in Leander, TX. June 03, 2015 Help!! My Texas Persimmon is distressed with either bugs or infection. I'm not sure what to do. I wanted to insert a picture here, but wasn't able to. If there's a way for me to submit a picture... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Looking for plants for phytoremediation in Columbus, TX May 27, 2015 Hello! I am looking for native Texan phytodegrading/rhizodegrading plants (basically I want phytoremediating plants that could be left in place and not have to be removed/disposed of after they had ta... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Falling Balls from an Oak in Kingsland TX May 25, 2015 I have a large Live Oak in the back yard, with St. Augustine grass under it. It is April 3, 2015. The leaves have fallen and now little tiny round balls are falling. I am hearing a popping noise und... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Male and female Ilex decidua ( Possumhaw) trees May 18, 2015 I was excited to finally find and purchase a male and female possum haw pair via Amazon. (Berry Poppins variety). They were marked male-female and are thriving. But the male has little flowers and the... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Ostrya virginiana Compatible with Juglone May 17, 2015 Is Ostrya virginiana sensitive to juglone? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Identification of white flowering bush with lovely scent May 17, 2015 Please identify the sweet smelling white flowering bush/tree blooming now,May, in western Massachusetts. The flowers are tiny 4(?) petals in small clusters. The scent is wonderful. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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