Native Plants
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Smarty Plants Question Topics
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
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| topic | question | |
| Removing Old Poison Ivy Vines from Pecan Trees July 07, 2016 I am in the process of cleaning up a creek bank that has very old pecan trees on it. The pecan trees have large poison ivy vines growing up the trunks. We cut one vine and when it died and fell from ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| When Should I Prune Texas Sage? July 07, 2016 How and when do you prune Texas sage to encourage thicker foliage? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| When to Prune Desert Willow in Texas? March 18, 2016 I just learned I should have pruned back my desert willows. It's early March in North Texas. Is it too late to prune now? They are not leafing out yet. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Removing Center Stem From Desert Spoon (Sotol) in Phoenix March 11, 2016 I have a desert spoon. I hate the center stem. Can I remove the center stem without hurting the rest of the plant? And what is the best way to remove it? I looked for this answer in your questions bu... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Should flower stems of Texas mountain laurel be removed after they bloom? March 02, 2016 Should I trim off the old flower stems from this years bloom on a Texas Mountain Laurel? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Pruning Wax Myrtle trees & bushes February 28, 2016 When is the best time of year to prune Wax Myrtle trees & bushes. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Pruning overgrown Texas sage February 15, 2016 Texas sage bushes have been left to grow like mini trees. Can we have trimmed back to get a 'full' bush? Bottom 2 feet of plant look so dead. Will it sprout again as a bush if trimmed back and do... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Rejuvenating an old Wax myrtle hedge February 15, 2016 I have 8 wax myrtles that were planted about 9 years ago as a screen from our neighbors. They are about 12 feet high. During the past 9 months they are getting thinner and thinner. Two of them hav... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Evergreen privacy screen 8 feet or less January 29, 2016 In needing to plant an evergreen privacy screen, what is the tallest Ceniza variety? I'm having great difficulty finding an evergreen hedge material 8' or less. After having taken a class in pla... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Reducing the Height of a Redbud Tree January 23, 2016 We have a very large, about 15-year old, Redbud tree that is growing so tall it's obstructing our view of the river. How and when can we prune this tree back so it does not hurt the tree. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Pruning a Martha Gonzales rose January 20, 2016 How much should I prune back an established Martha Gonzales Rose to keep healthy? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Decreasing the Height of Smooth Sumac December 09, 2015 I have a 9-10 ft. Smooth Sumac that I purchased from an LJWC plant sale several years ago. It has a main trunk and one branch about halfway up. I have read that these sumacs can be pruned down to almo... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| How to prune a Lantana tree October 02, 2015 I have a potted Lantana tree that will come indoors for the winter. It is quite large and should I prune it back for the winter? If yes, how do I prune it? 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 |  | |
| 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 | ||
| 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 | ||
| Cutting back a Rhododendron in Maryland June 17, 2015 I have a planting of six shrubs across the front of my house (alternating azalea & rhododendron). All have died except for one huge rhody & a small azalea next to it. Can I cut the huge rhody back to ... 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 | ||
| Texas sage losing inner leaves May 14, 2015 I have a Texas Sage bush that on the outside is beautiful with green leaves. The inside branches (the middle) of the bush are bare of any leaves. Why? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Mountain Laurel suffering from Spring freeze May 12, 2015 I have a 4 1/2 ft Texas Mountain Laurel shrub in current location for several years. A hard freeze this spring killed every leaf on the tree, but the stems remained green. My other smaller Mt. Laure... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Repairing Previous Silver Maple Pruning Damage May 09, 2015 I cut a limb off my silver maple wrong and now the trunk is developing a hole. What is the best treatment? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Non-Blooming Bridal Wreath Spirea in PA April 23, 2015 We have 12 - 15 Bridal Wreath Spirea across our backyard. We have lived here for about 10 years (the plants longer). They have always bloomed except last year (2014) several didn't bloom and this y... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Passiflora and Leucophyllum together in Texas April 23, 2015 I've got a Passiflora incarnata that has self-propagated around a cenizo sage. My question is, will the passionflower vine choke out or otherwise damage the cenizo? Do I need to cut back the vine? ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Southern Magnolia Damaged by Deer April 16, 2015 I have a young Southern Magnolia (about 6 feet tall) that was damaged by deer on the main trunk. The bottom 2 feet looks okay, but where they damaged it and tore branches off, and above that, the leav... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Dealing with live oak suckers in Central Texas March 05, 2015 Hi, I have a couple huge Live Oak trees in my back yard. Trunks are 4' in diameter. These Live Oaks produce a lot of root sprouts/suckers. I had always head that a tree's roots feed on water/oxyg... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Need to control Turk's cap in front yard in Austin, TX February 28, 2015 I have several turks cap in my front yard- they grow well, but they grown huge-high and spread out. My neighbors' are much more compact! how can I keep them in control? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Pruning Gaura February 19, 2015 My Gaura lindheimeri is very "leggy", but is blooming well at the end of the spindly stems. Should I prune it back or leave it? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Time for pruning wax myrtle in Texas January 31, 2015 We live in Houston. Can we prune back our southern wax myrtle now? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Pruning Citrus Suckers October 06, 2014 Mr. Smarty Plants, you are the only person that has "not" insisted that the little balls on Satsuma and lemon trees were clumps of bugs. They are surely what you described in the answer to my previo... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Shearing Pink Skullcaps September 21, 2014 My pink skullcap plants keep dying. The ones that are still alive are about 3 years old, but have large sections of dry twigs. Do I shear them and hope they come back or are they gone? I live in Helot... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| How to Care for a Yucca after Blooming September 13, 2014 We just moved into our home and there was an existing yucca plant in the yard and it had bloomed. There was some kind of vine growing in and around it. We tried to clean out the vine but I noticed a l... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Pruning Texas Mountain Laurel September 04, 2014 I've had a Texas mountain laurel for 4 years that's being trained into a tree. I think it was a 3-year old tree when I purchased it. Unfortunately, it has suffered from overwatering, and the two mai... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | | |
| Transplanting and Pruning Callicarpa August 21, 2014 I saw the previous question about Callicarpa from the guy in Texas and I have two questions based on the response. In SW Vermont, is late fall still the best time to transplant my Callicarpas? Also, i... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Lack of Blooms and Low Hanging Limbs on Mountain Laurels August 06, 2014 My mountain laurel didn't bloom this year but has a few hard pods on it. It is 9 ft tall but very top heavy with most growth low. I need to prune it a lot at the bottom because it has branches hangi... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Pruning Post Oaks July 26, 2014 I live in Houston and have two post oaks. One is right by my house. I'd like to trim them but was told they are sensitive and might die if I trim them. Is this true? What is the right course of ac... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Optimal time for trimming Fall asters July 04, 2014 RE: fall asters What is the latest date in the summer that I can trim my fall asters and still get a good amount of blooms in October? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Growing Grapes in Southern Texas on an Arbor July 02, 2014 I've redirected several grape vines (from the top third of a broken oak tree) onto an arbor. The base of the vine is about 3 or 4 inches in diameter. Is it feasible to work with (prune) the smaller b... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Northern Catalpa Tree Doing Poorly July 02, 2014 One of our Northern Catalpa trees appears to be dying. It is about 28 feet tall and this year only about 1/3 of it is producing leaves. It is next to our largest Catalpa tree (about 65 feet tall and a... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Decline of sheared dwarf hollies from Rockwall TX May 31, 2014 I have 20 year old established dwarf yaupon hollies in front of the house that I trim every year and shape the same. This year the new growth that was 2 1/2 " long I noticed the new leaves were curli... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Cuttings from beautyberry from Stockport OH May 22, 2014 My beauty berry is starting a new growth about 2ft from main plant, can I dig this and part of the root without hurting the main part, if so, when? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Trimming of Escarpment Oak from Austin May 18, 2014 We have a 2-year-old quercus fusiformis in our front yard and have been advised by some people that we need to remove the bottom branches and trim the ends of the branches that are hanging far down. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Live oak leaves not dropping from Austin April 29, 2014 We had a 65 gallon live oak planted last October. We watered it regularly and it was green all through the winter. In March the leaves started to turn brown but never dropped, as they should have. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Pruning a Young Cercis canadensis (Redbud) Tree April 05, 2014 I have a redbud tree that was transplanted when very young (five years ago). It just started budding last year. It is growing very well but the branches are low. It's like it's growing out instead o... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Pruning of non-native oxblood lilies from Austin March 27, 2014 My Oxblood Lilies flowered quite late last Fall. Their foliage is still very green. Can I cut it down now or do I have to wait until it goes brown? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Spring care for Garrya ovata from Pflugerville, TX February 24, 2014 Hello again, Mr. S-P, I planted a Mexican silktassel in April 2012 (purchased at the WFC). It has done well, but the leaves are bronzed and splotchy from this winter's freezes. All the stems are... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Live oaks lifting up sidewalks in Palm Coast FL December 12, 2013 My live oak trees roots are lifting up my side walks. Can I cut just the roots that are causing the problem without hurting the trees? Thank you. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| When should salvia greggii be pruned from Austin December 12, 2013 Should salvia greggii be pruned in fall/winter? I thought I read onsite that all woody perennials should be left untouched or pruned to 6 inches. Does this apply to salvia greggii? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Pruning buttonbush from Pottsville PA December 10, 2013 In a formally planted park, a small area has become swampy. I have choosen to plant it with wet tolerant native plants. I would appreciate any suggestions on pruning the buttonbush [Cephalanthus occ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Pruning lower branches of Cordia Boissieri from San Antonio December 08, 2013 My Texas Wild Olive Tree is about 6 feet high now. I bought it at the 2012 plant sale. This past summer it put on new branches near the base of the tree which I would like to cut off (to encourage u... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Pruning Roughleaf dogwood November 28, 2013 We put 5 rough-leaf dogwoods along our side deck; having been told (by the local, natural plant seller) that they would reach a maximum height of 6 feet. They have grown taller than that (despite som... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Tree removal from Austin November 18, 2013 Unfortunately we need to cut down a Spanish oak (11" diameter, over 50 feet tall) that is leaning against our upper story deck (if it falls, the roof, deck, and steel supports may be crushed). A lim... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Sprout from a non-native sago palm in Poinciana FL October 16, 2013 I have two mature (10 years old)sago palms. One of them sprouted a new "head' at the top of the trunk. It is competing with the original one. It is not a pup coming from the root area. Can I cut it ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Sprouts from stems of plants from Happy Yard IN September 28, 2013 Is it normal for a plant to start a sprout from its own root system next to the stock/stem? Is it trying to regrow? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Maintenance of milkweed from Austin September 12, 2013 I help plant and maintain a Monarch Waystation Garden in San Leanna, Texas (South Austin). Should milkweed plants be cut back during the winter? Last year we cut them back a bit late and some died c... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Transplanting large Silverado Sage bushes from Mesa AZ August 19, 2013 We just bought a condo with three Silverado Sage, each one is 6-8 ft tall, trained to grow as "trees" with bare branches for the bottom 4 feet or so, and beautiful flowering branches on top. They ar... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Rose care for Austin August 18, 2013 I am a transplant from the Pacific NW and need to relearn rose care for Austin. When is the best time to cut back the roses, or do I even bother? I also need to find out how far back I can trimming a... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Recovery of an agarita having been cut down from San Antonio, TX August 16, 2013 I had an agarita adjoining a cedar and a volunteer hackberry in my yard. The tree trimmers were supposed to cut out the hackberry but unfortunately also cut the agarita back to the ground. How long ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Taking down a Century Plant blooming stalk from Fair Oaks Branch TX August 09, 2013 Our century cactus looks like it's in the final stages of blooming and I read on your site that the original plant dies. Can we go ahead and cut down the tall blooms? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Will catalpa roots damage a nearby swimming pool? July 13, 2013 Will a catalpa tree cause problems to my swimming pool? It is 8 feet away and I cut all the branches off every fall. It then grows back to about 6 feet in diameter an makes a great garden feature but ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Care of poppy plants July 10, 2013 I bought a tiny poppy grow kit at Target for 99 cents. Amazingly, they have grown into numerous large and very healthy plants, though they don't all appear to be the same species. Some have grown to ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Oak roots damaged by ax from Austin July 03, 2013 Hello. I am attempting to create my own tiny copy of the Wildflower Center within my yard. I'm using all native, drought tolerant plants. My front yard is full of live oaks. I used a sod cutter la... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | | |
| Pruning non-native Chinese fringe flower from Austin June 24, 2013 When is the best time of year to prune Plum Delight? And how severely can it be cut back? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Pruning Ageratina havenensis from Magnolia TX June 18, 2013 I planted a Eupatorium havanense last year here in the last sandy finger of the piney woods; it gets full sun in a well-drained raised bed, where it flowered well. I pruned it fairly close, and it cam... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Can Monterrey Oak be topped into a bush from Austin TX June 16, 2013 I received a suggestion to use Monterey oak as privacy hedge by topping the small tree and letting it bush. I can't find any pictures or info on this being done though. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Getting a senna to fill out from Irvine CA May 30, 2013 I have a Senna of some kind, started from a seed by a friend. I got it as a small,six in high) seedling. After two years it is now blooming beautifully, but is a single thin stem 4 feet tall with ve... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Pruning of tree poppy from Livermore CA May 29, 2013 We have a Dendromecon rigida which has been in place for about 10 years and is doing fine. But the older growth gets dry, brown and crinkly, while the newer growth is bright and lush. I would like t... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Yaupon sprouts from Bennettsville SC May 29, 2013 I have Yaupons in a flower bed and they have too many shoots to pull up, can I spray them with roundup and not kill the bush and what strength should I use? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| How to deal with suckers on Flame-leaf Sumac May 20, 2013 Hi! It seems you can have too much of a good thing! Our flameleaf sumac is taking over our yard. There are multiple shoots appearing in our flower beds and in the lawn. How do I get rid of the unwante... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Suckers from Oak Tree Roots in Austin May 17, 2013 Hi. I am a home owner in Austin TX with several live oak trees. We love them and want to keep them healthy. We have a nice landscape in the back yard and I’m wondering if you can answer a quest... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Planting and care of Desert Willow in Golden Valley, AZ. May 17, 2013 I got a desert willow to plant in yard. Some of the leaves dried out before I could plant. Will that stop the tree from growing into a decent size tree or stay as a shrub? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Pruning practices from Austin May 16, 2013 I need to do some pruning in my front beds and I know nothing about plants. From what I have been able to identify I have bicolor irises, plumbago, Japanese Aralia. I don't even know where to begin o... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Removal of pods when pruning Tecoma stans May 10, 2013 When pruning Tecoma stans for growth and shape control,should I cut off the pods? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Lilies not blooming from Austin May 03, 2013 Last December 8, you published a letter in the Statesman that I had written to you regarding Rain Lilies, Oxblood Lilies, and Copper Lilies. The were sprouting in my garage in a bag. You recommended... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Rocky Mountain Juniper Grazed by Deer April 29, 2013 I have four Colorado red cedar (Juniperus scopulorum). The deer have eaten from their height down. Now these narrow top to bottom evergreens have only tops left. Will the bottom fill in if I protect t... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Problems with Blackfoot Daisy from Lewisville, TX April 23, 2013 I planted a row of Melampodium leucanthum (Blackfoot Daisy) last spring at the front of the front yard, next to the sidewalk. It's full sun, east facing, unamended black clay gumbo soil. I put mulc... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Century Plant April 20, 2013 I have a century plant that has just begun to bloom. I have a transplanted a few pups, successfully. I am wondering how I am to go about removing the mother plant once it blooms and dies. I'm reading... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Climbing options for a Coral honeysuckle in Austin Texas April 16, 2013 Regarding Coral honeysuckle, what is the best support to encourage continued spread, chicken-wire/fencing? Currently the plants and vines are on fencing and beginning to fold over. I'd like to add... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Pruning Lyreleaf Sage from McAllen TX April 14, 2013 I planted a few Lyre Leaf Sage last year and they bloomed beautifully. I let them seed out and had a number of new plants show up this year. I have never cut the flower/seed stalks back and now that ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Pruning Trees in Austin, TX April 05, 2013 I have lots of green growth sprouting on the trunks of mature trees. Should I trim them off? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Fruit on Jasmines March 13, 2013 My jasmines have grown some small purple fruits and she is about to get her full bloom soon. Should I cut them off to help the plants out? What are they? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Removing a non-native windmill palm from Austin February 27, 2013 I have a fairly good size windmill palm (about 15ft high) that is planted too close to the house. I also don't like having to constantly remove its fronds as they block a walkway. Is there a good wa... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| What is a lawn broom from Cibolo TX February 15, 2013 Concerning gulf muhly grass you mention using a lawn broom to get rid of the dead stalks. What is a lawn broom? What does it look like? Where can I purchase one? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Winter pruning of lantana from Austin February 12, 2013 I live in north Austin. Due to our mild winter, my lantana has not died off this season as it usually does after a freeze - and so I have not cut it back yet this year which I typically do about right... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Trimming Butterfly Plants February 11, 2013 I am looking for detailed information on trimming common butterfly plants: crucita, cenizo, sweet-stem, whitebrush, Mexican trixis, skeleton-leaf goldeneye, white plumbago, turk's cap, desert lantana... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Pruning pink skullcap and rock daisy from Austin February 06, 2013 I have some pink skullcap and rock daisy and other plants in my yard that never entirely die back over the winter. Can you tell me what kind of pruning is appropriate? How far can/should I cut them ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Pruning Pigeonberry February 06, 2013 Should pigeonberry be pruned back to the ground this time of year or should a few inches of stem be left? This is my first spring with them in the garden and I've not found any reference material tha... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Pruning Copper Plants February 06, 2013 I planted two beautiful copper plants in my front beds. They went wild during the fall, but got so leggy that I cut them back nearly to the ground, which I believe was a mistake. Will they come back o... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Pruning Cuphea Plants February 04, 2013 The David Verity cuphea (cigar plants) that I planted last spring are now 3-4 feet high. I would like to move them, but before I do they seem to need pruning. All the branches are brown and dry lookin... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Trimming inland sea oats from Waco TX January 30, 2013 Re: Inland Sea Oats and trimming back in early spring "It passes through most of winter a soft brown, but becomes tattered and gray by February, a good time to cut it back to the basal rosette." ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Pruning Saucer Magnolia in Eatontown, NJ. January 12, 2013 Adult Saucer Magnolia (tulip tree). Branches were getting heavy to where they were ready to break. I pruned them back leaving 1 to 3 inch diameter cuts on many branches. Should I put something on th... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| What to do about volunteer trees growing beneath a large live oak tree in Austin, TX January 08, 2013 We have a large live oak tree. Several volunteer trees are growing directly underneath it and into its branches. I want to cut them down if they are going to hurt the long term health of the live oak.... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| pruning Chinkapin oak, Loquat and Monterrey oak trees December 07, 2012 What is the best time to plant a 45-65 gal. Chinkapin oak tree in Pflugerville. Also, when can i prune fig trees, Loquat trees and a Monterrey oak. Thanks for the information. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Care for some non-native salvias from Austin November 12, 2012 Mexican bush sage and Salvia "indigo spires" are both blooming in my Austin beds right now. Once they stop blooming and/or frost gets them, could you tell me by how much they should be cut back? R... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Wound from non-native date palm thorn Naples FL November 12, 2012 Was trimming my pygmy date palm when a frond fell and a thorn pierced my rubber gloves and stuck me in the web of skin between my thumb and forefinger. Did not see a broken thorn but area where struc... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Persimmon trunk grown around fence rail in Austin November 08, 2012 I have a Texas Persimmon in my backyard that is about 12-15 feet tall. It's been growing next to a chain-link fence and over the years, the top rail of the fence has cut into the bark on the trunk. A... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Pruning guidance for Carolina buckthorn from Houston October 23, 2012 I have a Carolina Buckthorn in my back patio that I planted in fall 2001. The summer of 2003 the roofers dropped something off the back and broke the top 10-12 inches off. I have tried to train the la... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Pruning of Desert Hibiscus Coulteri from Lubbock, TX October 20, 2012 Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, We have in our garden this year 2 volunteer Desert Hibiscus Coulteri----quite lanky! I notice on your website under "comments" someone notes they should be cut back "nearly... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Non-native pomegranate failing to fruit from Highland Village TX October 20, 2012 Last spring I planted a pomegranate tree (type: Wonderful) which is supposed to produce edible fruit. It had 5 or 6 absolutely beautiful blooms, but each of them dropped off and no sign of fruit. Is... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Area under live oaks from Austin October 08, 2012 We have many live oaks in our mostly shaded half acre. While I have tried to plant mostly native plants, often beneath them, the plants are showered with leathery leaves, acorns and sap, while oak sp... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Trimming non-native sago from Fresno CA September 10, 2012 I have a sago plant, fronds are hanging over into street, can the fronds themselves be trimmed back without removing the whole frond? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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