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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| Failure to flourish of Trumpet Creeper in Leesburg VA June 28, 2011 Dear Mr. Smarty Plants: Late last year I planted a trumpet creeper vine to grow on my fence and attract hummingbirds. It gets full sun, is in average soil and gets adequate water. I put a few daylilli... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Changing bloom color from Tulsa OK June 27, 2011 How do you change the bloom color? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Problems with redbud in DeLand FL June 15, 2011 My native Redbud trees leaves are turning yellow and a sucker branch has died. What could it be? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Will mowing live oak seedlings contribute to Oak Wilt from Dripping Springs TX June 14, 2011 I live near Drippings Springs, TX. Will mowing live oak seedlings contribute to the spread of oak wilt? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Rust problems on Jack in the Pulpit in IL June 12, 2011 The last 2 years I have noticed that some of my jack in the pulpit plants have something that makes me think of a copper color rust.It seems to start on the underside of the leaves. What can I do to g... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Problems with maple in Denver June 09, 2011 I live in Denver, CO and planted an Autumn Blaze maple three years ago. It has done very well until about a week ago. The leaves are drying out and falling off and earlier today I noticed some bugs ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Problems with redbud in CT June 08, 2011 My Eastern redbud was planted 4 years ago and has been fine. This Spring it was beginning to pop out buds. Less than a week later, after returning from a trip all the buds were dead, never flowered, ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Mountain Laurel having trouble in AZ June 07, 2011 A Sophora secundflora (Texas mountain laurel) was planted to an Arizona north faced front yard last year in August under full sun. Starting early this year, I noticed its leaves turn to light green an... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Watering oaks in Houston, TX. June 07, 2011 Our yard (Real County, TX.) has many oak trees. We never water these trees, but I wonder if you recommend watering during this extreme drought. The trees look very stressed and are covered in ball m... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Something killing evergreens on Long Island from Baldwin NY June 06, 2011 What seems to be killing so many of the evergreens on Long Island - see more and more dying each day - doesn't seem to be a rhyme or reason - can it be helped? Many thanks. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Problems with Juniperus ashei in San Antonio May 27, 2011 I live in San Antonio and have many juniper trees. On inspection I do not see insects or any other form of damage, but my trees are turning brown and dying. I have already had to cut one down. When... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Problems with spreading juniper in Sturgis, SD May 25, 2011 I live in Sturgis, South Dakota and I have two different varieties of Spreading Juniper in the yard as ground cover. They have developed an orange colored fungus that goes dormant in the winter but a... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Long-legged bugs eating roses in Richmond VA May 22, 2011 There are bugs eating my roses. What can I do? They look like long bugs with a lot of legs. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Yellowing foliage on a lemon cypress from St. Charles MO May 22, 2011 I recently received a lemon cypress tree as a gift. After about a month we transplanted it outside and the foliage turned from a light green to a yellow color. Is this normal? The tree doesn't app... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Problems with Juniperus scopulorum in Dallas May 19, 2011 Dallas, Texas - Juniperus Scopolorum "Skyrocket" Last June I planted six, five foot tall along my chain length fence by the alley. Full sun. One died within 6 months. The soil seems to stay damp... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Huisache tree is not thriving in Kerr County, TX. May 18, 2011 Our landscaper planted a Huisache tree in our back yard (Kerr County). It was planted about 3 years ago. It has grown considerably (about 15 feet tall)but it has never flowered and is always late in... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Need to identify white powdery substance on Wisteria in Georgetown, TX. May 11, 2011 My wisteria shrub has a white powdery substance over the wood base. I have tried spraying a fungicide on it but have seen no improvement. Any suggestions? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Something eating Arizona ash in Gilbert AZ May 11, 2011 Something is eating my Arizona ash tree. what should I spray on it? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Problems with gaura in Kyle TX May 10, 2011 Gaura - I seem to have something going on with this plant. I've tried fungicide that also works on mealy bugs and spider mites, etc., but they're looking rather puny? Any suggestions? thanks View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Powdery mildew hits Rock Rose in Round Rock Texas May 05, 2011 My beautiful Rock Roses have gotten spots of white fuzzy "fur" on their leaves in the past month. This is not something they have ever had before and I'm worried its some kind of disease. Is it so... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Freeze-damaged Texas Mountain Laurel in Austin, TX. May 05, 2011 I have a Texas Mountain Laurel (Sophora secundiflora) that is several years old. During this past winter, one of the freezes we had split one of the largest trunk right below the soil line. T... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Pruning oaks in August from Pflugerville TX April 30, 2011 Can I do minor pruning on my Lacey oak and bur oak in August if it is hot and dry? I'd like to prune one limb from each. The Lacey oak limb is about 2 inches in diameter, and the bur oak limb is ab... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Weeping live oak and beetles in Elgin TX April 24, 2011 I have a live oak that I just noticed is weeping from a small spot about 3' above ground, foamy and smells like beer, several beetle species attracted. Also some very small insects in the foamy area. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Problems with Live Oak in Boerne TX April 24, 2011 I had my large Live Oak trimmed last year. This spring there seems to be a problem with leaf growth. Most leaves are small in nature and appear to have been attacked possibly by bugs. Many of the bran... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| One wax myrtle declining in Austin April 20, 2011 I have 3 wax myrtles in a row; two are doing fine and one is looking "sad". It is thinning and when I checked a few branches they were dead, I pruned it and it was dead. I have had the trees for 7 y... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| How do I save my recently transplanted yaupon holly? April 20, 2011 Recently transplanted (two weeks ago) a yaupon holly tree from one part of the yard to another. Leaves are beginning to turn yellow and fall. What can be done to save this plant? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Esperanza freezing back in Highlands, TX April 16, 2011 I have an 3 yr. old Esperanza that froze the last two yrs. but grew back each spring. This spring after getting about 2 ft. the leaves at the bottom began turning brown at the edges and now seems to... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Knots on redbuds in Stillwell, OK April 07, 2011 My redbud has knots all over the limbs. Its been this way for a few years now. I can not find a way to take care of this problem. I don't even know what is causing this. Can you help me? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Growth in oak tree in San Antonio April 05, 2011 We have a very large gorgeous oak tree in our backyard here in San Antonio, Texas. I noticed a thickness high up in the tree. Thinking it was a nest of some sort, I used binoculars and saw a parasiti... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Chlorotic leaves on yaupon in Austin April 04, 2011 My yaupon holly looks chlorotic, it is 7 years old, I do not feed it, just a little seaweed occasionally. I am a totally organic gardener. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| More on oak problems in Carrollton TX April 04, 2011 Thank you for answering me, I will contact a specialist to see if we can determine the cause. but since writing you we have pulled down a small twig to see the leaf more closely, it is more of a reddi... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Browned foliage on Juniperus ashei in Wimberley TX April 03, 2011 We are in Central Texas and have native "cedar" juniper trees. One with foliage that looked brown, on close inspection, is covered with white webs. The foliage looks like it is dying. No worms a... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Grubworms in Austin Flower Bed March 09, 2011 How do I get rid of grubworms in my flower beds? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Control of Fusarium wilt on Wax Myrtle March 05, 2011 Do you have any new reports on how to control the Fusarium Wilt disease to Wax Myrtle Plants? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Adventitious sprouts from Live Oak in Dallas February 26, 2011 How do I kill Holly growing in my yard? I have a Live Oak tree growing in my Bermuda grass lawn. The holly grows under the tree from the trunk extending out about 12-15 ft. It grows right in with the ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Problems with Escarpment black cherry from Ponder TX February 11, 2011 I have an escarpment black cherry that is about three years old and about 9 feet tall. It was healthy until this last summer when its began to bark peel and sap run out at the base of the tree. The af... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Possible transplant shock in recently planted Anacua in San Antonio, TX. February 10, 2011 I planted an Anacua tree from a nursery this past November. The tree I purchased was about 6ft tall and was a leftover from the spring. The roots were pretty wound up inside. After shaking the roots l... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Leaf problems on Cherry Laurel in Boulder City, NV January 29, 2011 I live in Boulder City, Nevada and have 4 cherry laurel trees. I'm having a hard time with brown leaves and loss of leaves. How much water should I give them each season? Temps run from 28 degrees to... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants to grow in high zinc, lead and copper soil in Los Angeles January 24, 2011 We live on the Westside of Los Angeles and have just been given the bad news that our beds are high in zinc (86.39), lead (45.98) and copper(12.95). Can you recommend some plants that may grow in thes... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Getting rid of algae on dirt and patio January 12, 2011 Algae and on patio and dirt, and how to get rid of same? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| White fuzz on Christmas tree from Lewisburg PA January 04, 2011 Our Canaan fir Christmas tree is now coated with white fuzz after being up for 4 weeks. The fuzz looks like spider webs, but it is also in clumps around the needles. When you rub your finger on it, ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Is December a good time to prune oaks in Central Texas? December 29, 2010 Given that we haven't had much cold weather here in central Texas (Wimberley) this season, is it a good time to trim live and Spanish oak trees (damaged limbs and low hanging branches and suckers)? ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Possibility of oak wilt in red oak in Austin December 25, 2010 I planted a Red oak tree in Austin January 2008. It was container grown but decent size, over 15ft tall. This summer (2010) its leaves turned color as if it were fall and started dropping. I starte... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Problems with Thuja in Oakland CA December 16, 2010 I have a Thuja hedge about 100' long. Part of this hedge and a well established Rhododendron have been diagnosed with Armillaria mellea that is spreading. I see the bunches of mushrooms growing eve... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Sooty mold on Texas Sage in Heath TX December 09, 2010 I have a Texas Sage that has developed a mildew, blight, fungus or (?) condition. Something has attacked the leaves with a black sooty condition. What is this and what can I do to help this plant thri... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Blackened leaves on purple sage in Utopia TX December 08, 2010 I live in Utopia Texas and have a 5-ft. Texas Purple Sage that has developed a black appearance on the leaves. What is this and what can I do about it? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Fungus Spots on Native Bush Honeysuckle December 03, 2010 My native bush honeysuckle plants that I have along my back fence have leaves that are turning yellow with spots. It appears to be a type of fungus, but not powdery mildew. Any suggestions as to what ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Further question on sprouts from holly tree in Surprise AZ November 16, 2010 Thank you Barbara Medford for your response to my question about the sprouting holly tree in Surprise AZ. I took for granted that the tree I was talking about was a holly tree. I looked at pictures of... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Problems for Texas Madrones from Dripping Springs TX November 15, 2010 Dear neighbor: I'm blessed with a property with many Texas Madrone on it. I've been trying for a few years to determine what causes apparently healthy trees to suddenly blacken and die. I've con... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Foam on Salvia greggii in Austin October 20, 2010 I have 7 Salvia greggii plants. I am seeing a white foam like substance on tip of all of them (where flowers use to be). Any suggestions on what is happening to the plants? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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