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

Saturday - February 22, 2014
From: Kerrville, TX
Region: Select Region
Topic: Diseases and Disorders, Herbs/Forbs
Title: Salvia farinacea and rust fungus from Kerrville TX
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
Are Henry Duelberg salvias (Salvia farinacea)susceptible to rust fungus?ANSWER:
The best we can tell, Salvia farinacea 'Henry Duelberg' is an older cultivar of Salvia farinacea (Mealy blue sage). When you follow the plant link to our webpage on this plant, you will find this phrase:
"Wet soil will make the plant leggy and weak." This might motivate you to be sure the plant in not grown in too much shade or too wet a soil, as that could be favorable to fungi.
We went to Dave's Garden on this plant and found several favorable comments on the plant and no mention of rust fungus.
Other commentaries on the plant came from Aggie Horticulture and Denton County Master Gardeners.
From About.com, here is an article on rust fungus, which does not mention Salvia as being one of the target plants. If the fungus is in the area where you are growing plants, it might attack, but we feel that Kerr County, in the Texas Hill Country, is dry enough that the possibility would not be large. This USDA Plant Profile Map shows that Salvia farinacea (Mealy blue sage) grows natively there, and seems unlikely to suffer from the rust fungus.
From the Image Gallery
More Herbs/Forbs Questions
Does a cenizo really predict rain in Austin?
July 18, 2009 - Mr. Smarty Plants, folklore has it that the flowering of Cenizo (aka Barometer Bush) is a predictor of rain fall. The Cenizo in South Austin is blooming profusely right now.
Does this portend a Noac...
view the full question and answer
Plants indigenous to Sedona, AZ
July 07, 2010 - I live in Sedona AZ and I want to plant indigenous plants in my garden. Is there a list of AZ native plants shrubs and trees that are indigenous to Sedona?
If there is no list that is specific f...
view the full question and answer
Transplanting wildflowers slated for destruction in Buda, TX.
June 16, 2015 - TXDOT has recently informed our church that they will be taking a sizeable amount of natural area fronting a ranch road for lane expansion. We are devastated to lose an are we have planted and nurtur...
view the full question and answer
Poolside Groundcover Suggestions for Florida
July 18, 2013 - I live in Milton, FL near Pensacola. We just had a pool installed and now want to put groundcover around the perimeter. It will be an area about 70 feet long and 10 feet deep. It will be full sun. We ...
view the full question and answer
Cutting back achillea in New York
March 18, 2009 - Last summer I planted three gorgeous hearty achillea with flat, yellow tops, about 3 feet high or more each, in my sunny garden. But after they were done flowering, I left those very pretty brown stem...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |