Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

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.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Tuesday - May 13, 2014

From: Junction, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Rare or Endangered Plants, Diseases and Disorders, Transplants, Trees
Title: Problems with transplanted Texas Madrones from Junction TX
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

We planted 3 little Texas madrones last year 9 - 12 inches high. 2 of them seem to have some kind of black blight along the edges of the leaves that I don't think was the result of our late freezes. Is there something you can suggest that I should look for or something that I might can do to salvage them? They are in well drained places, though Heaven knows it has not rained. They are each within a 10 foot radius of cedar/juniper trees. Thank you.

ANSWER:

First of all, we very much hope you did not obtain your 3 Arbutus xalapensis (Texas madrone) trees by digging them up in the wild, and if you did, we hope you did so with the permission of the landowner.

Second, this USDA  Plant Profile Map does not show madrones growing natively in Kimble County but it does in adjacent Gillespie and Kerr Counties.

Third, from the US Forest Service Index of Species on Texas Madrone: "Texas madrone is listed as an endangered species by the Texas Organization for Endangered Species."

In answer to your question, we can easily identify the problem as transplant shock. We are going to list several previous answer links indicating how difficult this plant is to propagate and to transplant. We don't know what time of year you transplanted the little trees or what care they got after they were moved, but we recommend transplanting woody plants (trees and shrubs) only in cool weather, December and January in Texas.

Previous question from Dripping Springs, TX

Previous question from Belton TX

Previous answer from Utopia TX

Obviously, we could go on and on. There may very well be insects, climactic problems, soil, sunlight, who knows? We have nothing to offer as a solution.

 

From the Image Gallery


Texas madrone
Arbutus xalapensis

Texas madrone
Arbutus xalapensis

Texas madrone
Arbutus xalapensis

Texas madrone
Arbutus xalapensis

More Transplants Questions

B1 for transplant shock in non-native bamboo?
January 24, 2009 - I am wondering about the details as I wish to transplant some bamboo. I do not know the actual variety, as I have at least 2 types, but will take a cutting to a high end nursery.Some of this is about ...
view the full question and answer

Non-native Norfolk Pine suffering in Corpus Christi TX
August 02, 2011 - About ten yrs. ago I transplanted my Norfolk Pine into the ground in my backyard. With all the frosty weather of 2010/2011 the Spring brought a browning/dying of a lot of the Norfolk Pines in this are...
view the full question and answer

Transplanting Virginia creeper
September 02, 2008 - I have a large Virginia creeper plant approximately 15 feet in length. Is it possible to transplant the whole thing without killing it? If so how do I care for it after it has been moved? Thank yo...
view the full question and answer

Division of impatiens grown in a pot
December 08, 2007 - I have an impatient and it is growing out of the pot. I was wondering if it were possible to divide it somehow and have two medium size plants.
view the full question and answer

Leaves on 3 year old maple turning brown in Lebo, KS.
July 16, 2011 - Hello, one of our five Maple trees which is is 3 yrs. old now, we saw a week ago that the leaves started turning brown and dropping. My question is: Will the tree survive this and return healthy next ...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.