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
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 - March 10, 2007
From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Trees
Title: Possible reasons for non-fruiting wild plum
Answered by: Nan Hampton and Joe Marcus
QUESTION:
My grandfather has land in Lee County with thickets of wild plum, I believe creek plum is another name. However, they never seem to produce plums while thickets nearby on the roadside less than one mile away do. What might be the problem (age, pollination, size, sex of trees, predation, nutrients)?ANSWER:
This is an intriguing question, but I'm afraid we can't give you a definitive answer for the lack of fruit. However, here are several possibilities:1. Lack of pollinators, but that is unlikely and easily checked.
2. Disease or predation during early stages of development of the fruit.
3. Too much shade.
4. Soil that is too rich is very unlikely, but possible
5. Genetic basis. The thicket is probably all one clone and it could be a sterile hybrid.
More Trees Questions
Native substitute for traditional Christmas tree
December 01, 2007 - Could you give some recommendations for a substitute of the traditional Christmas tree used during the holiday season? The low light/humidity conditions in the home is a challenge under any circumsta...
view the full question and 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 the full question and answer
Viability of Texas Mountain Laurel in Louisiana
March 19, 2008 - I just returned from a visit to Austin and I saw the Texas Mountain Laurel everywhere. I live in the Baton Rouge, LA area and would like to know if performing some soil amendments would allow me to gr...
view the full question and answer
More trees to go with live oaks in Schertz TX
July 13, 2010 - We moved to a new house that has two recently planted live oak trees. Other than those two little trees there is nothing else on the property. Because of what I read about the oak wilt I would like ...
view the full question and answer
Difference in acorn yields from Georgetown TX
December 27, 2012 - Why do some live oaks produce acorns in abundance and others do not?
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |