Native Plants
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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.
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Wednesday - July 02, 2014
From: Dripping Springs, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Non-Natives, Trees
Title: Apache Pine for Dripping Springs, TX.
Answered by: Joe Marcus
QUESTION:
Is the Apache Pine tree a good choice for planting in alkaline soil with excellent drainage?ANSWER:
Pinus engelmannii (Apache Pine) is largely a Mexican species with very small, outlying populations found in Arizona and New Mexico. The New Mexico population is the closest to you, but still several hundred miles away and in habitat quite different than you have in Dripping Springs, Texas. We do not recommend growing plants outside their native ranges in general, but do not believe that Apache Pine in particular would be well-adapted to life in central Texas.
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