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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Tuesday - July 01, 2014
From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Diseases and Disorders, Trees
Title: Tan, rough, fan-shaped growth on mountain laurels
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
A tan rough fan-shaped "something" is growing at the end of the mountain laurel branch where the flowers would be .. what is it and can it harm the plant?ANSWER:
The growths that you are seeing are called fasciations. Sophora secundiflora (Texas mountain laurel) seems particularly susceptible to this growth anomaly. Here is a discussion about fasciation from a recent question to Mr. Smarty Plants. They aren't harmful to the tree—just fascinating fasciations!
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