Native Plants

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Friday - March 23, 2007

From: Catspring, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Trees
Title: Conditions for growing Prunus mexicana
Answered by: Damon Waitt

QUESTION:

Will a native Wild Plum do well in the Cat Spring area west of Houston. The soil is quite sandy. I was told that the plum trees attract deer.

ANSWER:

Mexican plum or Prunus mexicana (Mexican plum) is the common wild plum of the forest-prairie border from Missouri and eastern Kansas to Texas. The fruit is eaten fresh and made into preserves and is also consumed by birds and mammals. If you have dry to moist, well-drained soils including sandy soils, it will grow well in your area. Its natural habitat is dry to moist thin woods, river bottoms & prairies.

Mr. Smarty Plants can't be sure from your question if you consider attracting deer a good or bad thing. The fruit is consumed by birds and mammals (including deer) and humans who make it into preserves.