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 is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Tuesday - October 14, 2014
From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: General Botany
Title: Water Use Versus Soil Moisture
Answered by: Anne Van Nest
QUESTION:
In the Native Plant Database, under Growing Conditions what is the difference between water use and soil moisture? Sometimes they seem contradictory.ANSWER:
Good question! Thanks for using the Native Plant Database and noticing this. Plants that are listed in the Native Plant Database under Growing Conditions do have designations for Water Use: Low, Medium, High and Soil Moisture: Dry, Moist, Wet.
Most often one logically matches the other. For example for Salvia azurea, water use is listed as low and soil moisture is indicated as dry. But these two growing criteria can be mutually exclusive. The water use designation is how much water that the plant needs to survive, while the soil moisture listing indicates the soil conditions that the plant (roots) will tolerate. There are some unique native plants that don't use much water but their roots can tolerate being quite soggy.
For example, Carex stipata (awlfruit sedge) uses a medium amount of water but can tolerate moist to wet soil moisture.
Another example is Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (kinnikinnick) which has low water use but can tolerate moist, boggy soils (and dry, rocky soils).
And lastly, there's Magnolia grandiflora (Southern magnolia). This plant has a high water use rating but can tolerate a dry soil moisture level (but not totally dry as it does prefer moist soil).
From the Image Gallery
More General Botany Questions
Blooming but not berrying American bittersweet from Pendleton IN
May 29, 2013 - I have had a bittersweet plant for years, it blooms but not berries. How do I tell if it is male or female so I can buy the opposite? It is currently blooming.
view the full question and answer
Plant Groups
September 22, 2009 - What are ways to group plants?
view the full question and answer
Bignoniaceae Family Members Fix Nitrogen?
January 23, 2016 - Do plants in the Bignoniaceae family, such as Tecoma stans and Chilopsis linearis, fix nitrogen into the soil? I ask because they have a bean-type pod. Just curious.
view the full question and answer
Definition of a weed
April 22, 2003 - What is your definition of a weed?
view the full question and answer
Consequences of leaving geranium in dark room
December 18, 2005 - What would happen to a geranium plant that was left to grow in a dark room for many days?
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |