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
Clover in grass in Marysville WA
March 05, 2009 - I noticed clover growing in my grass and know that this is a sign of poor nitrogen in my soil.
I would like to know of some native plants / shrubs that I could put near my house in Washington that ...
view the full question and answer
Plant-related skin rashes from Round Rock TX
September 23, 2013 - I have been plagued with persistent skin rashes this summer, and it is happening with plants that have never bothered me before, for example, red yucca. The dermatologist says it is a plant reaction,...
view the full question and answer
Why is my 3 year old Redbud not flowering in San Marcos, TX?
March 24, 2010 - My Cercis canadensis var. mexicana, purchased at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, is 3 years old, very robust, but has never bloomed. Any explanation?
view the full question and answer
Copper beech
May 12, 2005 - Hi, I work for a youth camp in southeastern Pennsylvania. The property for the
camp was purchased from a farmer in 1958. The farmer was a collecter of
unusual trees and one of the trees on our prop...
view the full question and answer
Thickness of liquid when growing plants
February 09, 2008 - Q: Does the thickness of liquid matter when growing plants?
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |