Native Plants

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Monday - May 11, 2015

From: Bandera, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Diseases and Disorders, Transplants, Shrubs
Title: Need to know about little brown spots on Texas Mountain Laurel
Answered by: Jimmy Mills

QUESTION:

I have little brown spots on my Texas Mountain Laurel leaves. I can email you a picture if needed. What could it be and how can I help my little laurels work thru these spots? The texas mountain laurels are 1-2 feet tall and were harvested from the wild 3 weeks ago. Only the ones that are in red dirt in 2 gallon pots have spots and they are all together. I wanted to make sure it wasn't a contageous condition before I transplanted them into the ground at our property. THANKS!

ANSWER:

Little brown spots is not a good diagnostic descriptor, and can be caused by various agents; often fungi. Sending us a picture would not be terribly useful, but having someone from the Bandera County office of Texas AgriLife Extension take a look at the plants could be helpful. Your County Agent could also help you access the Texas Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab which would be your best bet for learning what is causing the spots.

Texas Mountain Laurel Sophora secundiflora (Texas mountain laurel) is a notoriously poor candidate for transplanting. Getting enough of the root system for the plant to survive is difficult. Transplant shock is a possibility, and I’m including two links about what it is, and how to deal with it.

northscaping.com

gardeningknowhow.com

From the Image Gallery

Texas mountain laurel
Dermatophyllum secundiflorum