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 - June 16, 2015
From: Buda, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Propagation, Transplants, Herbs/Forbs, Wildflowers
Title: Transplanting wildflowers slated for destruction in Buda, TX.
Answered by: Joe Marcus
QUESTION:
TXDOT has recently informed our church that they will be taking a sizeable amount of natural area fronting a ranch road for lane expansion. We are devastated to lose an are we have planted and nurtured and would like to rescue all we can. We are preparing to begin seed collection of flowering plants and are trying to plan on digging up recent plantings for relocation. I would like to know if it is possible to dig deep enough to safely lift a 3-4 foot area of antelope horn as well as frost weed in order to transplant them. Is there anyone who helps with rescuing old growth live oaks as we will have many destroyed otherwise? There is much more but I cannot list it all here.ANSWER:
Now is not a good time to transplant perennials in central Texas. If your efforts can wait until fall or winter, your chances of success will be greatly increased. Mature Antelope Horns (Asclepias asperula) resent being transplanted and you will need to try to disturb it's roots as little as possible when lifting them. In winter, once your Frostweed (Verbesina virginica) plants have died down, their roots are easily transplanted. They like shady areas, preferably under Live Oak trees.
However, you might consider collecting and sowing seeds of both of these species. Antelope Horns seed capsules are maturing now and their seeds should be collected just as their fruits are bursting open and before they are scattered by the wind. Frostweed seeds will mature in late fall about time of the first cold weather.
We do not know of anyone who helps with rescuing old growth Live Oaks. That is an extraordinarily difficult and expensive endeavor.
More Transplants Questions
Non-native Norfolk Pine suffering in Corpus Christi TX
August 02, 2011 - About ten yrs. ago I transplanted my Norfolk Pine into the ground in my backyard. With all the frosty weather of 2010/2011 the Spring brought a browning/dying of a lot of the Norfolk Pines in this are...
view the full question and answer
Propagation of Lime Prickly Ash in Austin
March 22, 2010 - We found only one small what we think is Zanthoxylum fagara or Lime Prickly Ash, Colima on our 8 acres, and the deer had apparently recently broken the main stem. I quickly made 6 or 7 cuttings, dippe...
view the full question and answer
Transplanting Magnolia grandiflora
June 11, 2007 - We just moved to Plano TX and there's a magnolia tree planted between our house and the driveway. (The tree is 7ft tall and it's about 7ft from the side of house and 4ft from the driveway)
I alway...
view the full question and answer
Replacing Drought-Stricken Cedars
January 16, 2012 - Hello, I live in Williamson County on a couple acres. We have several dead cedars as a result of drought; we're reluctant to cut them down because many of them provide a friendly barrier between us...
view the full question and answer
Non-native Ruda plant drying up in Florida
February 19, 2009 - I have a RUDA plant at work, but do not know if I am putting too much water on it, it is about 1 meter high but I think is drying up. How often do I water it? I'm in Miami Fl.
Thank you.
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |