Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

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.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Friday - October 02, 2015

From: Sandia, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Problem Plants, Trees, Vines
Title: Possible allelopathic properties of Prosopis glandulosa (Honey mesquite)
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

I want to plant a coral honeysuckle at the base of a mesquite tree. Anything in the mesquite that would inhibit the honeysuckle from growing?

ANSWER:

Mr. Smarty Plants understands that you want to grow Lonicera sempervirens (Coral honeysuckle) under a Prosopis glandulosa (Honey mesquite) and are concerned that the mesquite could possibly inhibit the growth of the honeysuckle.  Here's what I've learned:

1.  The leaf litter from the mesquite native to Central and South America, Prosopis juliflora (considered invasive in India and Africa) has been shown to be allelopathic to other plant species, inhibiting their growth.

In the paper, Community Impacts of Prosopis juliflora Invasion: Biogeogrphic and Congeneric Comparisons [PLoS One 2012 7(9): e44966] R. Kaur et al. report that the leaf litter of the invasive Venezuelan mesquite, Prosopis juliflora, has allelopathic properties that inhibit the growth of other plant species.

2.  The compounds reported to be the agents that inhibit growth in P. juliflora have also been found in extracts of the leaves of Prosopis glandulosa.

Hiroshi Nakano in the chapter "Plant Growth Inhibitors from Mesquite (Prosopis juliflora)" in the 2009 book, Desert Plants: Biology and Biotechnology, edited by K. G. Ramawat reports that his group has isolated the compounds (julifloridine, juliprosporine, julifloricine and juliflorinine) that are the bioactive inhibitors in P. juliflora and says that julifloricine and juliflorinine have also been found in extracts from the leaves of P. glandulosa. 

3.  Another book by R. Kourik, Designing and Maintaining Your Edible Landscape Naturally, says that the presence of P. glandulosa stunts tomato plants.

The evidence seems to indicate that there is the potential for P. glandulosa to inhibit the growth of the coral honeysuckle, but I don't think it is very strong.  I could find no studies that said outright that P. glandulosa was allelopathic—except for Kourik who says that it stunts tomato plants.

 

More Problem Plants Questions

Problem with Chinese Pistache tree
September 01, 2014 - We have a gorgeous Chinese Pistache in our yard, about 25 feet tall. We bought it for its gorgeous fall color. The problem is that it has never turned color for us. All the other pistaches in the neig...
view the full question and answer

Aggressive native Inland Sea Oats in Whitehouse Station NJ
April 29, 2010 - Can you direct me to a source of help managing a very aggressive grass, Chasmanthium latifolia, Woodland Oats or Indian Sea Oats. It is behaving like a very noxious plant and I am concerned as I am h...
view the full question and answer

Pruning Roughleaf dogwood
November 28, 2013 - We put 5 rough-leaf dogwoods along our side deck; having been told (by the local, natural plant seller) that they would reach a maximum height of 6 feet. They have grown taller than that (despite som...
view the full question and answer

Defense against poison ivy from The Woodlands TX
March 24, 2014 - Hi and thank you in advance for your help. My husband is allergic to Poison Ivy, Oak, Sumac, or something in our yard. We need someone who is very knowledgeable to come and identify any poisonous pla...
view the full question and answer

Clearing out non-native Himalayan blackberry
January 25, 2009 - Can you recommend a way to clear an area of Himalayan blackberry? We have cut the canes back but wish to eliminate them completely so that we can replant that area with native plants attractive to wil...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.