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.

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?

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

Sunday - January 17, 2016

From: Pipe Creek, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Plant Identification, Trees
Title: Is Goldenball leadtree really evergreen, as we state?
Answered by: Guy Thompson

QUESTION:

Please would you confirm that Goldenball leadtree Leucaena retusa is evergreen as stated on this website and not deciduous as stated by Wasowski in Native Texas Plants? Thanks

ANSWER:

I'm afraid I cannot confirm that the Leucaena retusa (Goldenball leadtree) is evergreen because it is not. We made a mistake, as indicated by this and other references stating that it is deciduous and by my own observation of on example growing at the Wildflower Center. In this instance the Aggie website trumps the UT site.

From the Image Gallery

Goldenball leadtree
Leucaena retusa