Native Plants
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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.
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Thursday - June 14, 2007
From: San Luis Obispo, CA
Region: California
Topic: Vines
Title: Native, non-invasive vines for wall cover in California
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I live on the Central Coast in California. I have a stucco garage wall, which receives full sun, and faces West. I would like to plant a climbing vine to cover the wall, and was considering a climbing fig or Boston Ivy until reading of problems with their invasive/ destructive nature. Do you have any suggestions?ANSWER:
Congratulations for your choice of natives over invasives! Here are several native alternatives to the invasives you named:
Lathyrus splendens (pride of California)
Lathyrus vestitus (Pacific pea)
Lonicera ciliosa (orange honeysuckle)
Lonicera hispidula (pink honeysuckle)
Marah fabaceus (California manroot)
Parthenocissus vitacea (Woodbine)
Rubus leucodermis (whitebark raspberry)
Rubus ursinus (California blackberry)
Vitis californica (California wild grape) (There is also a variety of this plant called "Roger's Red" that has showy red fall leaves.)
If you visit the Theodore Payne Foundation California Native Plant Library and choose by "Type" you can see more information about some of these and other native vines for California.
More Vines Questions
Identification of possible Hairy Cluster Vine or Clematis
May 28, 2007 - I found a small twining vine with purple to lavender, tubular flowers hanging on one side of the stem. The leaves are very narrow and alternate about 3/4"-1" long. I found them on the side of the ...
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Identification of vine-like plant.
November 13, 2010 - I have a an odd plant that I bought years ago. It's like a vine. It has hard rubbery like leaves they turn inward and they are green. First a cone like shape grows then the leaves grow. I would like ...
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Flowers for monarch butterflies in Bastrop, Gonzales and Travis Counties of Texas
March 05, 2013 - Hi Mr./s. Smarty Plants,
What are some flowers that grow naturally on a Bastrop, Travis, or Gonzales county riverside that monarch butterflies commonly feed on?
Thank you
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Culture of a potato vine
November 11, 2007 - This spring I was given a potato to grow. The lady called it a potato
vine. Do you know anything about this vine?
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Non-native, invasive Asiatic Jasmine from Austin
October 25, 2012 - Is Trachelospermum asiaticum considered a native texas plant? Is there an example growing at the Center that can be viewed?
view the full question and answer
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