Native Plants

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Thursday - February 24, 2005

From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Seed and Plant Sources
Title: Source for Bumelia lanuginosa in Austin
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

PLEASE HELP! I'm trying to plant several trees called Bumelia lanuginosa (synonym: Sideroxylon langinosum). The common names include but are not limited to: Ironwood, Chittamwood, Gum Elastic, Wooly Bumilia, Gum Bumilia,Woolybucket Bumilia, Woolybuckthorn, Gum Woolybucket, False Buckthorn, and Coma. I have called all the nurseries in the southern half of this state, including The Natural Gardener in Austin, but none carry or will order it for me. I've called Botanical Centers in Houston and San Antonio, but none calls me back, and all the Agricultural Extension Agents are lost about this. Maybe you can tell me where I can find the actual trees to get a softwood cutting OR some seeds.

ANSWER:

On the Wildflower Center web page you can search for plant suppliers over the United States that specialize in native plants. On the side bar choose Explore Plants, then Suppliers Directory. On that page you can choose Nurseries or Seed Companies and then search by state or region. I searched Nurseries under Texas and looked at those that had web sites listed. Rancho Lomitas Nursery in Rio Grande City listed Sideroxylon celastrium (Bumelia celastrina) for sale, but not S. lanuginosium. It might be worth your while to look at the list of Texas nurseries on our web page and try telephoning some that do not list a web page. One suggestion is Robertson' Tree Farm in Whitehouse. Another possibility found on the Native Plant Society of Texas web page, but not listed in our database, is Buchanan's Native Plants.

Kemper Center for Home Gardening of the Missouri Botanical Gardens lists two sources for this plant: Missouri Wildflowers Nursery and Woodlanders in South Carolina. These two are a possibility (or other nurseries in other states), if you don't mind ordering out-of-state.

Gum bumelia, or gum elastic, does grow all over Central Texas so it does seem strange it isn't carried in more native plant nurseries. There are many on the Wildflower Center grounds, but we don't sell them in our Spring and Fall Plant Sales. Perhaps it's because of their thorns. You might be able to propagate your own from seeds if you can collect the fruit before the birds beat you to them.

From the Image Gallery

Gum bumelia
Sideroxylon lanuginosum