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
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
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Wednesday - December 31, 2008
From: Tyler, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Trees
Title: Tree for area around patio in East Texas
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
What is the best type of tree to plant around my patio which faces the southeastANSWER:
On our Recommended Species page select the East Texas area from the map or from the pull-down menu and you will get a list of "commercially available native plant species suitable for planned landscapes in East Texas." You can use the "NARROW YOUR SEARCH" option to limit the list to trees by choosing "Tree" from the Habit (general appearance) option. This will narrow the list to 44 tree species that will do well in East Texas. You can then look at the "Plant Characteristics" and "Growing Conditions" to see what best suits your site. Look also under "Benefit" if you are looking for colorful fall foliage or use by birds and other wildlife. Here are a few favorites of Mr. Smarty Plants from that list:Cercis canadensis var. texensis (Texas redbud)
Cornus florida (flowering dogwood)
Frangula caroliniana (Carolina buckthorn)
Fraxinus americana (white ash)
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