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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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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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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!

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Sunday - March 15, 2009

From: Meridian, MS
Region: Southeast
Topic: Non-Natives
Title: Non-native Indian Hawthorn leaves yellowing
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

I live in Mississippi. My Indian Hawthorn's leaves are not as green as they were when I purchased the plant, and several are turning yellow with brown spots on them. What should I do?

ANSWER:

Rhaphiolepsis indica, Indian hawthorn is a native to China, Taiwan and other tropical areas in Asia. At the  Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, we are focused on the care and propagation of plants native not only to North America but to the area in which they are being grown. Because this is out of our expertise and, of course, not found in our Native Plant Database, we found a website with some information on the plant for you. Floridata, Rhaphiolepsis indica indicates that it is very susceptible to leaf spot fungus if grown in shady conditions or over-fertilized. You should avoid overhead watering, such as sprinklers, especially at night. 

 

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