Native Plants
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Thursday - March 26, 2009
From: Chandler, AZ
Region: Southwest
Topic: Non-Natives
Title: Failure to bloom of non-native crepe myrtle
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
I have a white crepe myrtle that never bloomed last year..my pink ones were beautiful. What can I fertilize with to promote blooming for the white one? And, yes, it is in the sun!ANSWER:
While there is a crape myrtle native to North America, Malpighia glabra (wild crapemyrtle), it is native only to Texas and is a member of the Malpighiaceae (Barbados Cherry) family. It is therefore not even closely related to Lagerstroemia indica, which is native to temperate and tropical Asia. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is dedicated to the care and propagation of plants native not only to North America but to the area in which they grow naturally, which places this out of our range of expertise. We can, however, refer you to a Floridata website, Lagerstroemia indica, which should give you some more information on the culture of your plants. We can also advise you NOT to fertilize until you explore some more possibiities for the non-bloom, as over-fertilizing creates abundant foliage at the expense of blooms, especially high-nitrogen lawn fertilizer. It is possible that your white crape myrtle is situated where regular lawn fertilizing is causing it receive an overdose of nitrogen.
More Non-Natives Questions
Wintering over of non-native Myriophyllum brasiliensis
October 27, 2008 - I have a Myriophyllum brasiliensis in my outdoor fountain which I drain in the cold weather. How can I keep the plant alive over the winter? Thank you.
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Trimming time for non-native Pampas grass in Leland NC
April 26, 2010 - When is the best time to trim Pampas plants, onset of winter or onset of spring? Also, what's the best way to trim and how far should they be cut back?
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Damage to non-native peach trees in Austin
January 02, 2010 - I have 3 peach trees, different varieties. In the past years it has just produced worm-eaten fruit, most of which falls to the ground before ripening. Can these trees be treated for a better crop th...
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East Texas grasses for holding soils
September 17, 2008 - Hi Mr. Smarty Plants,
I have a question about the East Texas area: Specifically, which natvie grasses can be planted to hold the soil/new roads through the winter?
Here is the situation: (Against...
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Identification of red/yellow/black flower in California
April 15, 2013 - Plant found, April Mount Diablo CA 6 symmetrical petals red with a pattern of a yellow flower with black edge in the centre, I can not identify, please help.
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