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.
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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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Friday - April 17, 2009
From: Union City , GA
Region: Southeast
Topic: Non-Natives, Diseases and Disorders
Title: Problems with non-native weeping willow
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
The trunk of my Weeping Willow tree has raised donut growths.The left base has decay. There is a large space between the base and the soil (no roots) and the wood is brittle. Large ants with a black head and red body continuously trail the tree. The ant bed is approx 25 feet from the tree. Tree is healthy with new growth. Located near Atlanta GA layered soil, 5 ins of composted pine mulch, then clay. It is approx 5 yrs old.ANSWER:
Thank you for your question. While we would like to answer all questions we receive, Mr. Smarty Plants' expertise is limited to plant species native to North America, their habitats and cultivation. Limited resources require us to decline answering questions that delve into other areas. We hope you understand.
Non-native to the United States, Salix x sepulcralis is a hybrid of a Chinese species (Peking willow) and a European species (white willow), and is said to grow in Zones 5 to 8 in the United States. It is weak-wooded, fast-growing and, therefore, short-lived. It has aggressive roots, can lift sidewalks and interfere with sewer lines, often growing on soil surface, making a problem with mowing. It is susceptible to a number of pests and diseases, and notorious for littering the ground beneath it. You might check out this University of Florida Extension website on Weeping Willows for more information as well as this Q&A from North Dakota State University Extension on weeping willows.The UBC Botanical Garden Forum is also a good source of information on non-native plants.
More Non-Natives Questions
Pine bark on non-native St. Augustine grass in Kingwood TX
May 12, 2010 - I had two large Pine trees cut down. In the process of cutting the trees down there is a lot of pine bark from the tree on my St Augustine grass. Will this affect the growth of my grass?
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Locations where non-native Mimosa trees grow
May 23, 2005 - Where do mimos trees grow?
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Failure to bloom of non-native viburnum in Dayton, Ohio
April 30, 2009 - I have a 3 year old Marie's Doublefire Viburnum that has healthy, abundant foliage but never blooms. I do not prune it. What am I doing wrong? Thanks
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Shriveling agave from Miami Florida
August 23, 2013 - Dear Mr. Smarty Plants,
Most upset - My beautiful agave (wish I could have submitted an image) has stared to misbehave. The once first liquid filled leaves, are starting to look more like the skin ...
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Salvia that needs dividing in Maryville MO
April 09, 2010 - I have some May Night salvia that is 3 years old. Last summer it split in the middle and spent a lot of the summer laid open. I'm wondering if it needs to be split or pruned in some way?
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