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 is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Tuesday - June 09, 2009
From: Niagara Falls, NY
Region: Northeast
Topic: Non-Natives, Watering
Title: Trailing snapdragon hanging basket has flowers that are turning brown.
Answered by: Jimmy Mills
QUESTION:
Trailing snapdragon hanging basket in yellow, flowers are turning brown all over the plant. Why? I water every day as told & fertilized once in 3 weeks. It was so beautiful.ANSWER:
The name "Snapdragon" has been applied to numerous plants. I found nine different plants in our Native Plant Database that had "snapdragon" as part of their common name, and one was called Creeping snapdragon Maurandella antirrhiniflora (roving sailor). I used the term "trailing snapdragon" to search on Google and found two different plants; one, Antirrhinum majus is a native of the Mediterranean region, and the other, Asarina procumbens, is a native of Mexico. Our focus at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is on plants native to North America, so these two are outsde our area expertise.
As to your problem, Mr. Smarty Plants is unaware of any plant growing in a container that requires daily watering. Your instructions may have said to keep the soil "evenly moist", but that is different from "wet". Your plant may be drowning, so reduce the frequency of watering and see if conditions improve. Also, since the plant is stressed, hold off on fertilizing until conditions improve.
More Non-Natives Questions
Problems with non-native gardenias in San Ramon, CA
July 11, 2009 - I have a Gardenia tree planted in my front yard that gets shade and sun. It is dropping leaves and the leaves that are left are yellow. I had been watering it every day, but decreased that to every ot...
view the full question and answer
Mexican feathergrass from Pflugerville, TX
January 23, 2013 - How deep are the roots of Nassella tenuissima? I'm looking for something that could possibly discourage my neighbors' bermuda grass from encroaching into my native plantings.
view the full question and answer
Non-native Ruda plant drying up in Florida
February 19, 2009 - I have a RUDA plant at work, but do not know if I am putting too much water on it, it is about 1 meter high but I think is drying up. How often do I water it? I'm in Miami Fl.
Thank you.
view the full question and answer
Supplier for non-native Norfolk Pine to East Texas
March 17, 2013 - I would like to buy a Norfolk Pine Tree for my uncle who lives 90 miles east of Dallas, Texas. He saw my Norfolk Pine tree in CA which is 30 to 40 ft. tall. Where can I find a company that will ship...
view the full question and answer
Strange produce from non-native lemon seed in Houma LA
April 03, 2010 - I grow a lemon tree from a seed. I grafted it from the same tree a year or so later. It is 15 years old and it only produce one year. The question is, the year it produce, the fruit was a pink grap...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |