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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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Friday - June 05, 2009

From: Jacksonville, NC
Region: Southeast
Topic: Non-Natives
Title: Ailing non-native red tip photinia
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

My red tips look like they are brittle and the leaves are spotted. What do I do?

ANSWER:

Our expertise and focus here at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center are with plants native to North America.  Red Tip Photinia (Photinia x fraseri) is not native to North America but has been used extensively as a landscape plant throughout the South.  This plant is especially susceptible to a fungus called entomosporium leaf spot.  We have had a similar question regarding an ailing photinia before and I will refer you to the answer to that question.
 

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