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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Tuesday - June 23, 2009
From: San Antonio, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Non-Natives
Title: Planting distance for non-native crepe myrtles in San Antonio
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
I just purchased 7 katawba crepe myrtles and would like to know how far apart I need to space them. I am placing down on the right side of my front yard. They are in 5 gallon containers and about 5 - 6 ft tall.ANSWER:
Lagerstroemia indica (Catawba crape myrtles) are native to Asia, and therefore out of our range of expertise. At the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, we are dedicated to the care, propagation and protection of plants native not only to North America but to the area in which the plant is being grown. Because this plant is so extensively hybridized (another reason why they are out of our purview) we have no way of knowing what its growth habit is-shrub, tree, big, dwarf? We found a website from Mortellaro's Nursery on Lagerstroemia indica (Catawba crape myrtles). If this does not have the answer to your question, we recommend you return to the nursery where you purchased your plants for the information you need.More Non-Natives Questions
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August 16, 2012 - We're considering moving to Glendora, CA (from the East Coast) and wondered if it is possible to successfully grow orange and other citrus trees that far inland? Any advice you can offer will be muc...
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Possible maple scale on non-native mophead hydrangeas from Newport RI
August 07, 2013 - I have a mophead hydrangea that has small white cottony tufts under the leaves and on the stems. I believe this is maple scale. Is there a home remedy I can use to rid this disease?
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