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.

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Thursday - June 25, 2009
From: Toluca Lake, CA
Region: California
Topic: Non-Natives
Title: Problems with non-native Carrotwood tree in Toluca Lake CA
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
My Carrotwood tree leaves are turning yellow and curling down, Why? Also due to a bad trim, the outer limbs are dying. Can you tell me what is wrong? It is an old tree and I would like to save it!ANSWER:
Due to the large volume of questions, we ask that you please limit your questions to topics related to North American native plants. This must be the season of bad luck for carrotwood, as this is the second question on this plant we have answered today. The first question was asking what the pesky nut-looking things were in their tree. We have excerpted the information from that answer.
"You don't need a spray, you need a hatchet. Quick, quick, get that tree out of your landscape and your life. Those nut-like pods are seeds, incredibly messy, as you already know, and they are being eaten by birds, who then sow them wherever, they will lie on the ground and kill your grass, and the tree itself is an invasive weed. At the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, we are devoted to promoting plants native not only to North America but to the area in which they are being grown. This plant is the poster child for invasive non-natives. It originated in Australia, Indonesia and New Guinea. We suggest that while you wait for the bulldozer to arrive, you read the following articles about places, including California, where it is already a menace."
Plant Conservation Allliance Alien Plant Working Group Least Wanted Cupaniopsis anacardioides
Texas Invasives cupaniopsis anacardioides
Los Angeles Times Tree of the Week: Carrotwood Tree
More Non-Natives Questions
Non-native hylocereus undatus for Austin
February 24, 2012 - Can we plant Hylocereus (Dragon Fruit) here in Austin, TX? We are going to have a large xeriscape bed and want to know what all we can put in it. We are new to Texas so we have no clue what grows here...
view the full question and answer
Non-native Indian Hawthorn leaves yellowing
March 15, 2009 - I live in Mississippi. My Indian Hawthorn's leaves are not as green as they were when I purchased the plant, and several are turning yellow with brown spots on them. What should I do?
view the full question and answer
When and how to prune lavender (Lavandula sp.)
March 20, 2009 - Dear Mr. Smarty Plants
I have a Goodwin Creek Lavender plant that I planted last year. It did very well but my question is about pruining.
It seems that there is some growth coming up now that it...
view the full question and answer
Replacing non-natives and kudzu in Spartanburg SC
July 12, 2009 - I would dearly love to cut down the red tips and leland cypress, as well as the 2 Savannah hollies and 15 ft cleyera which the kudzu has overrun along my property line, get rid of a chunk of lawn and ...
view the full question and answer
Correction of tree name from Bay Point CA
October 16, 2013 - The tree should of been Mulberry don't know how it was changed!!
Tuesday - October 15, 2013
From: Bay Point, CA
Region: California
Topic: Non-Natives, Cacti and Succulents, Trees
Title: Non-...
view the full question and answer
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