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.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

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.

Search Smarty Plants

See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

rate this answer

1 rating

Tuesday - September 15, 2009

From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Seed and Plant Sources
Title: Looking for chinaberry trees to buy and plant in Austin
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

I am looking to buy china berry small trees to plant in Austin , any suggestion where i might be able to buy them thank you

ANSWER:

Mr. Smarty Plants says: "Please, please, please don't plant Melia azeradach (chinaberry trees)." This is an introduced species from Asia that is very invasive. Here are several references that cite their invasiveness:

Plant Conservation Alliance's Alien Plant Working Group Least Unwanted

Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States

Invasive Plants of the Eastern United States

US Forest Service Weed of the Week

Please consider one of the following as an alternative:

Sapindus saponaria var. drummondii (western soapberry)

Prunus mexicana (Mexican plum)

Morella cerifera (wax myrtle)

Fraxinus velutina (velvet ash)