Native Plants

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Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
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Monday - November 30, 2009
From: Granbury, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Non-Natives
Title: Problems with non-native Ligustrum in Granbury TX
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
Hi, I am hoping you can tell me why my Ligustrum is dropping leaves? At purchase I was told they are evergreen. We are using them for a privacy hedge and would like to prevent any more leaf drop. They were planted about 6 months ago. Should I fertilize now? Thank you.ANSWER:
The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is committed to the care, use and propagation of plants native to North America and to the area in which they are being grown. The various species of Ligustrum are native to China, Japan and Korea, and therefore fall out of our range of expertise. Furthermore, this plant can become invasive and is subject to many pests and diseases. We found this website from the University of Florida IFAS Extension on Ligustrum japonicum that might give you some clues on the problems you are experiencing.More Non-Natives Questions
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