Native Plants
![](../_images/smarty_plants.gif)
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.
![](../_images/mr_smarty_plants_logo_web_200w.jpg)
rate this answer
![](../_images/star_10.gif)
Friday - February 19, 2010
From: Richmond, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Non-Natives, Shrubs
Title: Problems with Indian Hawthorn in Richmond TX
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
I have a lot of Indian Hawthorne plants. I have noticed over the last couple of years that sporadically one will develope a brown area that looks like it was burned or had gasoline poured on it. The branch will eventually spread this brown and die. It is a very slow process initally and then when it spreads it goes very fast, eventually killing the entire plant. I have noticed this problem on hawthorne's in almost every location around town (Houston Texas) since I first saw this in my plant(s). No one can tell me what it is. There are no bugs, scale, mold, etc. It just starts dying on a single branch and then spreads. I have had "experts" tell me it is everything from wood worms to dogs urinating on them. Any guesses?ANSWER:
Rhaphiolepsis indica, Indian hawthorn, is a native to China, Taiwan and other tropical areas in Asia. At the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, we are focused on the care and propagation of plants native not only to North America but to the area in which they are being grown. Because this is out of our expertise and, of course, not found in our Native Plant Database, we found a website with some information on the plant for you. Floridata, Rhaphiolepsis indica indicates that it is very susceptible to leaf spot fungus if grown in shady conditions or over-fertilized. You should avoid overhead watering, such as sprinklers, especially at night. Beyond that, you might try Googling on Rhaphiolepsis indica and see what other information you can find. We have actually heard of experts saying the Indian Hawthorn is more trouble than it is worth, and don't recommend planting them at all.
More Shrubs Questions
Propagation of poinsettias in water from Houston
September 06, 2013 - Pointsettias - we have a broken branch that is thriving in a jar of water with new leaves and additional small branches. When we plant the stem in dirt and even a muck, the growth starts to wither.
...
view the full question and answer
Plant mistakes from Cedar Park, TX
April 09, 2014 - At our "Wilts End" in Cedar Park, TX. and are looking for a tall shrub/tree that will hide a 6-ft tall concrete wall and muffle the noise from a busy street. The wall forms a very wide-angled V shap...
view the full question and answer
Need trees & shrubs for a 2.5x45 ft. planter box in Chatsworth. CA.
August 07, 2012 - We recently built a pool in our backyard and need to redo all the landscaping. We have a planter that is 45 feet long and about 2.5 feet wide. We'd like to put some trees in this planter that are n...
view the full question and answer
Need plants for privacy screen and noise reduction in Dallas.
January 07, 2015 - Our backyard is on the north side of our house and is adjacent to the south side of LBJ Freeway (I-635) in Dallas. TXDOT only constructed an 8' concrete wall along our portion of its expanded right-o...
view the full question and answer
Fruiting times of native trees and shrubs in the Pacific Norhwest
December 30, 2013 - I am looking for information on fruiting/seeds/nuts times of native trees and shrubs in the Pacific Northwest. Obviously they fruit after they bloom but all I can find is very general information such...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |