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
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Saturday - April 17, 2010
From: White Plains, NY
Region: Northeast
Topic: Non-Natives
Title: What will grow under non-native, invasive Norway Maple in White Plains NY?
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
Is there anything that will grow under a Norway Maple? The soil is dry and the area is small hill next to my driveway. It is an eye sore! Thank you!ANSWER:
The Acer platanoides, Norway Maple, releases chemicals to discourage undergrowth which tends to create bare, muddy run-off conditions immediately beneath the tree. This is known as allelopathy and is also present in black walnut trees, magnolias, oaks and other trees that don't want competition. The websites we found on this plant referred to it as a non-native invasive. It is native to eastern and central Europe and southeast Asia; the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is dedicated to the use, protection and propagation of plants native not only to North America but to the area in which they are being grown. The advice several of those sites on control of this tree was "don't plant it." So, it's not a case of what can be planted under it, but the tree itself.
Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas: Acer platanoides, Norway Maple
USDA Forest Service Weed of the Week
More Non-Natives Questions
Non-native Sandankwa viburnum (Viburnum suspensum) damaged by freeze
April 16, 2006 - We live in Georgetown. My Sandankwa Viburnum seem to have been affected by the late freeze. There are now very few leaves and no flowers/buds. Should I cut the plants back, leave them alone, or giv...
view the full question and answer
Non-native citronella mosquito plant wintering inside in Charlotte NC
October 20, 2011 - Can I bring the citronella mosquito plant in the house over the winter, or should it be planted outside. I live in Charlotte, NC.
view the full question and answer
Probably non-native crapemyrtle trees damaged by hurricane
January 15, 2009 - I have 5 crape myrtle trees. I live in Galveston, Tx and when Hurricane Ike came through in September the salt water I think killed them. They have not come back since then and are brown with no leave...
view the full question and answer
Pruning non-native Japanese maple
June 03, 2008 - Can you tell me how to properly prune a Japanese maple?
view the full question and answer
Disposal of non-native chinaberry and ligustrum and their seeds
October 06, 2004 - I've got some chinaberry and ligustrum in a section of our lot that I am going to remove to make room for native plants. Both have berries, & I was wondering if running them through a chipper will ha...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |