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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.

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Sunday - April 16, 2006

From: Georgetown, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Non-Natives
Title: Non-native Sandankwa viburnum (Viburnum suspensum) damaged by freeze
Answered by: Nan Hampton and Joe Marcus

QUESTION:

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 give up?

ANSWER:

Sandankwa viburnum (Viburnum suspensum) is native to Japan. You do live within the USDA Hardiness Zones recommended for this plant; however, other stressful environmental factors such as drought conditions on top of the freezing temperatures may have adversely affected your plant. Pruning depends on flowering season. Since this species flowers in early spring, they should be pruned right after flowering. Now would be a good time to do it even though your plant hasn't flowered. You might consider a native Viburnum, Rusty black-haw, (Viburnum rufidulum) as a good replacement for this cold-sensitive species.
 

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