Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Your gift keeps resources like this database thriving!

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
Not Yet Rated

Saturday - December 25, 2010

From: Katy, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Trees
Title: Mid-sized tree that does not attract moths for Katy, TX
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

I recently started to get interested in gardening. I live in Katy Texas and am looking for a medium sized tree I can grow in my backyard. I don't mind a tree that attracts birds or butterflies but I am extremely afraid of moths so I'm trying to find a tree that won't attract that many moths. Any suggestions?

ANSWER:

We are always glad to welcome beginning gardeners. To help put you on what we consider the right track, please read the following of our How-To Articles:

Using Native Plants

A Guide to Native Plant Gardening

Next, let us give you a quick tutorial on how to find trees native to your area that suit your requirements and also what insects those trees may attract. Go to our Recommended Species section, and click on "East Texas" on the map. The Recommended Species lists on our website consists of plants that should do well in the indicated areas, and are commercially available. When you click on East Texas on the map, you will get a list of 133 plants, with pictures, of those that fit the criteria of being native to that area. Next, on the sidebar on the right hand side of that page, under General Appearance, click on "tree." If you know what light exposure your plant will have (shade, part shade or shade) indicate that on the Light Requirements drop-down menu. There are other specifications, including bloom time and color, and soil moisture, that you can use to narrow down your selections even more. Clicking only on "Trees" gave us a list of 45 trees to choose from.

For our example, we selected Aesculus pavia (Scarlet buckeye), and by reading the entire page on that plant, we learned that it grows from 12 to 36 ft. in height, blooms red and yellow from March to May, is deciduous, likes acidic soil, has medium water needs, and likes to grow in part shade. Its flowers attract hummingbirds and bees. We will list some more samples of trees you could use, and you can follow the links to the page on each individual plant.

On the subject of moths, here is an article on What Plants Attract Moths? from North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension, which points out that moths like night-blooming plants. There are some yuccas that depend on a certain type of moth for pollination, but we could find no trees (which doesn't mean there aren't any) that specifically attract moths.

You can use this same method to select other types of plants-herbaceous blooming plants, shrubs, vines, succulents, and ferns-for your garden.

Trees for the Katy, TX Area:

Aesculus pavia (Scarlet buckeye)

Cercis canadensis var. texensis (Texas redbud)

Chionanthus virginicus (White fringetree)

Crataegus marshallii (Parsley hawthorn)

Ilex vomitoria (Yaupon)

Prunus caroliniana (Cherry laurel)

Vaccinium arboreum (Farkleberry)

Viburnum rufidulum (Rusty blackhaw viburnum)

From Our Native Plant Image Gallery:


Aesculus pavia


Cercis canadensis var. texensis


Chionanthus virginicus


Crataegus marshallii


Ilex vomitoria


Prunus caroliniana


Vaccinium arboreum


Viburnum rufidulum

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More Trees Questions

Dying Bigelow oaks in Austin
July 30, 2010 - I have several stands of Bigelow Oak (Q.sinuata var. breviloba) in NW Austin mixed with Yaupon and Cedar Elms. Several have died each year for the past 8 years. Two now have brown, dry leaves which is...
view the full question and answer

Non-blooming parsley hawthorn in Madison MS
April 25, 2010 - I have a parsley hawthorn that has never bloomed. It is thriving in a low area under tall pines. It gets filtered sun most of the day with more direct sun in late afternoon. I don't know the age but...
view the full question and answer

Optimum planting time for perennials and trees
November 02, 2007 - Our group is running out of fall workdays. Is it OK to plant native perennials and small trees in Central Texas during the winter months? Or should we wait now until the spring?
view the full question and answer

Sticky stuff dripping from non-native crape myrtle in Austin
August 01, 2012 - There is sticky sap-like stuff dropping from the very large crepe myrtle in my yard. The tree has quit blooming. This didn't happen last year when it was so dry; it started after we had all the rain ...
view the full question and answer

Controlling live oak sprouts in Lakeland FL
November 23, 2009 - We had a live oak taken down last year. We now have sprouts we cannot get rid of and they continue to multiply invading the lawn. We did not have this problem so much when the tree was there. Is ther...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.