Native Plants

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Friday - June 29, 2012
From: Prosper, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Non-Natives, Pests
Title: Application of sprays to non-native Crape Myrtle from Prosper TX
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
Can applying a systemic insecticide/fungicide combo prevent or limit Crape Myrtle blooms? I have 5 large lavender Crapes that are not blooming or budding yet and this is the first time I have used a systemic on them. Applied it in late May. They do have new growth and are very full.ANSWER:
Lagerstroemia indica (crape myrtle) is native to China, Japan and Korea and is therefore out of the realm of expertise of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, home of Mr. Smarty Plants. We are committed to the growth, protection and propagation of plants native not only to North America but to the area in which those grow natively. This is a conservation issue, because plants native to an area will have become accustomed to the soils, rainfall and climate over centuries of experience.
From the United States National Arboretum, here are Questions and Answers on Crape Myrtle. From that article:
"My crapemyrtle is reluctant to bloom. What am I doing wrong?
Crapemyrtles flower most heavily in full, uninterrupted sunlight. Even an hour of shade during the day will compromise flowering. Frequent irrigation, lack of heat, and overfertilization promote vegetative growth at the expense of flowering. In extreme drought conditions or cool, rainy summers, flowering may be delayed until the early autumn."
We also discourage spraying any kind of "...icide" to a plant without clear indications that it is needed.
More Pests Questions
Yellow jackets on non-native crape myrtles
September 25, 2008 - Hey Mr. Smarty Plants I have only 1 question. I have several Crape Myrtles that have numerous amounts (alarming) of yellow jacket bees on them. who what where when why etc? Should I be concerned? tha...
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Petals not developing on blackeyed susans from Nashville TN
July 05, 2011 - I have an established "patch" of black eyes susans. This year, the leaves are beautiful, the centers black..but the petals are practically non existent. They didn't seem to develop correctly. Any...
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Grasshopper invasion in Box Elder SD
August 22, 2011 - I just bought a new home and there is an infestation of grasshoppers throughout the neighborhood. What shrubs and/or flowers could I plant that they may not like to eat?
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Possible disease on Eastern Redbud
October 06, 2007 - Our Eastern Redbud appears to be suffering from our recent drought. The leaves are turning brown in July/August on a few branches. A few black spots appear on the leaves before they turn brown. Ot...
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Affect of poisonous plant roots in soils for vegetables from Rusk TX
May 11, 2013 - I have a huge old flowerbed in front of my house that I want to plant veggies in, but I'm afraid to. It has a catalpa tree there, which I sell the worms from, but the entire tree (bark, leaves, flowe...
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