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
Friday - June 29, 2012
From: Chappell Hill, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Non-Natives, Trees
Title: a source for fruitless olive (non-native) trees
Answered by: Guy Thompson
QUESTION:
I was given a "mexican olive" several years ago which is doing very well. This one is non-fruiting and I would like to have another that is non-fruiting but cannot find one. Cordia boissieri seems to be the only plant name but all those I find have fruit. Is there a variety that does not fruit?ANSWER:
I have not been able to find a source for fruitless olives in your vicinity. What you have may indeed be Cordia boissieri, but it could also be a totally different olive species, such as Swan Hill Olive ®, grown on the Olea europaea cv, "Oblonga" rootstock. This latter tree is the most popular of several related fruitless olive species. Other cultivars are Wilsonii and Majestic Beauty. Texas nurserymen are very enterprising, and I suspect that if these fruitless olives were well suited for Texas they would be more widely available. Their absence is likely due to their cold sensitivity. C. boissieri is said to survive only down to 20 degrees F., and O. europaea will be lost at 28-26 degrees F. Your tree must be in a well protected spot, or you have just been lucky with the weather.
I am not very familiar with these non-native trees since our specialty is native plants. You can find more information at nursery sites in Arizona and California. You can probably mail-order trees from there. However, I think it would be risky to try and grow these species. Over the next few years we are likely to have at least one really cold spell that could take them out.
You might want to consider planting a cold-hardy native tree that has a growth habit similar to the olives. I could suggest Ebenopsis ebano (Texas ebony), Diospyros texana (Texas persimmon), Sophora secundiflora (Texas mountain laurel), or Ilex vomitoria (Yaupon). If you visit the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center web site of plant suppliers and enter your zip code or address you will find names of local native plant suppliers.
Shown below are images of the native trees that I recommend.
From the Image Gallery
More Trees Questions
Is sulfurous well water affecting leaves on trees in Belton TX
November 07, 2011 - We installed an irrigation system for our buffalo grass lawn last spring. The grass is fine but the leaves on the trees are burned where the water hits them. I suspect that the well we are using fo...
view the full question and answer
What eats American holly bushes in winter?
January 24, 2010 - I live in Marlborough, MA and I was shoveling snow on January 19th and noticed how beautiful my Holly bush was covered in red berries against the new fallen snow. My husband said to me this morning (...
view the full question and answer
Disease of eastern red cedars (Juniperus virginiana)
August 01, 2010 - I have multiple Eastern Red Cedars spaced in my woods which are sick and dying. Some were transplanted years ago, others are volunteers, all are less than 4 ft tall. The foliage turns brown in vario...
view the full question and answer
Problems with Texas Ash and non-native Bradford Pear in Hutto TX
January 27, 2011 - We have planted two trees in our back yard. The first one(a Bradford Pear) died and the second one (a Texas ash) doesn't look like it's doing very well. Our back yard is mostly black clay about 1 f...
view the full question and answer
Is Lemon Cypress toxic?
August 15, 2012 - Is the Lemon Cypress toxic?
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |
