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
Thursday - July 05, 2012
From: Spicewood,, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Diseases and Disorders, Pests, Shrubs, Trees
Title: Texas Mountain Laurel oozing sap in Spicewood, TX.
Answered by: Joe Marcus
QUESTION:
We have a Texas mountain laurel that seems to be sweating. Oozing sap with no apparent signs of any type of bore holes, or holes made from any birds.ANSWER:
Your Texas Mountain Laurel has likely been visited by some egg-laying insects. Cicadas and Katydids are common causes of sap-oozing on trees and shrubs during the summer months. Females of many of these insects have very sharp, sword-shaped appendages called ovipositors with which they pierce the surface of tree trunks and stems and lay their eggs beneath. This piercing leaves a razor-thin wound in the bark of the plant that is nearly invisible, but through which sometimes copious amounts of sap may ooze.
Most plants have little ill-effect from being violated in this way. However, large-scale ovipositing by some insect species can harm or even kill some plants.
Contact your AgriLife Extension Service agent for more information on this topic.
From the Image Gallery
More Diseases and Disorders Questions
Oak trees shedding leaves in Denton TX
May 27, 2012 - In Denton, TX we have two mature Quercus buckleyi. It is May 11th 2012 and one of these trees has been shedding green leaves for the last week. The only changes we have made are: planted English ivy...
view the full question and answer
Problems with blueberries from Kernersville NC
April 29, 2012 - My blueberry plants have no leaves or scrawny ones. I have 13 plants, 5 of them are like this.
view the full question and answer
Yellowing of palm tree leaves
May 14, 2008 - I want to know about palm trees. The leaves are turning
yellow.
view the full question and answer
What kind of beetles are attacking cedar trees on Cape Cod, MA.
May 17, 2010 - I live on Cape Cod, MA and my cedar trees are being attacked by some kind of beetle & killing them. I would appreciate knowing what this could be and how to treat this. Thank you
view the full question and answer
Yellowing of Leyland Cypress in Roswell, GA
April 27, 2010 - We paid for 12 foot naylor blue leyland's to be planted behind our home. This is their first season in the ground here - they came from a tree farm - there is yellowing on some of the branches and w...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |