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
Saturday - July 14, 2012
From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Pests, Trees
Title: Aphids in pecan tree from Austin
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
Last year at this time (midsummer) everything under the canopy of our 60+ year old pecan tree was covered with a sticky substance--plants, lawn furniture, concrete pool deck..Since we had never seen this before we assumed it had something to do with the severe drought--and the lack of rain to wash things off. However, it is happening again this year. We've asked our tree guy and nursery staff, but no one knows what it is. It does not 'hose off.' Would appreciate advice--even where we might go for help.ANSWER:
Easy one. We are surprised none of the sources you consulted knew what it was. Here is a recent Mr. Smarty Plants question discussing the reason for the sticky stuff. Another website we would direct you to is the Integrated Pest Management site from the University of California on Aphids. What you need to hose off is the tree; it will wash a lot of the aphids off and they can't get back up so readily. Avoid herbicides because it will likely kill beneficial insects that feed off the aphids.
More Pests Questions
Something eating leaves of Eastern Redbud in San Antonio
May 27, 2010 - I know you had this question a few years back but no answer. Something is eating the leaves of my Redbud (Eastern, I think. There are varying sizes of bites, but most leaves stripped, some to stem. Pl...
view the full question and answer
Live oak trees buzzing in Taylor TX
October 20, 2012 - Is it possible for live oak trees to make a buzzing sound? We have heard this sound under our live oak and were worried it was bees but we don't seem to see any. I also heard the buzzing under my mot...
view the full question and answer
What's attacking my Nellie Stevens Holly plants in Iredell, TX?
June 27, 2011 - I just bought 10 Nellie R. Stevens holly bushes and planted them as a screen. The leaves on some of the plants are at least half white - not yellow but white. Apparently they were like that when I b...
view the full question and answer
Food for wild rabbits in Shiro TX
July 15, 2009 - There are usually 1-2 cottontail rabbits sharing our 4 acre habitat that are suffering due to the lack of new growth caused by drought. Is there anything I can plant after this summer that would provi...
view the full question and answer
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...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |