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.

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

Tuesday - July 31, 2012

From: Marlin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Diseases and Disorders, Trees
Title: Recently planted Chinquapin Oak with browning leaves in Marlin, TX.
Answered by: Jimmy Mills

QUESTION:

We planted a Chinquapin Oak this in March 2012. As of July 21, 2012, the tips of the leaves on the lower branches are turning brown. We cannot see any insects. There does not appear to be any fungus on the leaves that you can see. Soil is a sandy loam with a clay subsoil. We are in east Falls County, Texas about 100 miles NE of Austin.

ANSWER:

Whenever Mr. Smarty Plants hears about newly planted trees having problems, his thoughts turn to transplant shock. When plants are moved from location to another, it takes a while for the roots to adjust to their new environment and become established well enough to support the shoots. These two links to northscaping.com can help you get your oak tree through these trying times.

Ten Tips for Minimizing Transplant Shock

First Year Tree and Shrub Care

From the Image Gallery

Chinkapin oak
Quercus muehlenbergii