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
Monday - September 24, 2012
From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Non-Natives, Diseases and Disorders, Shrubs
Title: Failing to thrive of non-native rose bushes in Austin
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
I live in NW Austin and I have lost one knockout rose bush this summer and it looks like another one is failing. The leaves on a cane turn yellow then brown. I do not see whiteflies or black spots or powdery mildew. What should I do?ANSWER:
From a previous Mr. Smarty Plants answer:
"We are assuming you are referring to the Knock-Out rose, which is a recently hybridized floribunda rose. The Knock-Out is a trade name. There are very few members of the rosa genus native to North America; most, including the floribundas, are native to China. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is dedicated to the growth, propagation and protection of plants native not only to North America but to the area in which they are being grown. This plant is out of our area of expertise, but the link above will take you to a good article about them."
More Diseases and Disorders Questions
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
What is the sticky stuff coming out of the trees in Austin?
October 06, 2009 - Hello - I live in Austin TX, and in the past half month or so, have been noticing much sticky, sweet sap being exuded from trees. In a normal year I only notice the crepe myrtles doing this, but this...
view the full question and answer
Loss of leaves from globe willows in Utah
July 26, 2008 - I have four globe willows that have been in my back yard for the past 6 years. For the past month they have been losing their leaves from the bottom up. We had aphids in some of our other trees and ...
view the full question and answer
Habiturf installation after Take-All fungus
January 24, 2012 - Are other soil remedies needed (besides those listed in your Habiturf brochure) to install Habiturf on land which had a St. Augustine lawn which was decimated by take all patch.
view the full question and answer
Bloom color change in Choctaw Crape Myrtle
July 30, 2007 - In 2006 my wife bought a Choctaw Crape Myrtle from a local nursery. It had a tag from Greenleaf Nursery and had several blooms in the "correct" pink color. The plant was 5-6 ft tall. It has grown...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |