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 is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

rate this answer

Monday - October 08, 2012
From: Austin, TX
Region: Select Region
Topic: Compost and Mulch, Pruning, Shade Tolerant, Herbs/Forbs, Trees
Title: Area under live oaks from Austin
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
We have many live oaks in our mostly shaded half acre. While I have tried to plant mostly native plants, often beneath them, the plants are showered with leathery leaves, acorns and sap, while oak sprouts protrude. Short of putting up nets to catch all the stuff falling from the oaks, what can I do to have cleaner beds without frequent kneeling and hand raking to get up the "fallout" without damaging the plants? Can I let it just sit there to eventually turn into mulch? In one oak motte I use a hedge trimmer to turn the multitude of sprouts into a ground cover as the sprouts have outdone the Asian jasmine! Help! PS in 25% of yard, we've put ground cloth and mulch.ANSWER:
Please begin by reading this previous Mr. Smarty Plants answer, as well as following any links in that answer to other material. Once you have read all of those anwers, we would summarize our take on this situation.
1. What do you want to keep? Our decision would be the live oaks, they are the most valuable part of your landscaping, as far as we are concerned.
2. No, untended debris will not magically turn into mulch. It will stack up, blow around, and where it piles up will attract insects, rodents, snakes looking for a snack and general trash.
3. A motte of live oaks is risky, in that Oak Wilt can not only enter a tree via damage to the bark (hedge trimmer, weed eater, pruning, etc) but if one tree becomes infected, it will travel to the other trees in the motte via intertwined roots.
Until you have read all the references and considered the options, you won't be able to make an informed decision. Since we are from West Texas where the ground cover is cactus and the trees are scraggly mesquites, we would vote for the trees and stop trying to grow stuff under them. Neither trees nor underplantings are likely to thrive under those conditions.
More Shade Tolerant Questions
Shade and Rain Garden in South Carolina
May 08, 2009 - Dear Mr. Smarty Plants,
I have two seperate but important questions for your mastery of native plant knowledge. First, I live in a thick, 112 ft. tall white oak forest. Therefore, there is lot...
view the full question and answer
Native Plants for Shaded North Slope in Ohio
January 03, 2013 - I have a shaded north hillside which needs erosion control plants. Mostly moss and very thin grass grows there now. Please help!
view the full question and answer
Native plants for shade in Ennis TX
August 26, 2011 - My house faces south. The southwest side of the front yard has a Pride of Houston, Japanese Barberry, 2 crape myrtles and some dwarf yaupon hollies. The other section, divided by a stairway to the p...
view the full question and answer
Native Plants for a Shaded Patio Container in Missouri
April 17, 2015 - What kind of native plants would grow well in a pot on a fully shaded patio? I live in Kansas City, Missouri. The patio faces north and doesn't get any direct sunlight, but it gets lots of indirect...
view the full question and answer
Shade tree with non-aggressive roots for next to pool in The Woodlands TX
April 26, 2011 - Hi Mr. Smarty Plants.
We live in Spring, TX and are looking for a full-sun shade tree to plant in a large planter (about 6'x6') next to our pool. We want the tree to provide shade for our full a...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |