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

Wednesday - November 21, 2012
From: McCamey, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: General Botany, Diseases and Disorders, Trees
Title: Fasciation on Texas Mountain Laurel
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
Do Texas Mountain Laurel normally have a staghorn looking growth hanging on them after blooming in addition to the seed pod clusters or could this be a mutation?ANSWER:
The staghorn growth you are seeing on the Sophora secundiflora (Texas mountain laurel) is called a fasciation. Fasciation is a plant developmental anomaly in which it appears that stems, flowers, leaves and/or fruits have been fused. It is uncertain whether it is genetically determined or caused by disease or some other sort of trauma to the plant. It does appear that there may be an inheritable tendency toward fasciation that may be triggered by environmental conditions such as temperature, crowding, insect attack, disease or wounding of the plant. Texas Mountain Laurel seems especially susceptible to fasciation. Here are photos photos of fasciated plants and more information from Purdue University Extension and Colorado State Extension and some photos of fasciated, or cristated, cactus (cristation is a synonym for fasciation).
Below are photos of fasciated stems of Texas Mountain Laurel and a fasciated blossom of Lupinus texensis (Texas bluebonnet).
From the Image Gallery
More Diseases and Disorders Questions
Rose canker in roses on cedar posts
May 24, 2007 - While visiting the wildflower Center I saw that some of the plants were growing on trellis' made of posts cut from cedar trees. I made a trellis for my climbing rose bush and where the stems touched...
view the full question and answer
Brown leaf problem with herbaceous blooming plants from Greenfield MA
May 28, 2014 - I have 3 plants cimicifuga brunette and lots of astile planted near each other. Suddenly the edges of leaves have turned brown and shriveled and spread to entire plant, all of them. It has not been ...
view the full question and answer
White specks on unknown houseplant from Ridgeway SC
June 20, 2013 - I have an unknown houseplant that seems to have some sort of pest or disease on it. It has white snowy specks atop its leaf. I bought this purple fuzzy leafed houseplant from Walmart in Winnsboro, SC ...
view the full question and answer
Help for Collapsing Tradescantia
August 14, 2013 - My tradescantia has completely collapsed at the crown. The stems are yellowish. This happened once before when I had it planted in full sun and I just had to discard it. This time I have one plante...
view the full question and answer
Promoting bloom in Chocolate Summer Mimosa
January 11, 2008 - Please help! I purchased a Chocolate Summer Mimosa from one of our local nurseries. It was a brand new plant to them and they don't really know much about them. I planted it just 3 years ago as an...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |