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

Sunday - February 10, 2013
From: Sunrise Beach, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Drought Tolerant, Trees
Title: My Cedar Elms drop leaves all year long. Is that a problem?
Answered by: Jimmy Mills
QUESTION:
Lake LBJ Area. My Cedar Elms,(I have about 8) drop leaves all year long and then drop all in late fall/early winter. Does the year round drop indicate a problem? It is definitely a nuisance. ThanksANSWER:
Cedar Elm Ulmus crassifolia (Cedar elm) is a drought tolerant Texas native,with numerous dark green leaves which rank among the smallest of the native Elms. The tree is a deciduous perennial and sheds the bulk in the leaves on schedule in the fall. This leaf drop is signaled by environmental cues that predict the onslaught of winter. Other changes in the environment such as lack of water, or shading of leaves in the interior of the canopy can also trigger leaf drop through out the year. The dropping of leaves is termed abscission and it is preceded by leaf death which is termed senescence. This link explains how these natural processes work in the life of the plant.
The links below will tell you more about Cedar Elms
treesusa.com
Native Plant Society of Texas
From the Image Gallery
More Trees Questions
Tree for St Paul MN
April 30, 2012 - Need deciduous faster growing shade tree, more taproot style (few/no surface bulging roots--had to cut down large silver maple), few/no fatal pests, tolerant of cold (MN), preferably able to take vari...
view the full question and answer
Need help with a 50 ft Tulip Tree with storm damage in Brownsburg, IN.
June 30, 2010 - I have a 50 ft Tulip tree that suffered storm damage. One for the main branches split at the top fork and fell. It has left about 6 ft of exposed wood but there are still a couple of main branches in...
view the full question and answer
Watering practices for live oaks in drought from New Braunfels TX
September 04, 2011 - We have conflicting info about watering live oaks. An arborist says to water now using soaker hoses or small sprinklers and a landscaper who spoke to our garden club said that after August is too late...
view the full question and answer
Time to transplant an Eastern Redbud in Pearland, TX
November 17, 2010 - When is the best time in the fall to transplant an Eastern Redbud tree in Pearland, TX? We have one approximately 6 feet tall in the back yard and want to move it to the front ASAP.
view the full question and answer
Native plants both deer resistant and good for erosion from North Oaks MN
August 23, 2012 - We have several partially sunny areas on hills that are prone to both deer and erosion. Our goal is to reduce runoff in an effort to preserve the watershed that provides tap water to many citizens of ...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |