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

1 rating

Monday - June 03, 2013

From: Louisville, KY
Region: Mid-Atlantic
Topic: Non-Natives, Diseases and Disorders, Trees
Title: Problems with non-native Callery Pear tree from Louisville KY
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

I have a Cleveland select that has a bark issue. It is on its second season and I just saw this. It looks like the bark is bubbling up kinda and then wants to peel off the main trunk. I have a picture if that would help. Thanks!

ANSWER:

When you said you have a "Cleveland select" we weren't sure if that was a ballplayer or what. Then you said it had a bark issue, so we searched the Internet on "Cleveland select tree" which yielded the information that there is a tree named Pyrus Calleryana (pear tree) which has a cultivar named "Cleveland Select." Another quick Internet search revealed that Pyrus calleryana is native to China and Japan. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, home of Mr. Smarty Plants, is dedicated to the growth, propagation and protection of plants native not only to North America but to the area in which that plant is being grown, so we can't help you with this problem.

From Ohio State University this article Pyrus calleryana will give you some information on the tree. We would suggest you either contact a local registered arborist or the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Office for Jefferson County.