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| Q. How do I get rid of greenbrier? |
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A. Greenbrier (Smilax)
is a very common vine that can quickly cover shrubs and trees. It
has glossy leaves, in various shapes, and its woody stems are thorned.
There are over 20 species in Central Texas.
Common herbicides will not touch it. If you can catch it early,
dig up the tubers. After that, keep cutting back new shoots to deter
it.
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<<view past Questions of the Week |
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 Turk's
Cap (Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii)
Look around the neighborhood after a Texas summer has taken
its toll to find the true “Texas tough” plants that
can survive and even thrive without pampering. Turk's cap is
one of them. It’s a tough native perennial shrub generally
reaching about 3 feet tall, although it can grow larger in ideal
conditions.
Blooming from late spring into fall, the unique bright red
flowers never unfurl, but are quite attractive to hummingbirds.
Turk's cap does best in a bright shade location and prefers
an occasional drink of water, but can take a drought if necessary.
Its fruits are edible.
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<<view past Plants
of the Week
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- Since the heat’s turned up, keep an eye on this year’s
new trees and shrubs. Don’t dry them out, but don’t
drown them, either.
- For new and old trees, mulch as far as the branch spread to
protect the trunk and prevent water competition at the roots.
- Keep hedges trimmed so that the base is wider than the top to
avoid a scraggly look by the end of summer.
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<< more Planting Tips |
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