Native Plants
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Monday - May 03, 2010
From: Glastonbury, CT
Region: Northeast
Topic: Non-Natives
Title: Failure to thrive of non-native Japanese maple
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
My 10 year old Japanese red maple leaves suddenly started to curl up and die at the end of summer last year. Only about a quarter of the tree leaved out this spring, branches are dead. Can I plant another in its spot? What could have happened?ANSWER:
Acer palmatum, Japanese Maple, is native to China and (of course) Japan. Since the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is dedicated to the use, protection and propagation of plants native not only to North America but to the areas in which they are being grown, we have no information on this plant in our Native Plant Database. Here is an About.com: Forestry article How to Manage and ID Japanese Maple, which can give you a lot of information to help you discover the problems. The fact that you kept it alive for 10 years indicates you were doing a good job, as it is not ordinarily a long-lived plant, and this USDA Plant Profile does not even show it as growing in Connecticut. Hartford County, in central Connecticut, is in USDA Hardiness Zone 6, and the Japanese maple is hardy from Zones 5b to 8, so your temperatures should not have been the problem. If you know others are growing this tree in your area, you might contact the University of Connecticut Cooperative Extension Office for Hartford County. If this is something that has been happening in your area, they are closer to home and can give you more help than we can.More Non-Natives Questions
Failure to bloom of tropical plumeria
July 04, 2008 - I have had my plumeria for the past five years. The first three years it bloomed but has not the past two. The plant is healthy and continues to grow but will not flower. It seems to be very health...
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Replacing non-native boxwood in Austin
October 03, 2011 - I have a large maze garden, possibly boxwood, originally planted in the 1950's, in Austin, Texas. About 1/3 of it has died out, probably due to drought, heat and age. Should I attempt to replant ju...
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Disease problems with non-native Globe Willow
May 23, 2009 - Globe Willow - Is exuding a white frothy foam/sap at several locations. What is this and how can it be stopped?
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What crops grow in Laredo, Texas?
September 19, 2012 - I have to do a report on Laredo Texas and one of the questions is what type of crops do they grow in Laredo Texas. I couldn't find an answer anywhere and I was wondering if you can help me?
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Freeze problems with non-native weeping willow in Joplin, MO
May 13, 2010 - My weeping willow had leaves forming and a frost hit and now the tree looks like it is dead. Everything else is in bloom and I don't know if the frost killed my tree or if I need to wait to see if it...
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