Native Plants
![](../_images/smarty_plants.gif)
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.
![](../_images/mr_smarty_plants_logo_web_200w.jpg)
rate this answer
![](../_images/star_00.gif)
Monday - November 01, 2010
From: Port Austin, MI
Region: Midwest
Topic: Trees
Title: Madrones in Michigan?
Answered by: Anne Bossart
QUESTION:
Will a Arbutus menziesii (Pursh Pacific madrone) grow in Huron County Michigan? I'm at the "tip of Michigan's thumb".ANSWER:
Sorry, not a chance!
Our Native Plant Database tells us that Arbutus menziesii (Pacific madrone) is native to rocky coastal sites, low to mid elevation on the Gulf Islands and south-coastal BC where the climate is gentler than Michigan.
But we sure do understand why you are asking as there is also an Arbutus xalapensis (Texas madrone) that doesn't get as large but is just as impressive. We have a couple of small ones growing here at the Wildflower Center and they are starting to attract attention. They are hard to find in the nursery trade as they don't transplant well even though they are found in nature growing beautifully in very inhospitable situations.
You can, however, grow one of it's tougher little northern cousins Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (Kinnikinnick)
From the Image Gallery
More Trees Questions
Positioning a bald cypress among cattails in Silver Spring MD
April 30, 2009 - We have a rain garden, half of which is fairly overrun with broad- and narrow-leaf cattails. We've learned to be aggressive in thinning these out 2 to 3 times during the growing season. We also have ...
view the full question and answer
Live oak trees with rusty spots and holes on tree trunks
September 21, 2011 - I have live oak trees that have developed rusty spots, small holes on the tree trunks and sawdust on the trees base. They were planted in Oct 2010. We have had a hot dry summer in Texas this year an...
view the full question and answer
Pruning for native oak in Houston
October 06, 2008 - I have an oak tree, and I was wondering if I prune from the top down, would it get fuller at the bottom? Or can you tell me how to prune it? I have been pruning from the bottom up and it is growing ta...
view the full question and answer
Mountain laurel with new leaves or new seed pods
May 11, 2008 - Each spring, my Texas Mountain Laurel seems to put new leaves only on selected branches (actually trunks), and put on seed pods on other trunks. It seems to be mutually exclusive: trunks with new seed...
view the full question and answer
Native plants for shade in Ennis TX
August 26, 2011 - My house faces south. The southwest side of the front yard has a Pride of Houston, Japanese Barberry, 2 crape myrtles and some dwarf yaupon hollies. The other section, divided by a stairway to the p...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |