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)
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 Drought Tolerant Questions
Drought tolerant Plants and moving Wax myrtles in Austin
April 30, 2011 - Mr. Smarty Plants,
What are the most fire resistant and drought tolerant plants for caliche soil in Austin area?
I am considering relocating or removing my wax myrtle shrubs because they are ...
view the full question and answer
Low evergreen drought-resistant shrubs for area in partial shade
January 03, 2014 - I promised my mom to help her with some new plants for her house, so here goes. She lives near Waco on Blackland clay soil. The problem area is right in front of the house. It only receives a few hour...
view the full question and answer
Water-saving strategies of drought-tolerant plants
April 04, 2014 - Although "drought tolerant" plants are fairly well documented, it's clear that many different strategies are responsible, such as a huge root system (like Mesquite). I'm interested in learning the...
view the full question and answer
Privacy screen for barn from Washington TX
April 27, 2013 - We live on a large ranch and have someone now next to us that built a barn on our fence line that we want to make a tree barrier to hide it, so we need to plant trees that will grow at least 15-29 fee...
view the full question and answer
Flowering Deer Resistant Ground Cover for Dry Rocky Soil: Alabama
March 26, 2012 - My question has been partially answered in the FAQ but I live in Birmingham where the soil is clay and rocky so it's a little different. I want to plant on a rocky slope (small rocks like the size of...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |