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.
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.
rate this answer
Wednesday - June 17, 2015
From: Sedona, AZ
Region: Southwest
Topic: Problem Plants, Vines
Title: Will Crossvine damage stucco walls?
Answered by: Guy Thompson
QUESTION:
The Crossvine I planted about a month ago is doing well. It is growing up a stucco wall and its little tendrils are sticking to (or into?) the stucco. Is this going to grow into the stucco and damage the wall as it grows bigger?ANSWER:
Yes, the disk-shaped holdfasts of Bignonia capreolata (Crossvine) are very capable of damaging stucco walls. You might consider replacing your Crossvine with a vine less likely to cause damage. I attach an answer to a previous Mr. Smarty Plants question that mentions some species you could choose.
"The kind of vine to look for is one that simply twines around its support or that uses tendrils to attach itself loosely to substrates as it climbs. Tendrils are protuberences like tiny tentacles that wrap around twigs wires, etc. for support. They would not penetrate stucco, but the vine would need a trellis or other means of support. Many other species of vine attach by holdfasts, which do bind to almost any surface and often penetrate into it, and should be avoided.
Suggested native species for your situation include Passiflora incarnata (Purple passionflower)(a fairly rapid grower), Gelsemium sempervirens (Carolina jessamine), Lonicera sempervirens (Coral honeysuckle), Lonicera albiflora (Western white honeysuckle), and Wisteria frutescens (American wisteria) Hopefully one of these will suit your requirements. Most of these plants should be available from your local nurseries."
From the Image Gallery
More Problem Plants Questions
Eliminating KR? Bluestem from St. Augustine Yard in Spicewood, TX
April 28, 2012 - How can I eradicate bluestem grass invading my St. Augustine lawn?
view the full question and answer
How to get rid of nut grass from San Antonio
March 22, 2011 - We just had a house built on a lot that was mostly rock. The small back yard has a berm on which they brought in soil then mulched it. Now we are getting all sorts of weeds through the mulch, what my...
view the full question and answer
Controlling poison oak or poison ivy in Iowa
April 29, 2010 - We recently purchased a property that is VERY wooded and has been vacant for two yrs. with little upkeep previously. We have (we were told) l00 yr old poison oak vines hanging
from trees. We hired so...
view the full question and answer
Problem with Chinese Pistache tree
September 01, 2014 - We have a gorgeous Chinese Pistache in our yard, about 25 feet tall. We bought it for its gorgeous fall color. The problem is that it has never turned color for us. All the other pistaches in the neig...
view the full question and answer
Problem with Pterocaulon pycnostachyum
September 17, 2014 - I have a solitary Pterocaulon pycnostachyum in my wildscape; it invited itself. Some years it does not flower at all (or the bloom is eaten before I see it), and its stalks (usually 4) are not ...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |