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)
Tuesday - October 27, 2009
From: Wimberley, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Trees
Title: Twig girdlers attacking an Elm tree in Wimberly, TX.
Answered by: Jimmy Mills
QUESTION:
I was looking at my small 6' cedar elm and noticed that four (4) 1/2" limbs have circle cuts a 1/8" wide completely around them and they are dead. Is this some insect or maybe a bigger critter? I have several other cedar elms and they are not affected.ANSWER:
It sounds like your elm tree has been visited by a twig girdler, a type wood-boring beetle. Texas Agricultural Extension Service of Texas A&M University has an excellent publication, Wood Boring Insects of Trees and Shrubs , with information to help identify your particular pest and how to control it.
Other useful sources of information can be found at:
Texas Agricultural Extension Service
University of Nebraska Extension
Check this site for some good beetle images
More Trees Questions
Sun-scorched Cherry laurel (Prunus caroliniana)
June 24, 2009 - I live in south Central Texas 30 miles north of San Antonio. I am looking for a good evergreen hedge plant that once established will not die if I forget to water it a few days and is deer resistant....
view the full question and answer
Control of live oak suckers by cutting
July 23, 2007 - How do I control the Live Oak root suckers? At the moment we are cutting them as they come out of the ground.
view the full question and answer
Late leafing and early leaf-drop of Ohio buckeye tree
October 28, 2005 - We recently bought a house which has an ohio buckeye tree in the back yard. It stands about 40 feet from a large creek in Troy, Ohio. The tree is about 30 feet tall. A strip of the bark is missing....
view the full question and answer
Plants for under live oak in Houston
July 09, 2011 - Hi,
We have a live oak in our back garden in Houston and would like to plant a combination of some native shrubs and flowers near it (preferably perennial). The garden bed is about 4 metres from the...
view the full question and answer
Are non-native Chinese pistache poisonous to alpacas from Galt CA
October 07, 2012 - Are Chinese Pistachio trees poisonous to alpacas?
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |