Native Plants
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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.
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Monday - October 06, 2008
From: Rockville Centre, NY
Region: Northeast
Topic: Trees
Title: Small native evergreen tree for Long Island, NY
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
Hi, I am looking for an evergreen tree to plant on Long Island NY. I plan on planting it in my front yard. At maturity to about 10-15ft about 5 ft wide. Not sure about soil, the area gets good AM sun and a bit of PM sun. Thanks for your suggestionsANSWER:
Okay, tough assignment. Most trees, evergreen or otherwise, will eventually get a lot taller than 10 to 15 ft. Most shrubs and trees in your USDA Hardiness Zone are going to be deciduous, except for the firs and pines. Most firs and pines get REALLY tall. And that's not a whole lot of sun. But never fear, Mr. Smarty Plants is here! We began with selecting shrubs that grow or can grow to the 10 to 15 ft. height, and are evergreen. Some of them are multi-trunk and should probably be allowed to grow that way. Some can be trained to be single-trunked, with the lower branches pruned off in the appropriate season (probably early Spring in New York). Some of the evergreen trees that we found can get much bigger than you want, but in cultivation usually don't get so large. And most of them grow pretty slowly, so maybe you could get used to the height, or move away before they become overwhelming.
When you think you have found some plants you are interested in, go to our Native Plant Suppliers section, type your town and state into the "Enter Search Location" box and you will get a list of native plant nurseries, seed companies and landscape consultants in your general area.
Cephalanthus occidentalis (common buttonbush) - 6 to 12 ft. tall, occasionally taller
Morella pensylvanica (northern bayberry) - To 12 ft tall, persistent, if not completely evergreen, leaves
Ilex opaca (American holly) - to 25 ft. tall
Juniperus virginiana (eastern redcedar) - to 30 ft. tall, taller in the wild
Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas-fir) - 15 to 150 ft.
Picea pungens (blue spruce) - 50 to 100 ft. in wild, usually shorter in cultivation Pictures
Thuja occidentalis (arborvitae) - can grow 40 to 60 ft. tall, but under cultivation probably no taller than 30 ft. Pictures.
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April 22, 2014 - My carrot wood tree is losing all of its leaves. The tree is about 15foot high & 13 years old. Could it be gophers? The tree was trimmed 1 year ago.
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Project on natives in Connecticut from Chino CA
April 13, 2010 - Hi Mr. Smarty Plants,
My 10 yr. old daughter is doing a project on Ct., and would like to know what the most common plants, trees and flowers are found in this state. A few of each would be a great ...
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Using Coffee Grounds under Live Oaks in Texas?
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July 27, 2015 - Hi, thanks for all your help in the past! I have a generous spot in my spacious back yard that is begging to be filled. The top soil is 4" sandy loam, below which is black clay.With frog strangler r...
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Transplanting redbud from field in Edmond, OK
March 30, 2009 - I want to transplant a small redbud from a field to my yard. The trunk diam is about 1.5" and the tree is about 4' tall. What is the best way to do this? Should I plant it in a pot first?
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