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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Friday - June 05, 2015
From: Parker, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Invasive Plants, Problem Plants
Title: Controlling Devil's Bit in Collin County, TX
Answered by: Joe Marcus
QUESTION:
I live in Collin County and our pasture has a growing section of Devils Bit taking over everything. I've been using 2,4-D on it with some success. What is the best method of control for this demon weed?ANSWER:
We think you're referring to Sucissa pratensis. We were a bit surprised to hear of it being in Collin County, Texas until we remembered answering a related question from Plano, Texas in 2013. The news you bring is not good.
Previously, this Eurasian native's invasion of North America has been largely limited to New England. We suspect that someone brought the plant to Texas for horticultural reasons and now you and others are left trying stop its spread. We encourage you in the strongest terms to make every effort to eradicate it before the problem gets out of hand.
The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center encourages everyone to use the least toxic means necessary to control weeds and pests. Hoeing, pulling or hand-rogueing are often adequate and preferred control methods. Of course, we realize that chemical controls are sometimes necessary and may actually be safer for humans and the enviroment than non-chemical methods. But, we are not experts on the use of herbicides and other chemical controls.
We encourage you to visit with your county's AgriLife Extension Service agent and stress how important it is to you and to the State of Texas that this nascent problem be eliminated before it becomes a much larger and impossible problem in the future. Your County Agent should be able to give you very specific recommendations for addressing the problem and eradicating your "demon weed."
Finally, please encourage your neighbors to also take whatever measures are necessary to eliminate Devil's Bit from their property.
More Invasive Plants Questions
Mexican feathergrass from Pflugerville, TX
January 23, 2013 - How deep are the roots of Nassella tenuissima? I'm looking for something that could possibly discourage my neighbors' bermuda grass from encroaching into my native plantings.
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Toxicity and invasiveness of Scarlet Wisteria
May 04, 2007 - I recently purchased seeds for Scarlet Wisteria (Chinese rattlebox tree). I spoke to a neighbor about this and she warned me not to plant them as they were poisonous to hummingbirds. Can you clarify...
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Is non-native cotoneaster poisonous to goats from Eureka CA
August 19, 2011 - I have heard that cotoneaster is poisonous to goats and other animals. We are trying to get rid of it in our yard, but I was hoping we could use goats to eat it back. What are our options in removin...
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Plant identification of tall stalk with many thorns
April 17, 2009 - Dear Mr. Smarty Pants:
After we raked all the leaves, I found three or four plants on my property that are thin tall stalks with many thorns. Leaves are just growing, so I cannot describe them. ...
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Replacing non-native invasives with native grasses and wildflowers from Round Rock TX
April 04, 2012 - I have a small piece of property (1.5 AC) East of Austin, Texas that get's overgrown with weedy vegetation (johnson grass, dandelion, and some tall yellow flowering plant that I see all over the medi...
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