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)
Monday - March 09, 2009
From: Mission, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Non-Natives, Transplants
Title: Failure to thrive of non-native Purple Orchid Tree
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
We planted purple orchid tree Texas,zone 9 two weeks ago and all leaves turned brown.My husband used root stimulator with enough water as the instructions said.We took all brown leaves off and now it's bare and needs help.ANSWER:
Bauhinia variegata, Purple Orchid Tree, or Bauhinia purpurea, also called Purple Orchid Tree are both native to temperate and tropical Asia and therefore out of the range of expertise of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. We recommend the use of plants native not only to North America but to the area in which they are being planted. Native plants will need less water, fertilizer and maintenance to thrive. It does sound as though your tree is suffering from transplant shock, and perhaps the root stimulator contributed to that, we are not familiar with the effects of its use. If you want to try treating it as transplant shock, prune off about the upper 1/4 of the tree, now, while it's still relatively cool. Make sure there is very good drainage around the roots, as they cannot tolerate standing in water. Give it a good deep watering about twice a week, and keep your fingers crossed.
Here are a couple of articles about Bauhinia, since we have no information on it in our Native Plant Database. Floridata on Bauhinia variegata and the USDA Forest Service on Bauhnia Purpurea.
More Non-Natives Questions
Dying non-native red tip photinias in Lexington NC
June 27, 2009 - Large Red Tip bushes, what can I do to keep them alive? I have a few and they are dying. What can I do to save them?
view the full question and answer
Non-blooming toad lily in Kentucky
April 20, 2008 - I have had a toad lily for three years and it has never bloomed. What do I need to do?
view the full question and answer
Eliminating non-native Asian Jasmine in Austin
December 02, 2010 - I have a large bed in front of the house full of jasmine that was planted by the builder 25 years ago. What suggestions do you have to eliminate it and prepare the bed to plant native flowers and pl...
view the full question and answer
Seeds for invasive, non-native Erodium cicutarium
February 05, 2008 - I rec'd the following e-mail from a friend in he Chicago area. I looked for about an hour and couldn't find a place to get weed seeds. She thinks we are in the desert here and apparently are so rura...
view the full question and answer
Reseeding a dead lawn in Wimberley TX
February 07, 2012 - Our new house had a sodded lawn that now appears dead. There remains a layer of sandy soil as a part of the sodding process. Is there a way to reseed these existing slabs of sod and what process wo...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |