Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

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.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
1 rating

Tuesday - February 07, 2012

From: Irving, TX
Region: Select Region
Topic: Invasive Plants, Non-Natives, Planting, Shrubs
Title: Planting time for non-natives in Irving TX
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

Have dwarf nandinas and two lorapetalums that I want to transplant. Can I do it now February 6th 2012?

ANSWER:

Actually, you have reached a wrong number. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, home of Mr. Smarty Plants, is dedicated to the growth, propagation and protection of plants native not only to North America but to the area in which those plants are being grown.

Lorapetalum, Lorapetalum chinense, is native to the Hunan province of China. We always suspect anything with the words "China," "Chinese" or "Chinense" in their names; they are not only non-native but many are invasive.

While Nandina domestica, known as Nandina or Heavely Bamboo, does not have a reference to China in its name, it is native to eastern Asia from the Himalayas to Japan. It is very invasive, spread by wildlife (who eat the berries and deposit the seeds) as well as underground rhizomes, as this article from the University of Florida Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants on Nandina domestica will tell you. You also should read the 15 negative comments from the forum Dave's Garden has on Nandina.

So, if you were considering purchasing these two plants, we would discourage it, and recommend some natives shrubs, instead. But as you said you wished to transplant them, we are assuming you already have them. Particularly in the case of nandina, we would far rather you spread them no further but, since you ask, woody shrubs and trees are best transplanted while they are dormant in the coldest part of the year, but you probably could still do so in February,

 

 

More Invasive Plants Questions

Winter weeds in Flower Mound TX
February 19, 2009 - My lawn is being overrun by winter weeds. How can I get rid of them? Should I wait until March when I put down weed and feed fertilizer?
view the full question and answer

Can a mustang grape and an oak coexist in Austin
November 04, 2009 - I have a healthy mustang grape vine growing on an oak in my yard. While the vine provides plenty of good food and a pleasant environment for many birds throughout the year, I feel it is overtaking the...
view the full question and answer

Pictures of Bastard Cabbage from Dallas TX
April 07, 2012 - HI! Re your March 12 posting: The USDA Plants website pictures two very different looking plants identified as Rapistrum rugosum (bastardcabbage). Would you please post a photo with leaf and bloom ...
view the full question and answer

Removal of non-native invasive Ligustrum japonica from Austin
February 14, 2012 - I bought a house that I am slowly turning into a native garden, but as a teacher, I have a really small budget. One entire border of my backyard (30 feet) was planted with evil Ligustrum japonica. I l...
view the full question and answer

What to do about bastard cabbage in the Austin area?
May 08, 2015 - I am noticing bastard cabbage taking over roadsides and medians at an alarming rate where a mixture of native flowers used to bloom. Is it allowable to organize efforts to pull the invasive plants ou...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.