Explore Plants
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.
Can't find the answer in our existing FAQs, submit a question to Mr. Smarty Plants.
Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.
rate this answer
Sunday - November 28, 2010
From: Fayetteville, NC
Region: Southeast
Topic: Non-Natives
Title: Comparison of native and non-native bulbs from Fayetteville NC
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
I am just a gardener seeking natives. As I could not find Crinum americanum bulbs/plants specifically, I checked further online. Here's an excerpt of what I found from the Louisiana Native Plant Society: Garden Bulbs for the South. Ogden states there are two look-alike Crinums. One is native but rare in cultivation because of its need for wet conditions (Crinum americanum), and a tropical drylander (Crinum erubescens), which is often sold as Crinum americanum ‘Robustum.’ The only difference that readily distinguishes between them is that the native is an aquatic or boggy condition grower, the tropical South American species will not grow in water, but in ordinary garden conditions. This is not the only parallel to species in the Southern United States and in subtropical South America where similar climatic conditions occur. My conclusions: I do not have the native Crinum americanum of the Gulf Coast and South Atlantic Coast. But what I have is a beautiful plant, well worth the little effort in growing. Thought you might want to know.ANSWER:
Congratulations on being a gardener seeking natives. In your discussion on the native Crinum americanum (Crinum lily) and the non-native Crinum erubescens, your facts are correct. The Native Plant Police will not be out to ticket you for permitting a non-native into your garden; even the most fervent native plant gardeners are sometimes guilty of allowing a lavender to sneak in or perhaps an old rose. Our main concern is that we not allow non-native invasives to take over and crowd out the native species in the garden.
Images of Crinum erubescens from Google.
From our Native Plant Image Gallery:
More Non-Natives Questions
How to tell the difference between native and non-native thistles
March 13, 2013 - It's thistle time already. There are many plants in the aster family with thistle in their common name. Are "real" thistles only those in the genus Cirsium, or are there others as well? We are tryi...
view the full question and answer
Smarty Plants on fungal attack
October 12, 2005 - I have three plants that have been getting fungus on their soil and I've tried to get rid of it by scraping it off, watering it less and more sunlight. It's two coleus and a begonia. I don't know...
view the full question and answer
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...
view the full question and answer
Non-native gardenia in Cedar Park, TX
October 07, 2009 - My gardenia, which is planted in a large pot, drops the buds before they bloom. What do I need to do. I already fertilize it with gardenia food.
view the full question and answer
Seeds of agave attenuata from San Diego CA
April 16, 2012 - After the agave attenuata bloom dried up there are seeds like thing hanging on the foxtail; do I leave it until it dies or do I chop that down. Are those seeds for propagation. The leaves of the plan...
view the full question and answer
 |
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. Mr. Smarty Plants wants you to be his Facebook friend. Click the Facebook icon to add yourself to Mr. Smarty Plants list of friends. |
