Texas Mountain Laurel - A White Variety

Every year, a few of the Texas mountain laurels show up with pale purple or whitish blooms.    They are such an oddity that they get snatched up quickly. 

I happen to be a sucker for white flowers -  I think it was the white roses in The Great Gatsby when I was a teenager that did it  -  I just relate white flowers with romance.   But don't you love how white blooms almost glow in the moonlight.  

Well, last spring, we had a mountain laurel that bloomed white, white, WHITE!   We've marked it and will begin playing with the seeds this year.   There isn't much written on white blooming Texas mountain laurels.  We've heard that they cross-pollinate so there's no guarantee what color trees produced from seed will bloom.   We're still deciding on the perfect isolated spot to transplant her - and since we hope she's a big part of our little nursery, we do need to find a name for her.    All suggestions are welcome! 

Japanese Rhinoceros Beetle

Below is the carcas of a Japanese Rhinoceros Beetle.   Some people buy them for pets but we were lucky enough to have them just show up in some palms.  In fact, 25 people 'like' the Japanese Rhinoceros Beetle facebook page!   If you are a palm lover, you want to watch out for these guys.   

The mature female burrows down beside her selected plant.   She leaves quite a large opening as shown in the photo below.   Beetle hole is on the bottom left of this palm trunk. 

Once underground, the beetle will lay her egg(s).   The larva then begins to feed on the roots and up the heart of the palm.    At my home, we lost 5 of our 6 Windmill palms, Trachycarpus fortunii,  before we clicked in to what the problem was. 

The first picture below shows the initial frond damage -    by the time your palm is putting out brown fronds, it is probably too late to save it. 

Other palms that the rhinoceros beetle likes to feed on are small Mediterranean Fan Palms, Chamerops humilis, and young Texas Sabals, Sabal texana.    Once they have noticable trunk size, they don't seem to appeal to this beetle.  I would imagine they also enjoy a Florida Sabal or Cabbage Palm.  

Most problems with palms can be avoided with good irrigation and fertilization practices.  This just happens to be an exception to that rule.

This field of Queen Palms, Syagrus romanzoffianna, (also known as Cocus Plumosa) have really grown this spring.   They have 6, 8 or 10 feet of clear trunk.  That means that the palms measure 12 - 16 feet tall overall.  

Above is the freshly dug rootball.  A queen palm doesn't need a very large rootball.  See the white dots?  Those are all roots that have been cut - the cut will cause them to branch 4" back and grow even more roots.   If the palms you purchase are not in containers, then fresh dug are best.  

Plant, stake, water, and enjoy!

Planting for the Future

David Day, special ed teacher at Olmito Elementary in Los Fresnos, goes above and beyond in his job!  He contacted Simmons Oak Farms about a large landscape project on his campus and we were happy to give them some small live oak trees.   This piece in the Brownsville Herald is a wonderful taste of that campus.  

Tree Trip

Trying to share a photo, where we're loading some nice-sized queen palms.  It was on the front page of the Valley Morning Star last month - but I must be technically challenged because I cannot get the "share this"  to work.  Anyhow, a photographer wandered around and shot a few frames of what we do around here.  Maybe I can find a 12 year old to help me post this and actually show the article. .  .

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Harlingen High

Harlingen High Schools Beautification Committee applied to our "100 Trees for 100 Years" program.   The owners of Simmons Oak Farms (along with both their wives) graduated from HHS so we were thrilled to get to send some large live oaks to that campus.

The Future Farmers of America took on the task of getting them planted.   I'll bet it was a little harder work than they anticipated.  Each of these trees weighs about 500 pounds!  Their advisor is Jacquelyn Stevens.

Everyone did a great job in beautifying the campus! 

Click here, to see pictures from more campuses and churches.

Texas Mountain Laurels

What a wonderful central Texas native!   Dark green, glossy leaves and an irresistable purple bloom in the spring.   I just wish it bloomed longer.  Each trees bloom period is about 2-3 weeks.    The seedpods will contain a dark red, poisonous seed.    The seedcoat is extremely hard; in nature it may take a few years before they sprout.   Here in the nursery, we have our ways to push them along. . . .

Texas mountain laurels have become a hot commodity in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.  They are equally loved in the Rio Grande Valley.  They tolerate many types of soil - just be sure it's well-drained.  Mountain laurel do not like wet feet!   

Once established this is a great Xeriscape plant.  It handles underwatering better than overwatering.

Remnants of Hurricane Dolly

Today, we're harvesting short Texas mountain laurels - ones that are 3 and 4 feet tall.   Most dug really nicely, but this one pulled right out of the ground.  The folliage looks healthy, doesn't it? 

Turn it upside down to get a good look and the roots and you see its problem - there are virtually NO ROOTS! 

Two years ago the mountain laurels in this field were an average of 6 feet tall - then Hurricane Dolly paid us a visit.  Heavy winds battered the trees for hours and nearly half of this field died.  The remainder looked shabby and a bit necrotic.  Every time we had strong winds, the remaining trees stressed.   And Harlingen has strong winds on a pretty regular basis.   We decided a heavy pruning might help.   It's now been 20 months since the hurricane and most of this field have recovered nicely.  - but occassionally, we come across one like this.    I still can't imagine how that root system has been supporting this fairly decent looking little tree.  Go figure.

We were happy to see that after harvesting 40, this was the only one with this problem! 

Lessons from Arbor Day Celebrations

On February 12th, the city of San Benito hosted an Arbor Day celebration at the Cameron County  Fairgrounds.   Jr. Master Gardening students from  one of the elementary schools participated - and learned a little bit along the way.   They learned that when planting a tree, you should dig a hole the same depth and 2-3 times as wide as the rootball.   The planting hole should not be smooth - new roots will not always penetrate a smooth surface, but instead turn and circle its "earthen pot".    One of our customers likes to dig a square hole.  You can always use your shovel to make a jagged surface.

The RootMaker bag is being removed from the rootball. Now all those fibrous roots will really take off!

 

You can see that this tree will be planted too deep!   After this picture, the tree was removed and more dirt placed in the planting hole.   To cover a tree's root flare with even a couple of inches of dirt will cause it to eventually die. 

The city of San Benito was awarded a number of live oaks from our "100 Trees for 100 Years" program.  They are placing two on either side of the entrance to the Cameron County Fairgrounds.  What a welcoming sight they will be in a few years!

Thanks to the city of San Benito along with all the city, chamber and school officials who attended!

Wilson Elementary GT Students Catch Centennial Fever

The GT (Gifted and Talented) students at Wilson Elementary in Harlingen recently planted a live oak tree from our 100 Trees for 100 Years program.  This program is in celebration of the 100th anniversaries of Harlingen and San Benito.   Their teacher, Adriana Davalos, wrote that it "encouraged the students to research Harlingen's history and learn more about our community". 

We expected the students to learn about the benefits of trees and how to care for them - for them to learn more about their town and its history is an added bonus!

These students are responsible for the care of this tree and will be monitoring its progress weekly.

Valley Proud Envirnmental Council has designated February as All Valley Arbor Month. 

Plant a Tree; Plant a Memory

For more pictures of Wilson Elementary and many of the other organizations participating in 100 Trees for 100 Years, check out this web album.

A Fistfull of Mighty Acorns!

Cadets and this year’s summer campers will be the first to enjoy shade from the Academy’s newest mighty oaks, compliments of Simmons Oak Farms of Harlingen, Texas!

Simmons Oak Farms Texas recently gifted live oak trees to Marine Military Academy Campus. The generous gift was part of Simmons’ recognition of the 100th year anniversaries of the cities of Harlingen and San Benito. A grand total of 100 live oak trees were gifted to schools, churches, not-for-profits and government agencies within the two cities

The live oak trees, Quercus virginiana, are 5 inches caliper and at least 18 feet tall. Marine Military Academy pulled out the heavy equipment to install these gems. All that’s left to do is add water and enjoy!

 - Debbie Wieland, Public Affairs Officer, Marine Military Academy

Rodriguez Elementary Students Help Beautify Their Campus

The ACE (afterschool program) students at Rodriguez Elementary School in Harlingen held a tree planting ceremony on February 10th.   Here they are preparing to plant the two trees they received from our "100 Trees for 100 Years" program.  Their club sponsors are Petty Salinas and Rosie Barajas.  The ACE coordinator for Dr. Rodriguez Elementary is Robert Lerma.       

Before the work began, one of the students read a poem about trees. 

The shovels you see in the first photo are not just for show.  ALL of the students pitched in and got their hands dirty!

Principal Traci Muir Gonzalez, pictured here with two students, has much to be proud of.   

For more photos, check out this album.

Segunda Iglesia Presbiteriana - Harlingen

The men of Segunda Iglesia Presbiteriana in Harlingen spent a recent Saturday morning planting a couple of live oaks on the church grounds.  Rodolfo Garcia applied to our 100 Trees for a 100 Years program on the church's behalf and they were awarded two of the trees.  

Some of the congregatiion posed for a photo while admiring the latest addition to their landscape.

Segunda Iglesia Presbyteriana is located on West Lincoln Street in Harlingen.

Miller Jordan Middle School in San Benito

With a little help from the school staff, a group of 8th grade students at Miller Jordan Middle School in San Benito planted 2 live oak trees.   They were awarded these trees from our "100 Trees for 100 Years" program.  The staff did most of the digging.  When planting a tree, the planting hole should be the same depth and twice as wide as the rootball.  Remember, it is better to plant a tree too high than to plant it too low.   Covering the rootflare (that's the bottom part of the trunk which flares out to the roots) with dirt will eventually kill a tree.   Another thing to consider when you are preparing a planting hole - roots will have an easier time penetrating a rough wall than a smooth one. 

Above, they prepare to cut away the inground bag.  All of our shade trees are field grown in RootMaker bags - a fabric "pot".   These bags are plastic on the bottom to prevent the tree from putting roots down too deep.  The sides are made of a mesh which prunes the roots when they reach it.  This process makes for a denser root system.

The 8th grade science students will will be taking care of the trees.  Mr. Felix Gonzalez & Mr. Jose Luis Lira, their science teachers plan to incorporate nature studies into their lessons.

We hope they enhance the science classes for these students and give them some nice shade to enjoy.

Live Oak Tree Recipients

I didn't realize how fun it would be to notify all the organizations that have been awarded our 100 free live oaks.  Thanks everyone for applying!   And the recipients of our 100 Trees for 100 Years are:
Austin Elementary
Ben Milam Elementary

Bonham Elementary

Bonita Park Head Start

Borderland Calvary Chapel

Boys & Girls Club of San Benito

Bowie Elementary

Cameron County Irrigation District #2

City of San Benito

Food Bank of the RGV
Har-Tex 4-H Club
Harlingen Arts & Heritage Museum
Harlingen C.I.S.D.
Harlingen Chamber of Commerce
Harlingen Economic Development Corporation
Harlingen High School
Harlingen Proud
Hispanic Genealogy Group/Tip-O-Tex Genealogy Society
Iglesia Christiana Emmanuel
Keys Academy
La Nueva Jerusalem
Lamar Elementary
Marine Military Academy
Memorial Middle School
Miller Jordan Middle School
Rangerville Baptist Church
Rodriguez Elementary
Sam Houston Elementary
San Benito C.I.S.D.
Secunda Iglesia Presbiteriana
St. Anthony Catholic Church
Sunny Glen Children's Home
Texas State Technical College
The Saint Paul Academy
Treasure Hills Elementary
Wesley United Methodist Church
Wilson Elementary

How great to have these 100 trees added to the landscapes of our schools, churches, and parks next month!

Tree Care for the First Two Years

Your trees will need extra care for the first two years while they are establishing a healthy root system.  Below is an explanation of our planting procedure and your care instructions.

PLANTING DIRECTIONS:

1. Dig a hole twice as wide and the same depth as the root ball. If you have heavy clay soil, mix your dirt and a planting mix ½ and ½.

2. Cut and completely remove the bag from oak trees. For mountain laurels, if you cannot remove the bag entirely, remove the bottom and cut the sides of the Rootmaker bag carefully in many places for the roots to grow through.

3. Plant the tree so that the top of the root ball is at or slightly above the surrounding soil level. DO NOT COVER THE CROWN OF YOUR TREE’S TRUNK WITH DIRT.

4. TAMP THE SOIL MIX FIRMLY around the root ball, eliminating all air pockets.

5. Make a deep basin of soil to retain water. WATER DEEPLY & THOROUGHLY.

6. MULCH (but the mulch should not touch your tree’s trunk)

7. DO NOT FERTILIZE your newly planted tree for at least one year.

STAKING YOUR TREE:

A large tree probably needs to be staked for the first year. This will keep the tree stable in our high springs winds, allowing it to establish a good root system in its new home. We stake with 3 or 4 posts placed at an angle around the planting bed. Twine is used to attach major branches to the posts. Before tying, thread a cut piece of garden hose. Place the hose beside the bark to protect it. Do not forget to remove your stakes after the first season!

WATERING DIRECTIONS:

Newly planted trees must be watered thoroughly for the first five (5) days after planting. This settles the soil and removes air pockets in the soil and from around the tree.

Supplemental watering is extremely important during the first two years, especially during times of high winds, high temperatures, and low rainfall. If your tree does not get enough water, the overall health of the tree will be adversely affected.

The biggest problem facing your tree is the lack of water. Your tree will exhibit certain signs when it has been under or over waters.

Symptoms of Under-watering: Leaves are dry and crumble; they could be borwn or light green. Leaves voluntarily fall off.

Symptoms of Over-watering: Leaves discolor but do not drop or come off easily. Leaves do not crumble and will fold in your hand.

When does a tree need water?
Whenever the rootball is dry. You can determine this by feeling the soil around the rootball to a depth of 3’ – 6’. I dig a shovel deep and feel the soil. If it is dry, then thoroughly water the entire root ball.

How much water is needed?
Your tree will require a thorough soaking at least once a week depending on the weather conditions. Your tree is thoroughly soaked when the water has absorbed and starts to puddle around the root ball. Let the soil dry between waterings, especially clay soil.

How should I water the tree?

Trees prefer to be watered slowly and deeply. The water should be about the width of a pencil when it leaves the hose. Use a hand-held hose or a soaker hose and water directly onto the root ball. The easiest method is to lay a water hose 1-2 feet from the trunk. Move the hose around the root ball as it becomes thoroughly soaked. You can also purchase slow-release watering bags, such as Tree Gators.

If I use automatic sprinklers, how long should it be set?
During hot months, sprinklers with pop-up heads should be set for at least 20 minutes; rotary heads for 1 hour. During cooler months, pop-up heads should be set for 15 minutes; rotary heads for 45 minutes. Do not rely on your sprinkler system alone to provide adequate water, especially during our hot summer months.

GENERAL WATERING GUIDELINES

IN SANDY SOILS:
When first planted, water every other day for 3 months. Water twice a week for the next 3 months, then once a week or as needed.

IN CLAY SOILS:
The first 3 months, water deeply twice a week from June to September and once a week the rest of the year. After 3 months, water once every 2 weeks or as needed. Clay soils tend to hold water so be careful of letting your live oak stand in water. If you’re unsure, dig in the tree’s bed to see whether or not the dirt is wet.

YELLOW LEAVES – too much water
BROWN LEAVES – not enough water
OVERWATERING AND UNDERWATERING will kill a tree

RGV Urban Forestry Conference

Our 4th annual Urban Forestry Conference is right around the corner.   Held at the McAllen Convention Center on January 21st, this looks to be a day filled with great information for tree professionals and gardeners alike.   The cost is $40 per person (lunch included) and pre-registration is due this Thursday.   Topics range from Palm Tree & Broadleaf Trimming to Bugs in the Urban Forest to Tree Species Selection for the Urban Forest.   A flyer can be downloaded here.   Presenters are experts in their field and this promises to be a very interesting event. 

Freeze Damage?

I have always considered Queen palms, Syagrus romanzoffiana, to be a little bit cold-sensitive.  But last nights 25 degree temps didn't seem to affect them very much.  The row on the right are all 2 year old Queen Palms - but even the one year old Queens seemed to do okay last night.   Notice how toasted the Royal palms, Roystonea, in the left row are!   And most of the large specimens around town are already sporting toasted-brown leaves.  Time will tell whether they they are a loss or not. 

And if you look closely at the picture on the right, you see the burned leaves of the Clustering fishtail palms, Caryota mitis.   

Today was clear and beautiful and that bodes poorly for tonights temps.  We've been hoping some cloud cover would roll back in from the Gulf of Mexico.  That not only lessens the chance for frost but raised the overnight lows a few degrees.  Tonight is supposed to get down to 28 or 29.    At least we had that cold snap in early December to help harden the plants a bit.