After checking with local botanists I tried to grow some mesquite
(Prosopis glandulosa) from New Mexico here in South Carolina and they
won't grow. The leaves quickly develop black spots and fall off and
the plant dies. The same for Rhus trilobata.

I ask my botanist friends and they can offer very plausible theories -
"A fungus that requires high humidity attacks them" - but there seems
to be zero experimental data to back up the theories.

Look in Radford, "Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas" and
you find plants (e.g. Aesculus octandra) that grows in the mountains
but not below. Why? One can find theories galore but very little
proof.

Why is the tree line in the mountains so well defined? Is is the O2
level - or the temperature - or the winds or...?

I would think that in this cultural of debate over global warming, if
a botanist were to ask for (say, ~$50M) to create some green house
climates where these parameters could be explored so that various
theories could be tested, they might get a grant.

I'm surprised that botany isn't more of an experimental science.

Raphanus wrote in news:7d5508b0-4f3b-42b3-9056-
:

After checking with local botanists I tried to grow some mesquite
(Prosopis glandulosa) from New Mexico here in South Carolina and they
won't grow. The leaves quickly develop black spots and fall off and
the plant dies. The same for Rhus trilobata.

The Prosopis may not do well in your area because it is a phreatophyte, it
grows deep roots, and requires well drained and pretty dry soil. It
probably succumbed to one or another root rots. I am surprised to hear that
the Rhus trilobata didn't do well for you, it grows in a wide range of
conditions here in New Mexico.

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On Jul 25, 4:56*am, Sean Houtman wrote:
Raphanus wrote in news:7d5508b0-4f3b-42b3-9056-
:

After checking with local botanists I tried to grow some mesquite
(Prosopis glandulosa) from New Mexico here in South Carolina and they
won't grow. *The leaves quickly develop black spots and fall off and
the plant dies. *The same for Rhus trilobata.

The Prosopis may not do well in your area because it is a phreatophyte, it
grows deep roots, and requires well drained and pretty dry soil. It
probably succumbed to one or another root rots. I am surprised to hear that
the Rhus trilobata didn't do well for you, it grows in a wide range of
conditions here in New Mexico.

--
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Sean,...Thanks for your answer. One out of three Rhus trilobata is
still showing signs of life - so maybe there is hope. All three were
about 10 inch saplings when I received them. Other NM plants
(because of my "roots" {pun intended}) I'm watching are a Pinus edulis
(pinion), a sapling which I planted ~ 10inches tall and is in its
second year and Curcurbita foetidissima (buffalo gourd, grown from
seeds) which is also in its second year. The gourd is in a big pot
but hasn't bloomed yet. Prickly pear cactus and yucca (variety of
species) are native in SC and are very common around my area.

I'm also interested - in retirement - in growing very rare native SC
plants - Echinacea laevigata (smooth purple cone flower) and Ribes
echinellum (spiny gooseberry).

Any thoughts about the chances of the gourd if it remains in the pot?
(20 inches diameter and 20 inches tall)

Lester Welch wrote in news:232ea5b1-137f-499b-
:

Sean,...Thanks for your answer. One out of three Rhus trilobata is
still showing signs of life - so maybe there is hope. All three were
about 10 inch saplings when I received them. Other NM plants
(because of my "roots" {pun intended}) I'm watching are a Pinus edulis
(pinion), a sapling which I planted ~ 10inches tall and is in its
second year and Curcurbita foetidissima (buffalo gourd, grown from
seeds) which is also in its second year. The gourd is in a big pot
but hasn't bloomed yet. Prickly pear cactus and yucca (variety of
species) are native in SC and are very common around my area.

I'm also interested - in retirement - in growing very rare native SC
plants - Echinacea laevigata (smooth purple cone flower) and Ribes
echinellum (spiny gooseberry).

Any thoughts about the chances of the gourd if it remains in the pot?
(20 inches diameter and 20 inches tall)

The buffalogourd may take several years to flower, they tend to grow
huge roots, and that little pot isn't going to handle what the plant is
going to try to grow. It might be ok though, but watch out for a tap-
root escaping from a drain hole. You do see a few buffalogourds growing
near water, so I expect that it will survive there. Remember that it is
dioecious, so with only one plant, you will never see gourds. You will
have either a male or a female plant.

Sean



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Check out my flickr page, it changes often.
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On Jul 27, 5:14*am, Sean Houtman wrote:
Lester Welch wrote in news:232ea5b1-137f-499b-
:





Sean,...Thanks for your answer. *One out of three Rhus trilobata is
still showing signs of life - so maybe there is hope. *All three were
about 10 inch saplings when I received them. * Other NM plants
(because of my "roots" {pun intended}) I'm watching are a Pinus edulis
(pinion), a sapling which I planted ~ 10inches tall and is in its
second year and Curcurbita foetidissima (buffalo gourd, grown from
seeds) which is also in its second year. *The gourd is in a big pot
but hasn't bloomed yet. *Prickly pear cactus and yucca (variety of
species) are native in SC and are very common around my area.

I'm also interested - in retirement - in growing very rare native SC
plants - Echinacea laevigata (smooth purple cone flower) and Ribes
echinellum (spiny gooseberry).

Any thoughts about the chances of the gourd if it remains in the pot?
(20 inches diameter and 20 inches tall)

The buffalogourd may take several years to flower, they tend to grow
huge roots, and that little pot isn't going to handle what the plant is
going to try to grow. It might be ok though, but watch out for a tap-
root escaping from a drain hole. You do see a few buffalogourds growing
near water, so I expect that it will survive there. Remember that it is
dioecious, so with only one plant, you will never see gourds. You will
have either a male or a female plant.

Sean

--
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- Show quoted text -

Sean,...Are you sure about "dioecious"?

According to

http://medplant.nmsu.edu/buffalo.shtm

"The flowers are monoecious (both sexes are found on the same plant),
which are pollinated by insects."

A check into the local botany "Bible" Radford, et.al., "Manual of the
Vascular Flora of the Carolinas" reveals that all 8 of the locally
viable species of Cucurbita to be monoecious.

Thanks for the advice,...maybe I'll try to transplant it.

In thinking about pinions and where they don't grow...what do you
think of the following hypothesis? Squirrels, I would think, would
find pinion extremely nutritious compared to other pine seeds and
hence select them out for consumption. In NM I don't remember many
squirrels. My hypothesis is that you won't find pinions in an area
where there is a significant population of squirrels.

Lester Welch wrote in news:0e504997-fc32-4682-
:

Sean,...Are you sure about "dioecious"?

According to

http://medplant.nmsu.edu/buffalo.shtm

"The flowers are monoecious (both sexes are found on the same plant),
which are pollinated by insects."

I'm pretty sure, plants tend to either have fruits on them or not. They
might be polygamodioecious, or sometimes having both flower types.

Sean


--
Check out my flickr page, it changes often.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/groms