need advice

I inherited a Flowering Quince- Chaenomeles speciosa - a/k/a 'Texas Scarlet' from a friend. I live near woodlands and am trying to plant only native plants. I'm ok with planting non-natives as long as they won't spread into the woods and seed themselves all over. In other words, if I plant the Chaenomeles speciosa, will the birds eat the berries and spread it all over the woods (does it have berries?) or does it have seeds that will fly and spread all over?

Help please!

Here's the bush: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/82762/

I don't have any personal experience with it, but based on the comments at the bottom of this page, it appears that it would spread into the woods either by suckering, seeds or both: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/909///davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/909/

Perhaps the best solution would be to plant in a container and throw bird netting over it after it sets fruit.

I wouldn't risk it, but if it has sentimental value, I might be torn. We are in the stage of removing most everything alien here. Just got rid of a lilac and just in time, before it started blooming.

Do be careful with the bird netting, I've heard of birds and other wildlife getting trapped in it.

That's all I need to hear. Thanks for pointing out that comment at the bottom of the page, Muddy. I'm not gonna risk it. I was a damn fool to even think of it. I saw that pretty new plant in front of me in the nursery pot and, well, you know how excited plant people can get about new plants! : ) Your comment, Chillybean, reminded me of the Burning Bushes I spent the summer before last ripping out b/c they're not native. I was okay with having one ornamental one in the backyard until I noticed them in the woods too. They were spreading, so out they went.

I just wish nurseries around here at the Home Depot, Menards, you know places like that would sell more natives.

Thank you Muddy1 and Chillybean! You're awesome! : )

Plant_it, you almost assuredly did not remove all the Burning Bushes. In the fall when the foliage turns bright red, and even the two inch tall seedlings in the leaves become highly visible, patrol the woods and I bet you will be surprised how many you can still find.

I know what you mean about getting excited about plants. I almost caved in at Lowe's, but found an employee... "Do your plants have neonics on them?" "Probably not, but I'm not sure." That was enough for me, I left without a single plant. :)

I too wish the nurseries would have natives. It would be so nice walking into a place instead of having to order online. I asked the local owner if he was planning on getting more natives. He said people are not asking for them, so he just has a hybrid Blazing Star, Coneflower and a red Coreopsis. This is the same he had three years ago when I first was looking for natives. I want to support local business if I can, so I if I need veggie starts, I'll ask him to do some for me without the chemicals. I just picked up a fine looking crop of cabbage from him. :)

We're really lucky in this area. There are a lot of different garden centers, and most seem to have discovered that there's a market for native plants. There are also a number of native plant sales at which multiple vendors sell locally grown natives (like the one at which greenthumb just volunteered!).

About that bird netting: It's true, wildlife can get caught in it. I've rescued a trapped butterfly caught in netting I put around tomato plants, and a chipmunk that was caught in netting I had left on the ground.

I've been using "cicada netting" with holes 1/2 the size of bird netting and haven't seen anything caught in it.

I had one chaenomeles planted in a narrow strip along my driveway. It was there when I bought the house. I love it for the beautiful flowers it produces in the spring and the way they are carried on the branches. My son and I dug it up to keep it from scratching the cars. We ended up with three plants. They grew somewhat more vigorously in their new places {more sun} but never spread wildly and never bore any fruit as they sometimes will do. I had to prune it in the spring to keep it fitting the space, and removed a few suckers occasionally, but these plants never "escaped" from their spots. They have always stayed put and held the soil on my hillside. Try to achieve balance with your garden. Natives may not always prosper in your setting if it doesn't have the conditions they require.
Martha

This is true because for one, many have done much to deplete the soil of what it used to have. At least out here in the country. Many of those micro-organisms and nutrients are gone, so having the right conditions is much more difficult. A restored prairie can never have what the pure remnants do.

I hope to help what remains. There are plant specific pollinators and bugs that are still around. In our area farming upset any balance to the environment. :) I have to admit, I feel a thrill at removing another alien plant on our property and replacing it with something native to the area. Our latest plant is a honeysuckle bush. Leadplant (a shrub) was put in its place.

[quote="gardenmart"] Natives may not always prosper in your setting if it doesn't have the conditions they require.

This is true of all plants, native or not. Most ferns for example, native or otherwise, will not thrive in all-day sun and dry soil, while the same plants may luxuriate just 100 feet away in a shady, moist setting. Exposure, moisture, pH and soil type are the prime considerations for any species. Those conditions met, locally native species tend to be better adapted to climate, day length, etc.

Chaenomeles was imported to the US just like the flowering cherry trees. Growing up, our next door neighbor had one she called Japanese quince but that is just a common name and it was chaenomeles. She would do gorgeous flower arrangements with them in the spring and they do force well if you just can't wait for spring to arrive where you are.
Martha

Yes, and that was also a shame. Our native flowering black cherry tree is a host plant for 456 butterflies and moths, and over 50 birds eat its fruit. Ornamental cherry trees produce no fruit and likely are of interest to few pollinators.

If we had more native cherry trees, we would have more birds and pollinators for the food crops we all need to survive. http://nativeplantwildlifegarden.com/black-cherry/

Amazing, Muddy1, I did not know that. I knew ornamentals have little value, I would see it with my own eyes that nothing was drawn to them. If only people would get over their fear of bugs and recognize the value they have.

We can tell some of the trees around our house are ageing. Woodpeckers are definitely finding food in them. No cavity nesters in them yet, though. They are too close to the house that we cannot let them stand until they fall on their own, so we're keeping an eye on them. One of the children started a maple, it's probably sugar or silver. I would like to get a couple other trees planted that could replace the others. The black cherry seems a good option.

I was going to mention Douglas Tallamy's book "Bringing Nature Home" to you because it lists the number of butterfly/moth species supported by various native plants, and I stumbled upon this website which I didn't know existed: http://www.bringingnaturehome.net/gardening-for-life.html

The list of plants is on this tab: http://www.bringingnaturehome.net/what-to-plant.html

I suggest that you steer clear of Silver Maples unless you can plant them far from your house. If your child is growing one already, train it so that it only has a single trunk and develops strong limb structure. Many Silver Maples develop 2 trunks, and that makes them prone to major storm damage.

Thank you for that info, Muddy. :)

The tree is about 3-4 feet tall now and looks to already have two trunks (sticks at this point). It was planted 2013, if I remember. Do you think we can cut off one of them?

I am pooped out. I planted too many to remember Butterflyweeds. I've got more in pots, but had to take a break.

It's hard to say without seeing it. Can you take some photos and post them either here or on the Tree and Shrub Forum?

I'll get some pictures taken. My husband was about to cut yesterday, but I told him to hold off until I know what to do.

That would be best, because the best trunk could be either the most upright one or the thickest one. You might also have to cut off the "loser" in stages rather than all at once, depending on its size relative to the trunk immediately below it.

I'm no expert by any means, so posting on the tree and shrub forum would be best.