About Mary Kay Pope

Mary Kay is an asset to Backbone and a wealth of knowledge! Many customers come in and ask for her by name for all their plant questions. It's no wonder why, as Mary Kay has 47 years of experience in the horticulture field. She holds a B.S. in Horticulture from Ohio State University, a TMCNP and a TCLP from Texas Association of Nurserymen, a Specialist in Urban Trees Certification from Texas A&M, and is a Certified Arborist.

Texas Persimmon Dropping Leaves?

Are Your Texas Persimmon Trees Dropping Leaves? Lace Bugs May Be the Culprit If your Texas Persimmon tree looks unhealthy, has mottled leaves, or is dropping foliage during the summer, you're not alone. Many of our customers across Central Texas have reported the same problem. The culprit is often lace bugs, a common summer pest that feeds on Texas Persimmon trees. How to Identify Lace Bug Damage on Texas Persimmon Trees Lace bugs feed on the undersides of leaves with their piercing-sucking mouthparts. As they remove plant sap, they leave [...]

By |2026-07-14T15:52:53-05:00December 28th, 2025|Native Plants, Plants, Insects|
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Fig Leaf Rust

Fig Leaf Rust is a common fungal disease affecting Fig trees in the South. When fig leaves start looking sad in late summer we get a lot of questions about what can be done. Most fig varieties are susceptible to a fungal disease called Fig Rust, and it is not uncommon to see symptoms of this fungus on stressed trees. What are the symptoms of Fig Leaf Rust?     Fig Rust symptoms begin as angular yellow-green flecks on the leaf. The spots become more yellow and eventually turn a [...]

By |2025-12-29T12:40:27-06:00October 12th, 2025|Trees, Plants, Fruit & Nuts, Disease|
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Webs on Ends of Tree Branches-Friend or Foe?

Webs Forming at Tips of  Tree Branches     Has anyone seen tips of tree branches that are covered in spider webs? We have! Ground spiders will often form disorganized webs at the tips of tree branches and raise their brood of thousands of tiny spiders there. Fortunately most of these webs are made by these harmless and beneficial spiders, and not by pests at all.  This web was made by a spider on a leaf of a young Live Oak.           We have seen examples [...]

By |2025-10-12T12:55:47-05:00October 12th, 2025|Trees, Plants, Insects|
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White Mold on Mulch or Potting Soil

Have you ever opened a bag of mulch, compost or potting soil only to find it is infested with white mold? Have you ever found a white moldy substance growing on or below the mulch in your yard? What is that white stuff on my soil or mulch? It is likely just a harmful saprophytic fungus that is busy at work decomposing organic matter in the mulch or soil. If the white fungus does not look string-like, it could be another fungus called Dog Vomit Slime Mold. Is the white [...]

By |2025-12-28T11:18:35-06:00September 30th, 2025|Plants, Disease|
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Pecan Varieties for Central Texas

PECANS: Mix early and late pollinators for best nut set. All varieties do better with a pollinator. Mature height and canopy width of 30 x 30 ft. Remember, Pecan trees do best in deep soil. If planted in the home lawn always check labels on insecticides, fungicides and herbicides before applying them to the lawn. If the label says "do not apply under the canopy of fruit or nut trees" use another option   Choctaw (Cho)– Late pollinating variety with very large nuts and soft-shell. Early bearing variety with good [...]

By |2025-09-23T13:12:48-05:00September 23rd, 2025|Trees, Plants, Fruit & Nuts|
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Tree Fest

Tree Fest 2025 begins on Wednesday, October 15 and runs through Sunday October 19. Hours are Mon-Sat from 8 to 5 and Sunday from 12 to 5. No early sales, please. The trees are gorgeous! Remember, do your homework before you decide which species of tree is best for your soil. We have a lot of information for you to consider, and we want you to be successful. We have a lot of information on our website and in our weekly newsletters for you to consult in order to make [...]

By |2025-09-15T15:22:57-05:00September 15th, 2025|Uncategorized|
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Lace Bugs on Texas Persimmon

  We've had a lot of samples of Texas Persimmon brought into the nursery lately with Lace Bug infestations. The leaves appear "mottled" from the insects feeding with their sucking mouthparts. The undersides of the leaves will have little black "dots" which are the insect's excrement. This insect is tiny but visible to the naked eye. It is named for the lacey appearance of its wings. It may be helpful to know that this insect is also a pest on Bur Oak and Lantana in Central Texas. Keep an eye [...]

By |2025-07-16T13:45:40-05:00July 16th, 2025|Insects, Plants|
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Hail Damage to Plants Recovery Guide

First, I'd like to say how sorry I am if your garden and landscape was damage by hail. While it is a fairly common occurrence in Central Texas, that doesn't make it any easier to take when one day you have a beautiful garden/yard and the next it is shredded.  Assess the damage The first thing that you should do is to assess the damage. Since hail storms often involve high winds, inspect trees for any damaged or broken limbs and locate any plants or trees whose stems were broken [...]

By |2025-06-02T14:21:53-05:00June 2nd, 2025|Yucca and Agave, Succulents and Cacti, Trees, Plants, Vegetable Gardening|
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Perennials for the Shade in Central Texas

Finding perennials for the shade, or even part shade can be challenging at times. While this list is a compilation of plants that do well in "dappled" shade, I have included a few that will tolerate a few hours of morning sun and even a few that will tolerate sun "or" shade. Please read the descriptions carefully to determine which will work best in the amount of shade that you are planting in. Pay attention to the "summer sun" conditions where you are planting for best results.   Chinese Ground [...]

By |2025-12-29T13:03:48-06:00May 26th, 2025|Plants, Native Plants|
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Septoria Leaf Spot of Tomato

    Tomatoes are susceptible to a variety of fungal leaf spot diseases. Proper cultural methods go a long way in preventing them.           Septoria leaf spot usually shows up on the lower leaves after the fruit has begun to set. Removal of the lower leaves as the plant grows so that splashing water will not spread the disease is recommended.       The fungus overwinters on plant debris or on any plant in the Nightshade family. It can also survive on tomato cages and [...]

By |2025-04-17T13:29:24-05:00April 17th, 2025|Plants, Disease, Vegetable Gardening|
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Tiger Eye Flowering Maple

This tender perennial is native to the tropics and sub-tropics of the Americas, Africa, Asia and Australia. I have found various Zones applied to it, with 8b and 9 the most common. I would believe that it could be root-hardy to 20°F if established in the ground in a protected location. It lends itself to container growing as well, and can do well in a sunny window in the winter.     Flowering Maples do best in filtered shade, dappled shade or part shade in Central Texas. I would definitely [...]

By |2025-04-01T14:59:12-05:00April 1st, 2025|Houseplants, Plants|
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