Plant of The Month: Slimleaf Rosewood
Scientific Name: Vauqueliniacorymbosa
Other common names: Narrow-leaf Rosewood, Chisos
Rosewood, Guauyul
Family: Rosaceae
Type:Evergreenshrub, tree
Natural Habitat:Found in Trans-PecosChihuahuan desert, Chisosmountainsand northern Mexico
Growth:Moderate to fast with height range of9-30 feet and width of 30 feet. Multi-trunked with descending branches
Deer Resistance:Minimal. New growth in the spring especially needs protection
Light Tolerance: Full sun, part shade
Flowers:Dense 4-6 inch clusters, white, fragrant. Bloomsspring to summer
Leaves: Narrow, green to dark green
Fruit: Tan capsules
Water Requirements: Low; heat, cold and drought tolerant
Soil Requirements: Well-drained. Soil types include loam, sand, caliche, limestone, clay
Propagation: Fresh seed
Planting Instructions:Space plants 10-15feet apart. Dig a hole at least two times wider than, but the same depth as the root ball in the nursery container. Sides of the hole should be irregular, not smooth. Remove plant from container, taking care to support the root ball. Loosen exterior roots gently with your fingers. If the plant is root-bound and cannot be loosened by hand, the outer roots may be cut in several places. Lift the plant by the root ball and place into the hole. Backfill hole, using soil that was dug out. Do not add any soil to the top of the root ball. Gently firm the soil with your hands, but do not tamp it down. Place 1-2 inches of mulch over the bare soil around, but not touching the base of the plant. For corms, plant just under the soil surface and mulch lightly.
Watering Instructions: Water deeply after planting to settle soil around roots then every 7-10 days as needed, during the first growing season. Before watering, check for soil moisture at a depth of an inch or two at the edge of the root ball. Skip a watering after a rainfall of ½ to 1 inch. Maintain this watering schedule until the first fall. Reduce watering during the cool fall and winter months. In a “normal” year, no watering may be necessary during the fall and winter, but during a dry period, monthly watering may be needed. Second Spring and thereafter: Once established, natives will survive with little supplemental irrigation.
Operation NICE! Tip:Beautiful small tree or large shrub that is both extremely winter-hardy and heat tolerant. Difficult to find. For seed planting, do so in the fall or early spring, slightly disturbing the soil surface before scattering the seed and making sure of good soil contact. Fall through spring rains will do the rest. Since it is in the rose family, it can be subject to some of the same diseases.
Care Instructions are provided by the Native Plant Society of Texas- Boerne Chapter. Our meetings begin at
7:00 pm on the first Tuesday, September-June at the Cibolo Nature Center Auditorium. Our meetings are free
and open to the public and include social time starting at 6:30 pm. Please visit our website
for other suggested NICE! Plants of the Month.