Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
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Smarty Plants Question Topics
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
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| Non-native red-tip photinias dying in San Antonio August 20, 2009 A 17 year old Red tip Photinia in a hedge shows signs of dying. The main stalks are quite large and offshoots from two of the stalks have brittle, drooping leaves. The center of the plant looks norm... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Transplanting adventitious shoots of a mountain laurel in San Antonio August 20, 2009 Is it possible to transplant branches (shoots) growing from a mountain laurel that was chopped down? Some are two years old and several feet tall (but not yet blooming) and some as small as a foot. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Fragrant native plants for San Antonio, TX August 19, 2009 I live in San Antonio, Texas, and I am re-landscaping my backyard after my dog ate some of the beautiful blooming oleander and had to spend some time at the vet's. My backyard is my sanctuary, and it... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Shrub for barrier fence in Alexandria, Virginia August 19, 2009 Hi. we need plants to act as a barrier fence, 15 feet tall, partial shade. We are considering a holly or virginia magnolia. What can you suggest? thank you, Nikita View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Low water hedge for Sedona, AZ August 19, 2009 I'm looking for a shrub to plant along a 90' property line with my neighbor in Sedona, Arizona (high desert). Ideally, the shrub would grow to about 8' and would not require too much water. What wo... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Wilting stems on beautyberry in Georgetown, TX August 16, 2009 Last summer I discovered that a 4-year old beautyberry had one (of many) stems that died. Leaves on this single stem wilted and dried up. This year the same happened to two or three stems. The rest of... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Why do the leaves of my potted Esperanza plant look droopy? August 13, 2009 My Esperanza plant leaves look droopy. I have it in a big pot and have for 3 years. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Watering trees and shrubs in Buda TX August 08, 2009 Should we be watering our green ash, red tips, chinkapin, burr oaks and yaupon shrubs during the drought? They are all starting to brown and drop leaves. THANKS! View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Shrubs growing in riparian areas of Hudson River, NY August 04, 2009 What are the five most common native shrubs that grow in riparian areas in Hudson Valley? Interested especially in plants that grow near/along the Hudson River (as opposed to inland woodland freshwate... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Hail damage to Cenizo in Austin August 03, 2009 We have some Texas sage Silverado. After the latest hail, they look very sad. If about the half of plant is OK and the other half looks dried/dead?, should we prune the dried half? Are they ever comin... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Trees and shrubs in Wisconsin July 30, 2009 I live in Hudson, WI, just across the border from Minn/St Paul and would like to create a privacy screen between my front yard and my neighbors yard. Right now it's full sun, but I want to plant a c... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Flowering small native plants for Easton PA July 29, 2009 Please name small flowering evergreen plants native to Easton, PA. These need to be wind tolerant and must be taller than 1 foot tall, no more than 4 feet tall. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Yellow bands around edges of leaves in Whitney TX July 20, 2009 How can you tell whether esperanzas are getting too much water or not enough - ours have a small yellow band around the edges of the leaves - crape myrtles - same question View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Different kinds of lantana in Wilmington, NC July 19, 2009 I live in Wilmington, NC. I spent a small fortune on three varieties of lantana--Cherry Sunrise, Ham & Eggs and Bandana Red. I live on a salt water tidal creek and most are in full sun. Some are i... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Native perennials for Donley County, TX July 16, 2009 What are the best perennials to plant in Donley County, TX? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Want to identify a shrub with golden to orangish berries in Minneapolis MN. July 14, 2009 Tall shrub or maybe tree with small berries golden to orangish color. The berries are not in large clumps but more twos and threes. Leaves are opposite each other, smooth edges and sort of elliptica... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Evergreen flowering shrub for North Augusta GA July 12, 2009 I need suggestions for shade-loving evergreen flowering bush that will grow 6 feet or so, besides azaleas. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Trimming dead blooms from turkscap in San Antonio July 10, 2009 Great answer to the Turk's Plant question. But, I can't seem to find an answer to mine. I've had Turk's plants for years and cut them back as you suggest, but have always been confused about wha... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Failure to thrive of Esperanza in Houston July 07, 2009 Esperanza plant. I have 3 of these plant in my flower bed for the last 10 years. They get west sun. Over the last three years they have bloomed initially but then the new growth is deformed. The best... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Brown leaves on possumhaw holly in Grandview TX July 02, 2009 What would be likely causes for brown leaves on possumhaw holly? We have 2, one was planted in spring 2008, and a slightly larger one planted late winter/early spring this year. Most of the leaves a... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants for a sandy slope at a weekend cabin in central WI. June 30, 2009 I have a cabin in central Wisconsin where the soil is equivalent to a sandy beach. There are some areas that are nearly impossible to mow because of how steep the incline is. Could you recommend som... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native plants for under a pine tree in Vevay IN June 29, 2009 At our office we have a very nice garden however, in the front we have a large pine tree. We cannot get anything to take root & live there. Do you have any suggestions for a native shrub or perennia... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Shrubs for New Hampshire June 25, 2009 Will be landscaping next Spring: Do you think using 'Ilex Crenata'-Japanese Holly together with variegated Euonymus (species: fortunei) as shrub hedges in front of our house is a good combo? Do they... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Blueberry bushes failing to leaf out in Haines Falls, NY June 25, 2009 Blueberry bushes planted in spring in upstate New York; no leaves, only the stem. How do we know if they are alive? Blueberries do very well in that area known as Haines Falls, New York (mountain a... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants for a bank too steep to mow June 24, 2009 Like the inquiry made in late June of 2008, mine involves a bank that is too steep to mow. However, ours is facing south. I am looking for a native grass, plant or groundcover. Any suggestions? ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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