Native Plants
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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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| Tree Recommendations for Hutto, TX September 28, 2014 I live in Hutto, TX. I want shade trees in my back yard. I would like a fast growing tree as well as a slower growing tree. What trees are recommended for my area? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Desert Willow Roots from Lubbock, TX September 18, 2014 I have a very, very happy Desert Willow that has grown larger than we expected and is probably too close to the house. Do I need to worry about a cracked foundation or pipe problems? Thanks! View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Fast-growing shade tree for Corona CA September 17, 2014 Hi, I'm looking for a fast growing shade tree. I live in Corona CA so it will need to do well in a lot of sun, moderate winds and clay soil. Thanks so much for your suggestions. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Is mulch from hackberry and chinaberry trees safe for flowerbeds? September 17, 2014 We had to remove several large hackberry and china berry trees. Is its mulch safe to use in garden and in flower beds? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Butterfly Plants for Chicago September 13, 2014 I live near Chicago, IL and am interested in planting a butterfly garden. Not sure when to start, but I want all native plants that would attract butterflies. Can you please let me know which plants ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Live Oak Suckers or ??? in Arlington, TX September 12, 2014 Do I have live oak suckers or an invasive plant? We bought a house a few years ago in Arlington, TX with two beautiful old live oak trees, and mostly just bare sand-dirt under them. Under one t... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Update on controlling live oak suckers with newspapers, cardboard and mulch September 12, 2014 Can we get an update on the march 2011 topic of live oak suckers? I am wondering if the newspaper/cardboard/mulch layers continued to take care of the problem. Thanks! View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Pruning Texas Mountain Laurel September 04, 2014 I've had a Texas mountain laurel for 4 years that's being trained into a tree. I think it was a 3-year old tree when I purchased it. Unfortunately, it has suffered from overwatering, and the two mai... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Weeping Willow Problem in Texas September 04, 2014 Our weeping willow's leaves are turning yellow and falling off. We are also seeing some brown, gnarly looking pods on some of the stems can you tell us what's happening? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Problem with Chinese Pistache tree September 01, 2014 We have a gorgeous Chinese Pistache in our yard, about 25 feet tall. We bought it for its gorgeous fall color. The problem is that it has never turned color for us. All the other pistaches in the neig... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Problems with a Cercis (Redbud) August 25, 2014 Half of my redbud tree is pooped out looking. On two places on the bark are areas where a few layers of bark have pulled back. In these areas there are white growths. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plants associated with Acer rubrum (Red maple) August 21, 2014 What plants are commonly associated with Acer rubrum in its natural habitat? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Looking for a Privacy Barrier Plant for NC August 21, 2014 I am trying to determine the best plant for a privacy barrier for my area in NC that has clay soil. I have a 6 foot high fence but need something 12 feet or taller. It has to be something that does no... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Deep Rooted Large Shrub or Small Tree for Driveway Strip August 21, 2014 I am in eastern Massachusetts. My condominium Grounds Committee is searching for a small tree suitable to plant in narrow (4'-5') beds which divide two driveways. Can you suggest something whose roo... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Are Chickasaw plums evergreen? August 13, 2014 Are Chickasaw Plums evergreens? I've been very interested in planting a few but some websites say they are evergreens while others say the opposite. Furthermore, would I have to plant a male and fema... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Shade Trees for Bullhead City, AZ August 12, 2014 We have a patio with 2 old (unused) fire pit cut-outs; about 4 ft wide each. The cut out is not lined with concrete or brick: just rimmed with the concrete on all sides. The center of the cut-outs i... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Leaves dropping from a potted Mesquite August 11, 2014 I have a Prosopis pubescens (Screwbean Mesquite) that I purchased at a nursery in Alpine, TX just a few miles away from me. It was a in nursery style black plastic container. The mesquite is perhaps a... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Final size of a Texas mountain laurel August 11, 2014 I have purchased a Texas Mountain Laurel. The plant tag says it will grow 25 to 35 feet. LBWF plant data base says 10 to 15 feet. Which data should I go with? It's either plant close but not close to... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of tree with outrageous thorns August 10, 2014 Can you identify this tree? It has these outrageous thorns on its trunk. They are in clusters and are anywhere from 1" long to 4" long or so. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Moderate-sized trees for lawn in West Virginia August 10, 2014 I recently had a landscape design completed by a professional lanscape company. The landscape is sloping down in front of my house. At the corner they included a Sweet Bay Magnolia, which we like ve... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Treating splits in a Cottonwood tree trunk August 09, 2014 How to treat slipts in trunk of 4 year old Cottonwood tree. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Tree that looks like cedar elm but with smooth bark August 09, 2014 What tree looks like a cedar elm, but has smooth bark? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Evergreen sumacs for privacy along fence August 02, 2014 I would like to plant enough Evergreen Sumacs along our fence for privacy for the length of our backyard which is 60 ft. Fifteen feet on the left and right ends are shaded with the right side being d... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Magnolia species are allelopathic August 02, 2014 Have a healthy Southern Magnolia tree around 8 years old. It seems like everything I plant next to it dies.: Variegated Spirea, Stokes Aster, Hydrangeas. Is there something it secretes like the waln... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Pecan tree dropping dead leaves August 02, 2014 I have a very old, tall pecan tree in my yard that has been dropping dead leaves for the last three weeks. My back yard looks like it is the Fall season. Do you have any insight on this? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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