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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| Perennial ground cover for hillside in Holmdel NJ April 25, 2014 I live in NJ. I would like to use a perennial ground cover for my landscaping bed on a hill with full sun and deer resistant. It's a good size landscaping bed that is facing east (southeast). What... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Picking flowers of bulbs from Cloverdale CA April 22, 2014 Will picking the flowers of native bulb plants, such as Trillium, Blue Dicks, Fawn Lilies, kill the plant or keep it from reproducing? I do not condone this action but know people who do it. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Why do conifers kill Texas hummingbird sage from Gray GA April 15, 2014 Why do conifers kill Texas hummingbird sage? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Planting under Pine Trees in Pocatello ID April 08, 2014 Hi I was wondering if you could give me some ideas of what I could plant under and near some pine trees for my area. The trees are huge and so it is also constant shade where I want to plant. Thanks f... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plants for a Narrow, Dry, Shaded Site in Georgia April 03, 2014 I am writing from Valdosta, GA. Could you please suggest three perennial shrubs and/or plants that flower at different times of the spring and summer? Also ones that can be planted in a 2 ft. wide s... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plant Suggestions for Shady Site under Trees in Alabama April 03, 2014 I live in Montgomery, AL and have a bare area (20' x 5’) that's shady and soil erosion is a problem. Grass stops growing at the drip line of the trees here. Do you have any suggestions for growing s... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Planting Suggestions for a Lake Home in Wayne County, MO April 03, 2014 We have a lake home in Wayne County, MO at Lake Wappapello. The soil is very rocky. We recently cleared an area around our home of assorted dead trees, some cedars and what seemed like tons of vines. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Less Maintenance Plant Suggestions for New Raised Bed in Henderson, NV. April 03, 2014 We have a newly constructed raised garden bed. I was wondering what kind of plants would be appropriate to plant this springtime in Henderson, NV with less maintenance because I work full time. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Turk's Cap not returning from Plano TX April 02, 2014 My Turk's Cap has shown no signs of coming back this year as of March 31. I pruned to about 12 inches because it was so bushy last year and it was not mulched thru our harsh winter (10 degree low and... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Availability of Heliotropium angiospermum from Austin April 01, 2014 I have admired the Wildflower Center's Heliotropium angiospermum (Scorpian's Tail) for the great number of butterflies it attracts. I would really love to purchase one on these plants, but don't se... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| What is the name of the Texas Wildflower that smells like grape koolaid? March 28, 2014 Can you tell me the name of the Texas wildflower that smells like grape koolaid? I live in north west Texas and every spring, the low growing purple flowers line spots along the roadside. It's a joy ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Pruning of non-native oxblood lilies from Austin March 27, 2014 My Oxblood Lilies flowered quite late last Fall. Their foliage is still very green. Can I cut it down now or do I have to wait until it goes brown? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native flowers from bulbs from Denton TX March 26, 2014 I am slowly converting my landscaping to as much native regional plants as possible. Are there any flowers from bulbs that you could recommend? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Will native Galium aparine be a problem in Austin garden? March 25, 2014 Should I be concerned that my yard is overrun with "sticky weed" (Galium aparine) in the early spring? Specifically, about five years ago I undertook converting about half my back yard into a na... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Recovering neglected garden space from Grapevine TX March 22, 2014 I live in Grapevine TX (Dallas). I just moved into a house where almost the entire large backyard is covered by oak trees that shed tons of leaves throughout our mild falls/winters. The yard has not... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Natives for wet soil in Cincinnati OH March 21, 2014 I live in Cincinnati and the soil in my back yard is wet (soggy) all year round. There are moss and grass growing in the yard. The area is shaded in the afternoon but receives sun earlier in the day. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Wildflower Center work on non-native, invasive Bastard Cabbage from Austin March 20, 2014 Still have cabbage weeds that infiltrated Austin awhile back. How did Wildflower Center resolve it? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native perennials for Missouri City, TX March 19, 2014 I checked all the questions for my area and still need help. What are some native perennials for southeast Texas View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Different colors of Argemone spp. from McAllen TX March 16, 2014 I took pictures of at least 5 colors of pricklepoppy today. Is this common to have so many colors in one area? How do I harvest the seedpods and when is the best time to do so? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Effect on taste of honey from pollen gathered by honeybees in Appleton WI March 09, 2014 in the flower box.. We are planting perennial or self-planting annuals on our fields and open areas to feed honey bees for our apiary. We found a source and then lost it telling what effect these wil... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Salvia farinacea and rust fungus from Kerrville TX February 22, 2014 Are Henry Duelberg salvias (Salvia farinacea)susceptible to rust fungus? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Is Mimosa pudica poisonous from Janesville WI February 21, 2014 I have just recently learned of Mimosa Pudica also known as the sensitive plant. I see using the USDA website that it can be found in the USA so I think that covers the North America aspect. I have b... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Ecosysystem with pecan at center from Austin February 21, 2014 Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, I would like to create a native tree guild around a mature pecan. It shares its space with native shrubs and ephemerals but I would like to add a nitrogen fixing plant. I am... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | | |
| Butterfly garden from Buffalo, NY February 20, 2014 I'd like to replace the grass in my front yard with a native butterfly garden that will suit the larval and adult stages of butterflies in Western New York. The patch in question faces north and gets... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Invasive thistles in wildflower field from Dripping Springs TX February 17, 2014 How to get rid of "native" thistles.. I have a large natural field that used to grow a variety of wildflowers, but in 2011 and 2012 it was taken over by thistles. I'm sure they are "native" Texas... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
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