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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| Insects attacking Gregg's Blue Mistflower from Comfort TX June 20, 2013 I have a beautiful stand of Gregg's Blue Mist flower that have been attacked by an unknown insect. The new growth is curled and stunted and it is not flowering. I'm not alone..I've seen the Gregg'... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Lily plants being chewed from Austin June 20, 2013 Something is chewing my lily plants to the ground. Any ideas what and do I stop them? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Seeding success with Penstemon cobaea from Austin June 18, 2013 I've never had much luck in harvesting seeds from foxgloves (Penstemon cobaea, I think). Whenever I open the seed casing, the seeds inside are covered with some kind of mold. What's going on, and ho... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Container plants for part shade in Bee Cave TX June 18, 2013 Dear Mr Smarty Pants, I am looking for plants that will thrive on my covered porch in 3 tall planters. These are meant to help me block an unattractive view out my living room window, so they must... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Garden instructions from Austin June 12, 2013 I'm a beginning gardener putting in some new landscaping in my front yard in north central Austin, TX. The yard faces almost due east, so it gets full sun until early afternoon, when the house's sha... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Perennial Suggestions for Under Ash Trees in Minnesota June 12, 2013 With our house we have inherited 2 ash trees in our front yard with a large amount landscaping underneath. I'm replacing the landscaping but there are tree roots at the surface preventing me from bei... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Source for chile pequin plants in Austin June 11, 2013 Where can I buy chile pequin plants in Austin? Thank you, View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Texas sage near a granite outcropping from Llano TX June 10, 2013 I have a large granite outcropping near my house. There are pockets that have spring flowers growing in them and is just beautiful in the spring. I want to plant other native plants in and about the g... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plants for a Shady Woodland in MA June 09, 2013 Hello, I am looking for natives to plant in full shade or part shade. My house is in the mountain woodland area of Mt. Washington, MA. I am looking for grasses, flowers and shrubs. Also I am looking f... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Erosion Control for a NC Clay Slope June 06, 2013 Hi, We have a large slope on the road edge of our property that has been gradually eroding with spring rains (NC red clay). We would really like to plant something for erosion control but the bank is... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Showy Low Growing Perennial for Michigan June 03, 2013 I have been looking for a native perennial that would do well in full sun and moist to dry soil. It would have to be at most 2.5' tall and have showy pink, purple, or red flowers. Is there such a pla... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| New York City Native Perennials for a Long Growing Season May 31, 2013 Which native New York City perennials would be best for the longest growing season? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plants for pergola in Lubbock TX May 29, 2013 I need suggestions of plants, vines, bushes to plant in my backyard near my wooden pergola that will work well in full sun in Lubbock, TX. Ideally, I'd like some that attract hummingbirds and provide... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identity of a yellow-flowered wildflower with prickly burs May 20, 2013 Hi there. We have seen a wildflower, probably invasive, that is at least in Travis, Williamson, and Hays counties. We have tried to identify it without success, The structure of the plant is remark... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Will non-native hostas do well in South Carolina from Seneca SC May 20, 2013 I am moving to SC from CT and want to bring some of the hostas I grow in CT. If I plant them in the shade in SC, will they do well down there? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Problems with Gregg's mistflower from Fredericksburg, TX May 19, 2013 Dear Mr. Smarty Plants: Something is wilting the tops of my Gregg's mistflower, Conoclinium greggii. I cannot see bugs on the plant, so I am wondering if it's a disease. The problem is widespread to... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Wildlife garden for Austin May 19, 2013 I am trying to make my backyard more wildlife friendly. I have pecan trees for the canopy and some understory shrub/trees like rough leaf dogwood and redbud. I am having a really hard time finding sui... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Pruning practices from Austin May 16, 2013 I need to do some pruning in my front beds and I know nothing about plants. From what I have been able to identify I have bicolor irises, plumbago, Japanese Aralia. I don't even know where to begin o... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| How to keep plants alive in a pot beside a patio waterfall. May 13, 2013 Mr. Smarty Plants, I have a waterfall on my patio and I can't keep my plants alive in the flower pot next to waterfall. Is that beacuse of algae produced by waterfall? If so, can you please recomme... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Problems with non-native petunias from Hodgeville, KY May 12, 2013 Planting petunias again in a house border bed.. It has been a tradition for 30+ years to plant the small upright petunias in this particular bed. It started as a Mothers Day gift to my Grandmother, ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Can non-native coleus grow in mulch from San Antonio May 12, 2013 Can Coleus plants grow in Mulch only? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Stick with tried and true plants for a green roof in New York May 12, 2013 If I use Virginia creepers in a ground covered application for a green roof, how much soil should I provide depth wise? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Salt tolerant plants for Long Beach May 12, 2013 When Hurricane Sandy hit Long Beach, it has killed all my plants and now almost all of Long Beach is left with dead dried brown vegetation. I want to replant front with bushes and flowers. What woul... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Container plants for Yakima WA May 11, 2013 My condo complex has purchased large, pottery pots for around our pool. I need to choose low maintenance plants. hopefully something that takes limited water, etc. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Groundcover for Sunny Slope in CT May 11, 2013 I need a plant to use as groundcover and for erosion control on a sunny slope in southwestern Connecticut. Any suggestions other than juniper? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
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