Native Plants
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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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| Tropical Texas landscape from Houston March 04, 2013 Do you know of any public (or at least photographed) place in Texas that has been landscaped entirely with native "tropical-looking" (i.e. evergreen but NOT conifer and NOT succulent/arid) species? ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Propagation of Texas sage from Bastrop, TX March 01, 2013 Am I wasting my time trying to transplant texas sage runners? Any advice? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| English Garden in Texas from Dallas February 28, 2013 I am introducing perennials to my rose beds, and would like help for an English Garden look in TEXAS!!! (stump the expert!!) One plant I am interest in, as it provides blue (which roses don't) is m... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Source for dotted blue-eyed grass from Saluda SC February 23, 2013 I lived in Texas for several years and now live on acreage in South Carolina. I have heard that bluebonnets don't grow well in South Carolina. However, there is a place by the road near our house t... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Enough sun from San Marcos TX February 22, 2013 I would like to plant both Lantana urticoides and Salvia farinacea in area that only has morning to 1pm sun..Will this amount of sun be enough? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Book about Texas native bulbs from Hillsboro TX February 21, 2013 Hi! I'm looking for a book about Texas native bulbs. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Bringing Non-native Cannas out of Winter Storage February 15, 2013 Mr. Smarty Plants - Is it possible to force canna tubers? Would placing them on a heating pad help? I am in Ohio - zone 5. Thank you View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Pruning pink skullcap and rock daisy from Austin February 06, 2013 I have some pink skullcap and rock daisy and other plants in my yard that never entirely die back over the winter. Can you tell me what kind of pruning is appropriate? How far can/should I cut them ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Interested in a mini food forest February 04, 2013 I am interested in starting a mini "food forest" in a twelve foot by twelve foot patch of earth next to my house. I'd like to put a focus on making sure that the bulk of the plants I introduce are ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Poppies for a wedding in August from Highlands Ranch CO February 04, 2013 Are poppies available to buy for weddings in August in Colorado? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Chile Pequin growing well in Charleston SC January 28, 2013 Not really a question. I have successfully grown from seed Chile Pequins I picked up in Texas here in Charleston Sc. They are so hardy they come back from their stalks each year and sprout from seeds ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Ground cover for Brooklyn, NY January 25, 2013 Hi Mr Smarty Plants, I'm looking for a fast growing ground cover for my Brooklyn, NY back yard. The area is nestled between 3 buildings and a fairly large tree, so most of the day its shady, but ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Need suggestions for plants for a 45 degree slope in Falls Church, VA. January 23, 2013 Have a 45 degree hillside 50 feet wide by 60 feet long on north side of 26 story building. Very little sun with the need for soil retention plants. Would like a native plant or plants to cover area... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Landscaping in Avalon TX January 23, 2013 I just bought my first and last home in Avalon Texas. I am looking forward to starting my garden. I am interested in all year around flowers. however I am in the country, when it rains, my yard becom... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Need help fighting grass burs in La Grange, TX. January 22, 2013 I have 4 acres of wildflowers planted in my front yard. Unfortunately, grassburs have crept in & I need to control them with a pre-emergent. Will this keep the wildflowers from blooming? Also, would l... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Where can white prickly poppy be viewed en mass from Baton Rouge LA? January 16, 2013 Does the center feature the native White Prickly Poppy? When is prime blooming season? Can you give me some specific locations in the area where the plant can be seen en mass and photographed? Thank... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Montana native plants to create a garden with edible plants January 14, 2013 Hi Smarty Plants We are looking to create a native herb, vegetable, root, fruit, flower and ground cover garden for the area of Hot Springs, Sanders County, Montana. Our zone is 4 and soil is mostly ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Need plants for steep slope in Knoxville, TN. January 10, 2013 I have several steep banks that have to be weed-eated each year every week. Do you know if there are any kinds of ground cover that would take over the weeds on these steep dangerous banks. I live in ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native Plants for Shaded North Slope in Ohio January 03, 2013 I have a shaded north hillside which needs erosion control plants. Mostly moss and very thin grass grows there now. Please help! View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Is Lycopodium digitatum native to South Carolina? December 27, 2012 Is Lycopodium digitatum native to SC; do you know if it's available in SC nurseries? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Source of Pectis angustifolia from Georgetown TX December 26, 2012 You answered an earlier question about Limoncillo (Pectis angustifolia) by saying you had found a source for these seeds in Santa Fe, but the hyperlink was inoperable. I'd like to try to propogate t... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plants for oak shade from Whitney TX December 24, 2012 I live in Whitney, Texas and have a number of beautiful Live Oak trees in a portion of my yard providing deep shade. Asian Jasmine grows in about 5 ft circle around them and then nothing! I have walk ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Texas native shade plants for metal troughs in Austin December 22, 2012 Interested in finding Texas natives that would do well in metal troughs in the shade. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Source for ground pine plants from Ligonier PA December 21, 2012 Where can I purchase "ground pine plants? I want to use them for erosion control. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Sources for native plants from Austin TX December 19, 2012 Hello. I am currently planning a Texas native plant garden. Unfortunately, I cannot seem to find the seeds/bulbs/roots/plants for some of the natives at local nurseries: Indian Ricegrass (Achnatherum ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
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