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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| Butterfly plants from Austin TX December 17, 2012 I have a butterfly garden in the front part of the house facing the south side. However it is also mostly under a few Oak trees that cast shadow over half of the front yard starting early afternoon. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Propagation of Chandler's craglily from San Marcos TX December 16, 2012 Can you please advise me on collecting and propagating seed from Chandler’s craglily -Echeandia chandleri. I have 2 plants that came from the wildflower center. They never seem to multiply, but they d... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Texas natives that attract butterflies but not deer December 13, 2012 I'd like to have some plants in my garden that are butterfly attractors, but that whitetail deer won't like. I can find lists of butterfly plants, and lists of deer-resistant plants -- is there a li... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Replacing St. Augustine with Horse herb in Austin, TX. December 12, 2012 I'm considering replacing my St. Augustine grass with a Horseherb/Straggler Daisy ground cover, but I've heard that it provides a mosquito breeding habitat, especially if you allow dead leaves to de... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plants under Oak Trees in Austin TX December 10, 2012 Half of my small yard is in the shade of one big live oak and one kumquat. Nothing I plant grows in this shade. The other half of my yard gets sunlight. It is planted with Jasmine grass which grows w... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Ground cover under Spruces from West Chester PA December 06, 2012 Trying to get a native groundcover (or any grass/wildflower/fern) planting established under a small stand of spruces. Established stand (30+ years old), so lots of needles on ground. Just about tot... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Is dichondra repens native from Hillsboro, TX November 28, 2012 What about diachondra repens? Is it native? Thank you, View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Source for Dichondra from Hillsboro TX November 26, 2012 Where can I get dichondra and info about it? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Want a ground cover instead of St. Augustine to fill in gaps in stone pathway. November 19, 2012 I'm considering using Silver Ponyfoot (instead of St. Augustine) to fill in the 6" gaps between my 24"x24" cut limestone blocks footpath and patio. Do they run long that may cover the blocks, whi... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Re-landscaping in Stephenville, TX. November 17, 2012 I prefer native plants. We are re-landsacaping, so I need grass, ground cover, vines and flowers to plant in our back yard. We have many trees and the whole yard is shady. A small area might be con... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Care for some non-native salvias from Austin November 12, 2012 Mexican bush sage and Salvia "indigo spires" are both blooming in my Austin beds right now. Once they stop blooming and/or frost gets them, could you tell me by how much they should be cut back? R... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Planting horsetail indoors from Collierville TN November 12, 2012 I would like to plant horsetail indoors. Can it handle the inside? Will it try to go dormant or it that a temperature trigger which means it will not go dormant? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Lupines annual or perennial in Zone 4b from Austin November 08, 2012 Are lupines treated as perennials or annuals in Zone 4b (Northeast) if they are planted in the ground? Will other native species of lupines grow in a region they are not native to? Any recommendations... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Is horseherb toxic to chickens in Austin, TX? November 05, 2012 My yard is almost completely horseherb (straggler daisy, calyptocarpus vialis) and I am hoping you can tell me if this is safe for chickens to eat? As common as it is here, there is nothing I could fi... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Crows foot plant for Christmas wreaths from Millsboro DE November 04, 2012 I am looking for a plant called crows foot to make wreaths for Christmas. Where do I find this plant. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Winter plants for windowbox in Piedmont SC October 26, 2012 What kind of outdoor window box spruss can grow in upstate South Carolina in the winter months? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Euphorbia 'Cherokee' leaves drying from Benson AZ October 24, 2012 I have a Euphorbia 'Cherokee' in a pot and has been growing nicely but some of the leaves are turning red and drying up and falling off. Is this normal for this plant? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Perennials for flowerbed in Texas Panhandle October 19, 2012 I have a flowerbed in a partially shaded area and want some perennials. I live in the Texas Panhandle, soil is sandy, loamy. Hardiness zone is 6-B. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Information about Turk's Cap for school project October 19, 2012 Hello, my name is Veronica. I am doing a Species Study on Turk's Cap at Clint Small Middle School in the Green Tech Academy. I would like to learn more on my Native Texas Species. I am contacting you... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Groundcover for Bonsall, CA October 17, 2012 I live in Bonsall, CA. (San Diego) I have 3 acres, flat and sloped that are graded dirt. (DG and sheep poop from previous owner). It is getting close to mud season and I'd like to plant winter cover... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Hydrilla problems in Tom Bean Lake in Mesquite, TX. October 12, 2012 What is the lifespan of Hydrilla in 30 acre lake at Tom Bean Tx? Does it grow spring thru summer and then hibernate thru winter ?? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Groundcovers for Kingsland TX October 11, 2012 I am looking for a list of native ground covers and grasses(not lawn grass). View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plants for underneath oak tree October 10, 2012 I have a North facing wall of my house that gets half sunlight half shade depending on the season. I would like to layout some native South Texas plants and complete fill in area to prevent the live o... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Is straggler daisy deer resistant from Austin October 08, 2012 Is straggler daisy (horseherb) deer resistant? We have lots of deer in our NW Hills, Austin neighborhood, and a lot of shade where not much will grow. Is that plant a good candidate for ground cover... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Area under live oaks from Austin October 08, 2012 We have many live oaks in our mostly shaded half acre. While I have tried to plant mostly native plants, often beneath them, the plants are showered with leathery leaves, acorns and sap, while oak sp... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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