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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| Dividing non-native daffodils from Austin April 15, 2012 The foliage on my daffodils is lush and healthy, but I have no blooms. Should I divide them? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Non-native lilacs for Salt Lake City, UT April 15, 2012 Is the weather in Salt Lake City UT good enough to plant a lilac bush root? If not, how long should I wait? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Growing non-native lettuce under artificial light from Washington NY April 15, 2012 Which artificial light( UV LIGHT, FLUORESCENT LIGHT AND INCANDESCENT LIGHT) makes a lettuce plant grow the fastest over a time period of 3 weeks and what would be your variables( independent, dependen... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Clover Among the Bluebonnets in Round Mountain, Texas April 13, 2012 I have a beautiful yard of bluebonnets, but mixed in with them are a tall clover that is hiding the flower's beauty and a shorter plant with clover-like leaves that produces burrs. Pulling is not an... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Can I move my Dwarf Orange tree from California to Florida? April 12, 2012 I am moving from California to Florida and have a small dwarf orange tree. Can I bring it with me to Florida? Thanks! View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Removing invasive Dichelostemma firecracker plant from Austin April 12, 2012 We have dichelostemma firecracker plant & cannot kill it. We need help in getting rid of this plant. Spent another 3 hours digging up corms this afternoon. It is invading our backyard & want it kil... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Non-native photinias in Monroe NY April 11, 2012 Two Questions: Is the weather too cold to plant red tip photinias in Monroe NY? What is a good alternative evergreen shrub to hide chain link fence? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Ridding property of Dichelostemma Firecracker Plant from Cleburne TX April 11, 2012 How do we get rid of Dichelostemma-Firecracker plant? It has invaded our yard & we hate it! How do we kill it? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Problems with non-native indoor palm in Guilford CT April 08, 2012 My question is I have an indoor palm plant that I have had for 7 yrs. It has grown from about a 5" plant to about 3' tall plant. The past few weeks the leaves are turning yellow & brown and lost abo... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Non-native daylilies and pachysandra in same area from New York City April 07, 2012 Will daylilies and pachysandra thrive if planted in the same bed, or will they harm each other? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Pictures of Bastard Cabbage from Dallas TX April 07, 2012 HI! Re your March 12 posting: The USDA Plants website pictures two very different looking plants identified as Rapistrum rugosum (bastardcabbage). Would you please post a photo with leaf and bloom ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Do non-native globe willows have a taproot from Midland TX April 06, 2012 Do globe willows have a tap root? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Growing fruits and vegetables from Holbrook NY April 06, 2012 I have been looking for information on what plants, vegetables and fruits can be grown on Long Island NY to provide a sustainable food source for a community in the event of food becoming scarce. Wha... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Replacing non-native invasives with native grasses and wildflowers from Round Rock TX April 04, 2012 I have a small piece of property (1.5 AC) East of Austin, Texas that get's overgrown with weedy vegetation (johnson grass, dandelion, and some tall yellow flowering plant that I see all over the medi... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Mowing wildflower concerns from Lockhart TX March 30, 2012 I went to the Texas Highway Department (Texas Department of Transportation) web site and sent them a concern or complaint about them or independent contractors shredding the roadsides before the blueb... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Specifications for a property in Corning CA March 29, 2012 Drought resistant, deer resistant, low growing (ground cover), and shade tolerant request: I am looking for a variety of species that not only fit the above preferences, but also a few other things. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Illegal to remove an orange blossom from ground in Florida from Atlantis FL March 28, 2012 Is there any law that prevents someone from removing an orange blossom from the ground in Florida? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Non-native genista racemosa from Leander TX March 28, 2012 Hello, Mr. Smarty Plants. I fear I've made a horrible purchase at a local plant place. Bought a "broom" plant--it's not listed in your database. Latin name: genista racemosa, according to tag. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Watering a vegetable garden in San Marcos TX March 24, 2012 Can you give me a general idea how long to run my drip irrigation on my raised vegetable garden? Currently I use it twice daily for one hour. The soil feels slightly moist but not very damp. Should... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Care for non-native 'Glacier Blues' from Charlton MA March 24, 2012 Do you have to prune or cut down Glacier Blues in the garden? My plants look brown and wilted. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Propagation of non-native Selenicereus Antonyanus from Warwick RI March 24, 2012 I just purchased a Selenicereus Anthonyanus, Rick Rack Cactus unrooted. I have searched on the web of the proper way to root the plant and have had no luck except it says easy rooting but not how to r... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identity of the mass fields of yellow flowers in North Texas March 23, 2012 Are the mass fields of yellow flowers we are seeing in north Texas now likely to be Indian Mustard (brassica juncea) or Charlock (brassica kaber or sinapis arvensis)? We are teaching a wildflower ide... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Alternative for Pittosporum limelight March 22, 2012 Is it ok to plant a Pittosporum limelight by pool? Don't want bees! Needs to be 6 feet. Thanks. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identity of rubbery-looking tree with long green thorns March 21, 2012 I am trying to identify a tree that has a green rubbery look with long, sharp, green thorns. This tree is on my property in Conroe, TX and the soil type is Gladwater clay frequently flooded. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Non-native Indian Hawthorn not flowering in Fairfield, TX March 17, 2012 My indian hawthorn shrubs won't flower, they are the white variety and I live in Freestone County, Texas, greenery is beautiful and very healthy plants but no flowers Have had the plants for over tw... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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