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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| Insect infestation, identification and treatment April 21, 2008 help! I have an infestation of small flies in my flower/vegetable beds. They seem to be eating the leaves of just about everything. I've tried to find out exactly what they are, but haven't had any ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Information about Lady Lupine (Lupinus villosus) April 20, 2008 Dear Mr.Smarty Plants, Lady Lupine grows in our yard in northeast Florida, and I would like to learn more about it, especially the stages it goes through, like now the purple petals themselves are c... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Non-blooming toad lily in Kentucky April 20, 2008 I have had a toad lily for three years and it has never bloomed. What do I need to do? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Backward blooming Jack-in-the-pulpit April 18, 2008 why does my jack in the pulpit plant bloom backwards View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants for Liberty Hill TX in full sun April 15, 2008 We recently bought an acre of land in Liberty Hill, TX. We have a large planting area in the front that is devoid of any plant life. I would like to turn this into a semi shaded area with some annua... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Correct cultural conditions for liatris April 15, 2008 I recently bought some gayfeather (liatris pycnostachya) and planted in my yard in a nice full sun spot. Gets sun for roughly 10 hours a day. However, it's also the single driest spot in my yard (jus... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Trimming bloom stalks of iris April 15, 2008 Mr. Smarty: I live in Nevada, and have some very beautiful Iris plants. They have all blossomed and now I am left with stems. Is there any way I can cut them back so they blossom again? If so how shou... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native plants for sandy soil and not much water April 14, 2008 I am planning a new garden at home and would like to grow native plants that can handle sandy soil and don't need much water. I do not water my gardens.I would prefer plants that can have more than o... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Suggestions for native perennials in Staten Island, NY April 03, 2008 My back yard garden has a good base of evergreen shrubs and perennials all doing well in clayish soil and I am ready now to add color and texture in an area with partial sun. Can you suggest hardy... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Arisaema triphyllum and Phlox stolonifera native to Pennsylvania April 03, 2008 I asked and you answered my question about PA wildflowers. I have two more questions: is jack-in-the-pulpit a native PA wildflower? and is creeping white phlox a native PA wildflower? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants for soil with basalt outcroppings in Idaho March 30, 2008 We have basalt (lava) outcropping in part of our back yard and know we'll have to search for pockets of soil in which to plant. Any suggestions about what trees or shrubs would have a chance in thes... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Pruning of native perennial blooming plants March 22, 2008 Hello - I am still a newbie at using Native Texas plants (but loving them!), and I need pruning assistance. When (and how much) do I prune: hot lips salvia, hummingbird bush (anisthcanthus wrightii... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Eriogonum spergulinum, wild buckwheat March 21, 2008 Do you have any information on the wildflower Eriogonum spergulinum??? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native plants for city lot in Longview, TX March 19, 2008 Just bought a city lot in Longview, TX and want to put in some plants at the periphery even before the house is built. Can you recommend any that would be from your list of East TX plants that are pa... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants that will grow in clay in North Carolina March 14, 2008 I have a small fenced back yard, predominately hard red clay, that is a major focal point. I am designing my own garden/yard area (to cut cost) and have a list of plants that will grow in this soil w... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Hardy, inexpensive perennials for Mansfield, TX March 12, 2008 I am trying to fill two flowerbeds that are in full sun mostly and right next to the house. I want something that can live in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area and is pretty hardy. I also don't want to spe... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Different kinds of plants living in subarctic areas March 10, 2008 What are the different kinds of plants live in the subarctic areas? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Combining yellow columbine and Malvaviscus arboreus March 07, 2008 Can yellow columbine coexist peacefully with Malvaviscus arboreus? I have a nice stand of the former and would like to plant the latter to take over when the columbine starts to look ratty in the hea... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native plants for flowers in rocky area in Ohio March 07, 2008 We have just built 4 raised beds on a slope in our backyard on Scioto River. The site is an old quarry so rocky soil below our raised beds & gets full sun majority of day from about 11am-7pm summer ti... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Native plants for memorial garden in Michigan March 04, 2008 I want to start a memorial garden for my daughter. I live in northern Michigan and the area has very tall white pines we have pruned them up about 15' so the area does get partial sun. Which plants w... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Suggested native plants for Katy, TX March 02, 2008 Mr. Smarty Plants I recently moved to Katy, Tx (just outside of Houston) and I would like to know what type of plants and flowers are best for this type of climate. The soil in my flower beds seem... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Rubber (latex) in Balloon plant (Asclepias physocarpa) February 09, 2008 I need milkweed leaves that contain rubber. The common milkweed species Asclepias syriaca has rubber in it. Do the milkweed of Balloon plant milkweed (Asclepias physocarpa) contain rubber? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Disease-resistant squash varieties for Central Texas February 03, 2008 Can you give me names of some disease-resistant summer squash varieties available in Central Texas? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants that are deer resistant for high desert climate in Utah January 23, 2008 We are building in a high desert climate in Dammeron Valley, Utah. We want plants that are both deer resistant and require little watering. Can you advise which plants (shrubs, flowers, cacti) that ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Trimming native salvias in January January 17, 2008 I have heard you can trim Hot Lips, Raspberry and other salvias back severely in January, to about six inches from the ground. Is this correct? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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