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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| topic | question | |
| Source for Texas Hawthorne (Crateagus texana) May 19, 2006 Hello, I am in search of some Texas Hawthorne (Crateagus texana). Thanks, View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| More on bluebonnets May 17, 2006 I'd like to know if Texas Bluebonnets or even Aggiebonnets (maroon bluebonnets) can be grown in the Phoenix, AZ area. If so, what conditions would you recommend doing this in, as our spring and summe... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Inadvisability of allowing native orchids to cross-breed May 17, 2006 Hello LBJ Native plants helper! This is the perfect place for me to ask a question that has been very perplexing to me. I live in Northern California and am doing research for naturalization of the te... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native plants for seasonal poor drainage May 16, 2006 I have an area in my front yard that has a drainage ditch running through it. When it rains, that area stays very wet. What kind of plants available for sale will work in this situation? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Repairing damage to perennials from hailstorm May 15, 2006 We just had a tremendous hailstorm north of Georgetown. The hail was being blown horizontally and my perennials were sheared off at the ground. Is there any advice as to how to help these plants reg... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Survival possibility of transplant of sucker from oak tree May 15, 2006 My neighbor has a young oak tree in his front yard. It has small leaves and round acorns and once a year sprouts shoot up at its base. The neighbor was kind enough to let me dig some up to try to tr... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native plants for full sun and low maintenance May 13, 2006 I have volunteered to plant flowers/bushes around a sign at my church. I want to plant indigenous plants so the maintenance is low but I also want attractive plants. The soil is clay and the locatio... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Wildflower seeds for trail for Eagle Scout project May 11, 2006 I'm a boy scout with Troop 1202 in the Dallas, Texas area, planning an eagle project to benefit my local parks department. The project will be to plant native wildflowers (from seed) along a trail. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native flowers and ground cover for damp, shady area in Wisconsin May 11, 2006 I would like to plant some flowers and ground cover in the front of my yard near my home. This spot is usually damp and nearly always shaded. Any suggestions? Also I'm looking for blue flowering pla... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Culture and location of native Stachys coccinea May 10, 2006 What are the soil, light, and water requirements for Texas betony (Stachys coccinea) and in what area(s) of Texas does it naturally occur? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Locating Rubus trivialis (Dewberry) In Houston May 10, 2006 Where can I purchase dewberry (Rubus trivialis) seeds &/or plants? I live in the Houston, Texas, area, and the area has grown so much that I can no longer locate dewberry plants. I would like to plant... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Michigan native plants for shady, low traffic area May 10, 2006 Hello, I am looking for a recommendation for a Michigan native groundcover. I live adjacent to the Rouge River watershed and want to buy the right thing. The location is shady, infrequently walked ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Mountain Laurel and Desert Willow in pots or ground in Brady, TX May 09, 2006 I would really appreciate your advice if a Texas Mountain Laurel (now a 1 gal. size) and a Desert Willow (now a 3 gal.) are good candidates for planting in containers and, if so, what size for each? ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Locating Rosa rugosa for Massachusetts May 09, 2006 There is a shrub that grows out on the Cape especially at the beach. I have always called it Beach Rose and I have heard other people call it a Beach Plum. However, the most recent picture of a Beac... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Sapindus drummondii or Rhus aromatica for Austria May 07, 2006 Hy! I'm from Austria/Europe, and interested in some North American native plants specially. It would be great if you can help me with my two questions: Sapindus drummondii I read from different... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Western Azalea (Rhododendron occidentale) for Southern California May 04, 2006 Are there any fragrant varieties of azalea that will grow in Southern California? There are some wonderful native azaleas I found in North Carolina, such as the r. alabamense and r. atlanticum. I h... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Information on herbs for Northeast Ohio May 03, 2006 Hello there, I am writing you seeking some information on Northeast Ohio's native plants. This has been rather difficult to find—specific native plants that can be used as herbs. If you could h... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Invasive, non-native Paulownia May 03, 2006 Hi. We would like to plant a fast growing tree that will provide shade for our house. What do you think of the Paulownia tree (Empress Tree) as a possibility for the Austin area? If this is not a g... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Alternative names for Aquilegia Sanguinaria May 03, 2006 I am looking for the common name for a flower called Aquilegia Sanguinaria. Can you help? Does this even exist? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| More on bluebonnets May 02, 2006 How are bluebonnets used by wildlife? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Wildlife uses of wildflowers in Central Texas May 01, 2006 How are wildflowers in Central Texas used by wildlife? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Failure of fragrance in Sweet Shrub (Calycanthus floridus) in Illinois April 30, 2006 I have a sweet shrub bush that I took from the root of another one. Every year it blooms but never has even a smidgen of fragrance. The bush it came from was very fragrant. Should I do something to th... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Difference between vetch and woolly loco April 29, 2006 What is the difference between vetch and woolly loco? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Transplanting of non-native Vitex April 29, 2006 I live in El Paso and have a fifteen year old vitex tree planted too close to a mesquite tree in my backyard. As a result of this, the vitex has failed to thrive. My question is this: can I replant ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Fertilizer and application for live oak trees April 27, 2006 What do I use to feed live oak trees? How do I apply the fertilzer? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Resource for information on phytoremediation April 27, 2006 Hello, I've been searching for a resource that will tell me which contaminants certain plants are able to absorb (in terms of phytoremediation). Thanks so much - I do hope to hear from you so... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native plants with little sun and northern exposure for New York April 26, 2006 I live in a co-op and want to fix up the backyard. The backyard area has a west area to plant with a northern exposure and little sun and I am looking to plant something to cover the area. I would lik... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Viability and storage of bluebonnet seeds past "use by" date April 26, 2006 I have several packets of Bluebonnet seeds and wildflower seeds which have "packed for 2006 use by 3/07". My questions: 1) will these seeds be good for the 2007 growing season?; 2) how should I ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Differentiation between Amorpha roemeriana and A. fruticosa April 25, 2006 How do I differentiate Amorpha roemeriana and A. fruticosa? Thank you. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Determination of native plants of North Carolina April 24, 2006 I am compiling lists of native plants to use in NC, and found that Dirr (Manual of Woody Landscape Plants) lists introduction dates (xxxx) for MANY of the trees you list as natives, e.g., Acer rubrum ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Restoration of hilly area with natives of New York April 24, 2006 I have an area, down the street from me, 2 side hills. During the summer, this all becomes over grown with small trees and just brush in general. I have asked our city for over 20 yrs to clear it as j... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native, non-invasive plants for Canaan Valley, WV April 23, 2006 I recently purchased a home on an acre of land in the middle of Canaan Valley, WV. The front yard is flat and sunny, the back is on a ridge and is a little forest with a creek at the bottom. The tre... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Information on native plants in Canyon State Natural Area April 21, 2006 I am the Cubmaster for a Cub Scout Pack here in San Antonio. I am planning summertime activities for the kids this summer. One thing I have decided to do it take them on a hike in the new Government C... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Locating yellow crossvine April 20, 2006 I am attempting to find a yellow crossvine. I am not having much luck. I thought I saw some growing in the Taylor area, but I cannot locate it now. In my memory, the flowers had brown dots on them. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants for green roof gardens in Beijing, China April 20, 2006 I`m wondering if you would know what plants native to the area around Beijing China would be good candidates for extensive green roof gardens? Also, do you think that those hearty little pesky plants ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Propagation of Mountain Laurel by seed April 20, 2006 I have a Texas Mountain Laurel. I found on this website that the beans are poisonous, but if you plant them, will they grow another Mountain Laurel? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native replacements for non-native St. Augustine lawn April 20, 2006 Hi. We would like to reseed our lawn. It is currently St. Augustine. What would you suggest for a low maintanence, drought tolerant grass or ground cover. We would prefer to have something that do... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Inadvisability of mounding earth around tree in ring April 20, 2006 We have a mimosa tree in our backyard. My husband wants to build a tree ring around it. My mother told me that some trees will die from having soil built up around it like that. Will a tree ring ki... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Medicinal plants at the Wildflower Center April 19, 2006 What kinds of medicinal plants do you have at the Wildflower Center? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Endangered species of trillium on disturbed soil in New York April 19, 2006 Hello, I live in Rochester New York, near a gully/ravine by woodland. Quite a gem. Anyway here's my question and concern. In the past 35 years there have been trillium in small "pockets" or sing... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Locating supply for Clematis drummondii in Arizona April 19, 2006 I am trying to locate Clematis drummondii for my desert garden in Scottsdale, Arizona. Any help would be appreciated. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Possible ground covers under pine trees in Illinois April 18, 2006 Have pine trees in front of house. No luck with the lawn around them....was told it's because of ground acidity. Any tips on how to get a lawn to grow there? If not, can you suggest some ground cover... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Proper soil for Blackfoot daisy (Melampodium leucanthum) April 18, 2006 I live in San Antonio. Have taken landscape course at the center several years ago-(fabulous)! I am putting in a raised portion of the garden this year with Blackfoot Daisies. Can you tell me where... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Repotting from 4-inch pots April 18, 2006 Hello. A week ago I purchased some native plants at the wildflower center plant sale. I would like to know how to repot these seedlling native plants. They are in 4" pots right now. I have as follows... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Drummonds wild onion growing along creek in St. Edwards Park April 17, 2006 I live near St Edwards Park in Austin and was wondering what the name of the onion is that grows along the creek. Thanks View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Non-native Sandankwa viburnum (Viburnum suspensum) damaged by freeze April 16, 2006 We live in Georgetown. My Sandankwa Viburnum seem to have been affected by the late freeze. There are now very few leaves and no flowers/buds. Should I cut the plants back, leave them alone, or giv... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Information on care and transplant of non-native Bamboo in North Carolina April 15, 2006 I am considering transplanting some bamboo from my backyard to my side yard in Northern Randolph County, Central Piedmont, North Carolina. Could you offer me any pointers on a direct ground to gro... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of Skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) in Virginia April 15, 2006 Hi, I am very curious about a bulb growing wild plant in our back yard. We have recently moved to the Woodbridge, VA area. There is a stream running trough our property. The plant looks almost like la... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Commercial source of Malus x arnoldiana in Massachusetts April 13, 2006 Looking for a commercial source for Malus x arnoldiana, a Massachusetts native apple/crabapple. I work for a Massachusetts conservation land trust with an interest in wildlife habitat and mast and nat... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Possible medicinal uses of Spanish Moss (Tillandsia usneoides) April 13, 2006 I recently read an article about the healing properties of Spanish Moss. It mentioned reducing bad cholesterol in the human body. What exactly are the properties in this plant that are good for you, ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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