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.
Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
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.
Search Smarty Plants
| topic | question | |
| Suggestions for deer-resistant plans February 28, 2006 I live in Horseshoe Bay and there are deer everywhere. They seem to eat everything I plant. Is there anything they don't like? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of Beetleweed or Galax as February 28, 2006 My mother will soon celebrate her 100th birthday. For her 1st birthday her mother decorated her highchair with "smilox". I am trying to find out what plant this is. I have found "smilax" but it is... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Eastern red cedar as tall privacy hedge for North Texas February 28, 2006 I live in Northern Texas, outside of Dallas, and I need a very, very tall hedge to hide the view of the neighbors car lot from our second floor. We see everything beyond his fence and it drastically ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Alternatives to non-Texas native pin cherry for Texas February 28, 2006 Dear Ms. Smarty Plants, I learned that the fire cherry/ pin cherry is a very hardy tree, and that it is very drought resistant. I live in zone 7, on black land, which becomes very dry in the summer. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Source for Guayacan (Guajacum angustifolium) in Texas February 28, 2006 Do you know where I can purchase guayacan (soapbush) or is it impossible to transplant? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Why do sunflowers turn towards the sun? February 27, 2006 Why do sunflowers turn towards the sun? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants harmed by chipped spruce and evergreens for mulch in Colorado February 26, 2006 What plants would be harmed by using chipped Spruce and evergreens for mulch? Thank you. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Low cost, low maintenance, water tolerants native plants for New Jersey February 25, 2006 I am planning a bed around my deck which will include shrubs and flowers. I am looking for plants that require a lot of water due to the wet soil conditions and poor drainage in my yard. Do you have... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Deer resistant plants for campground in West Virginia February 24, 2006 We spend the summers at a campground as permanent campers. We fix up our sites to be a pleasure to spend our time smelling and see the wild life come and perch around the area. We would like to know... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Digestive distress from eating Lonicera sempervirens February 23, 2006 A friend of mine ate Lonicera sempervirens and it caused a burning sensation in his stomach. What may have caused this sensation? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Use of cenizo (Leucophyllum frutescens) for tea February 20, 2006 Back in the 50's when I spent the summers with my grandmother south of Hondo, Texas, she use to pick leaves from the cenizo (purple sage) bushes, dry them and then brew them for tea. I asked one of m... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Transplanting trilliums in dormancy in Michigan February 15, 2006 I live in Michigan. I have a Trillium in my yard and we are having a new septic field put in. I need to know if I can save the whole plant and can I keep it in the house or do I just need the bulb a... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Pruning time for Smoke Tree (Cotinus obovatus) February 13, 2006 Gentlemen: I have a Texas Smoke Tree (Cotinus obovatus). It's doing very well & I wish to prune it before its leaves come out. I understand there are a few trees you don't prune, among them birch. I... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Cultivation of Gossypium hirsutum, Upland Cotton February 08, 2006 I got a cotton boll (seeds and all) at a spinning workshop. I spun the cotton and the lady who brought the cotton boles said the seeds could be planted and the plant could be grown in a container on ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Problems with propagation of Indian Paintbrush (Castileja indivisa) February 07, 2006 We are growing Indian Paintbrush. I have 2-300 seedlings. They were sown with fescue and have grown beautifully. Now they are approximately 4-6 inches high, a few have bloomed and many seem to be dy... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Many different species called February 07, 2006 I know from researching that Dusty Miller is drought tolerant. But, I tend to water too much when I do get irrigation water. Will it stand this? (clay soil, near a very young globe willow, southern ex... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Links to geographical zones February 06, 2006 A link page to similar sites would be helpful. Rather than 8 "geographical zones" how about by real zones; I live in California at 8000 feet. I know I can use the Rocky Mt. Zone to a degree, but al... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Differentiating between red oak, Shumard oak and American sycamore February 05, 2006 I have a few trees growing in an arroyo and I'm pretty certain that they are either red oak, shumard red oak, or Texas sycamore. The trees are deciduous and have a scaled grey bark which becomes lig... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Tahitian gardenias (Gardenia taitensis) salt and wind resistance in Hawaii February 03, 2006 Are Tahitian Gardenias salt tolerant? We live on a rocky coastline in Hawaii and we get a lot of salt spray. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Non-native tropical Butterfly vine (Mascagnia macroptera) in Houston February 02, 2006 HOWDY . . . Miss Smarty Plants !!! I am trying to identify one of the most intriguing, unusual & beautiful vines that I have ever seen. I encountered this vine at the home of an 87 year old widow ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Boom time for Texas wildflowers and best sites for viewing February 01, 2006 I live in NJ and would like to visit Texas and see the bluebonnets and other wildflowers in bloom this spring. When do you expect the best display of flowers this year? Also, can you tell me where th... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Sowing additional wildflower and grass seeds on steep hillside January 30, 2006 Mr. Smarty, we recently moved to Hot Springs, AR. We have about a 1000 sf hillside area too steep to plant with shrubs etc. We had wildflower seeds scattered last May in this area and the flowers we... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Effectiveness of house plants for removing household air pollution January 30, 2006 I have heard that there is a combination of house plants that will increase the oxgyen in your home. Could you please tell me the names of these plants? I think there are a group of four of them. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Possible identification of Post Oak in New Braunfels, TX January 27, 2006 I live 6 miles north of New Braunfels in the Hill Country and own 5 acres of land. The property consists of many escarpment live oaks, texas persimon, and ashe juniper. I believe I also have some Te... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Sources of information on native plants iin Ypsilanti, Michigan area January 26, 2006 Hello, I am a scout with Troop 243. I am interested in knowing if you have information available to give me regarding the Native Plants that have been discovered in the Ypsilanti, Michigan area. I n... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Removing competition of mustang grapes from live oaks January 26, 2006 We have several native mustang grape vines on our rural property that seem to be taking over the live oaks on which they are becoming entwined. Is it advisable to remove them or are they harmless? And... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Sources of information for design of prairie meados in Georgia January 25, 2006 Dear Ms. Smarty Plants, I am designing a prairie meadow in Covington GA (Zone 7) at the edge of piedmont and coastal ecosystems, primarily lower piedmont. I am trying to restore a 1/2-acre site over ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Resources for native plants and landscaping in El Paso, TX January 24, 2006 I live in El Paso, Texas, and want to know more about flowers and other native plants and landscaping in this specific geographical area. I would like information on particular plants that are suita... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Information on propagating alder (Alnus crispa) from seed or cuttings in Alberta, Canada January 20, 2006 What do you know about propagating alder (Alnus crispa) from seed or cuttings? I'm involved in a small stream side revegetation project in central Alberta, Canada. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Resources for information on native plants of Ecuador January 12, 2006 Hi, I'm going to Ecuador this spring to work on a gardening project in the rainforest of Ecuador. I'm interested in native plants of Ecuador, especially flowering plants - do you know of a good res... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Information on Mrs. Johnsons efforts in highway beautification January 11, 2006 Perhaps you can help. I am trying to unearth a little history of Lady Bird and her involvement in the beautification of our highways, especially as it relates to using native plants. This is for a p... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Mycotrophic plants that develop underground for years in Alabama January 10, 2006 I recently heard someone say that there was a plant that took seven years to grow. They stated that the seed is in the ground but it begins the growth under ground but does not come to the surface for... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Source for photo of Helianthus nuttallii January 10, 2006 I need a photo of Helianthus nuttallii. Can you help me? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| About Salvia superba January 09, 2006 About 10 years ago, nurseries were offering a small salvia, called salvia superba or meadow sage. A few years later, "May Night" and "Blue Hill" appeared on the market similar to this first sal... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Sources for seed of Utah native Asclepias labriformis January 08, 2006 Hi there, I am looking for seeds of the plant "Asclepias labriformis" which is native to Utah. Can you help me to find seeds from this plant? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Advisability of sowing wildflower seeds in mid-January in Lousiana January 07, 2006 Newton County borders Louisiana in SE Texas. Can we plant wildflowers now-mid January? The park has recently been graded and many trees blown down by Rita which will make it more sunny. The Garden ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| State flower of Hawaii January 04, 2006 What color is the state flower of Hawaii? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Cultivation of non=native Brugmansia sanquinea January 04, 2006 I have had an Angel Trumpet since spring 2004, I keep it indoors in about 5 hours of sun a day. It is about 5 feet tall and was loaded with leaves. At Christmas time I had to move it from the front wi... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Non-native acacias for Washington State January 03, 2006 Hello! I have been unable to find any sources for the seed of Prairie Acacia, Acacia angustissima var hirta. Var angustissima, from tropical America, is in cultivation, but I think it is tender to col... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Local native plant for grave marker in Washington December 30, 2005 Dear wildflower expert, Our friend’s dog died, and is buried in western Washington, near the town of Monroe. My wife is from central Texas, and thought a Texas perennial would be a nice marker. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Dumb question about prickly pear December 23, 2005 This is probably a really dumb question but I am interested in picking the prickly pear next year when it is in season, and was wondering the best way to get all of the little stickers off of the pear... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Odor and flavor of oils in Mints as insect repellants December 19, 2005 I am trying to find information on "How does mint plants repel insects" It's for my grand daughter's science project. Any help will be appreciated. Thank you View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| General information on native Fendlers sandwort (Arenaria fendeleri) December 19, 2005 I am trying to locate any general information on Fendler's Sandwort. Any help will be greatly appreciated. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Hardiness of non-native Lycium barbarum for Saschatewan December 19, 2005 Lycium barbarnum. What is its hardiness and where can it be grown? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Consequences of leaving geranium in dark room December 18, 2005 What would happen to a geranium plant that was left to grow in a dark room for many days? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Possible reasons for yellow heads for Indian Blanket December 13, 2005 I had Indian Blanket flowers that had almost pure yellow heads. Will the seeds of these flowers produce plants that will have yellow flowers? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Determining distance of trees from paving in NE Indiana December 09, 2005 I'd like to plant 3 types of trees (Catalpa speciosa- Northern Catalpa; Juglans cinerea - Tulip Tree; and Acer saccharum - Sugar Maple) next to sidewalks and driveways, but need to know if they have ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Deer-resistant plants for South Carolina December 09, 2005 I have purchased a home in SC in an area that is overun with deer. What flowering plants for that area do deer not eat. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants toxic to dogs December 08, 2005 Can you tell me where I can get information on plants poisonious to dogs? Deck and yard plants. Thank you. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Viability of seeds that have not come up December 06, 2005 I planted some wildflower seeds per instructions and they are not coming up. Should they? or will they come up in spring? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| topic | question | |