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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Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
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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Monday - November 30, 2009
From: Houston, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Non-Natives
Title: Mealybugs on non-native Lady Palm in Houston
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
Rather than dabbing rubbing alcohol on the leaves of an indoor lady palm infested with mealybugs,since the infestation is widespread, would spraying the palm with the rubbing alcohol be effective?ANSWER:
The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is committed to the care, propagation and preservation of plants native not only to North America but to the area in which they are being grown. From Plant-Care.com, here is a website on Rhapis excelsa - The Lady Palm that can give you some leads to the answer to your question. It is native to Southeast Asia; very few plants that will flourish indoors in pots are native to North America, they tend to be tropicals.More Non-Natives Questions
Need suggestions for a privacy screen besides Murray Cypress.
October 18, 2011 - Mr. Smarty Plants,
I live in NE TX, about an hour east of Dallas on I-20. I hear interstate traffic behind my house, and have a busy street on its left side, and a school adjoining in back. I thi...
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Non-native, invasive mimosa trees
July 15, 2006 - I have a mimosa tree. The blooms on mine are very pale while I see many other trees with bright blooms. Is there anyway to change the color of the blooms? For instance, is the color due to the PH o...
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Dividing Agapanthus
October 03, 2015 - When and how do I separate Agapanthus? Should I do it?
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Has Texas Black Persimmon been crossed with non-native persimmons from Austin
August 17, 2013 - Hi. I just found a Texas Black Persimmon in my neighborhood. The fruit is olive green and then black, then it explodes into a black slurry of seeds and syrup. The color is so strong I find myself wond...
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Leaf-cutter ants on non-native crape myrtle
May 08, 2008 - We have a problem with cutter ants. I lose my entire Crepe Myrtle tree every year. All of the pest control personnel I ask do not have a solution. Can you please suggest something to eradicate thes...
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