Native Plants
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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.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
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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Tuesday - July 31, 2012
From: Houston, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Compost and Mulch, Groundcovers, Grasses or Grass-like
Title: Will Habiturf thrive in Houston?
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
Will Habiturf grow in partial sun? My lawn is surrounded by trees so that there is only about an hour each day with direct overhead sun. The rest of the day there is a light shade.ANSWER:
We are afraid the quick answer is "no." Attempts are being made to develop native grasses that will do well in shade, and there are some, but they are not what you would consider a lawn grass. We have information on our website prepared by the researchers who have developed Habiturf, and we suggest that you read them to understand the conditions and preparation required. Meanwhile, you might consider other replacements for the standard, water-slurping lawn, such as decomposed granite for walkways, surrounding decorative plant beds, and mulch for covering roots and protecting the soil beneath large trees, which seldom permit the growth of grass beneath them.
More Grasses or Grass-like Questions
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Native buffalograss in sandy loam
April 19, 2008 - I am in the Austin area and want to plant Native Texas Buffalo Grass in sandy loam from the Colorado River bed. Will this work?
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Weeds in Buffalograss from Edmond OK
September 20, 2012 - We have a patch of buffalograss surrounded by patio/flower garden/vegetable garden. We like B-grass, but are getting a lot of weeds despite preemergents, and some bermuda had appeared.
Are there h...
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Erosion Control in a Mid-Atlantic Shoreline
April 09, 2012 - My family owns a riverfront property off of Machodoc Creek which runs into the Potomac on the Virginia side. The water is roughly 3 feet deep at the shoreline and concrete cylinders are used to contro...
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Seep Muhly in limited sunlight.
July 01, 2015 - Can Seep Muhly withstand just 3 or 4 hours of direct sunlight in an urban setting?
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