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Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers Nan Hampton, Jimmy Mills and Barbara Medford to be the culpable and capable parties. Yet, others think staff members Damon Waitt, Joe Marcus and Philip Hawkins might 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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Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

Questions From Near You

Los Alamos, NM
Native American barberry with edible fruit in New Mexico
HI I am looking for a native american burberry plant with edible fruit. I love Persian cuisine, and they use the dried fruit of the burberry plant in a rice dish that I would like to recreate. I liv...
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Espanola, NM
Growing Sophora gypsophila from seed
Sophora gypsophila B.L. Turner & Powell Do you have any information on growing this small tree from seed? I have a few seeds and would like to try. What conditions break seed dormancy? I have grown ...
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Chimayo, NM
Verticillium wilt in catalpa and maple
On Monday - July 07, 2008, you answered a question about a catalpa and maple with the same problem--an entire branch died, and then more of the tree died. And both trees came from the same nursery. Th...
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santa fe, NM
Santa Fe orchard groundcovers
Howdy We were wondering what kind of ground cover you would suggest to use in a sunny area that has a few new apple trees [7' high]. The area is about 80' x 100 '. The soil is clay & was used to ...
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Santa Fe, NM
Possibility of over-watering of Asclepias tuberosa
Another question about butterfly weeds, the leaves on one of my plants are turning a yellow-red color and the blossoms seem to be dying (drying up) before they can bloom. It is right in the same area...
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Santa Fe, NM
Sweet cherry tree for New Mexico
What is the best kind of sweet cherry tree to plant in Santa Fe, NM? I have apple, apricot, peach and pear. Would like cherry unless it is a bad idea.
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Santa FE, NM
Deadheading or trimming back of Asclepias spp
I have some butterfly weeds (flowers) and I have heard conflicting stories as to how to cut them back. Should they be deadheaded to elongate bloom time or does that prevent any seeds from replanting?...
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Santa Fe, NM
Plant identification request
I took a trip to Arizona in 9/06. While out walking through public land I encountered a beautiful plant with very distinctive leaves, color of woody stems and flowers. I have scoured the USDA plant ...
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Santa fe, NM
Treating splits in a Cottonwood tree trunk
How to treat slipts in trunk of 4 year old Cottonwood tree.
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Santa Fe, NM
Smarty Plants on Fan Scarlet-Cardinal
I have a lobelia x speciosa (Fan Scarlet-Cardinal) plant and was wondering if I should dead head it after blossoming so that the plant continues to flower. Can you help? Thanks!
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Santa Fe, NM
Dispersing seeds for wildflowers in New Mexico
Here, in Santa Fe, NM, we have lots of beautiful wildflowers. What is the best way to propagate them? Can I just disperse the seed on my acreage after blooming? There is purple aster and sunflowers...
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Santa Fe, NM
How to propagate milkweed from root cuttings
I am interested in propagating Asclepias speciosa (showy milkweed). Your info page for this species says it can be propagated via root cuttings. Does this mean I can lop off a chunk of the root/tuber ...
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Santa Fe, NM
Source for photo of Helianthus nuttallii
I need a photo of Helianthus nuttallii. Can you help me?
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Santa Fe, NM
Information on cherry trees from Santa Fe
1.does the purple leaf sand cherry have edible fruits? size, flavor, cross pollinator necessary, fruiting time? cultivars? zone, soil, light, water? 2. fall foliage color of 'Meteor" cherry tree?
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Santa Fe, NM
Smarty Plants on Isocoma pluriflora
I would like to know when isocoma pluriflora (rayless goldenrod) blooms in the Santa Fe, N.M. area. I'd also like to know its height. Other info will also be appreciated. ...
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Jemez Springs, NM
Planters for wildflower exhibit in Jemez Springs NM
I am planning to have a wildflower/pollinator exhibit at a visitor center located on a high elevation grassland (no trees). I would like advice on the size of the planter boxes.The area is located at...
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Pecos, NM
Propagating Indian Paintbrush
I live in Pecos, NM and have a lot of Indian Paintbrush plants growing wild on my road. I wonder if you can tell me how I can propagate this plant.
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Placitas, NM
Can Gaura coccinea be transplanted
Hello, I had Gaura coccinea growing on my property when I lived in Albuquerque. I have been looking for it for years to plant in my xeric aroma garden. Taking a walk yesterday I found some in a ditch ...
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Rio Rancho, NM
Dividing and planting Yucca and pups in New Mexico
I bought a Yucca plant and had 7 plants in one planter 1 large and 6 small. We wanted to split up the plants so we carefully separated them and planted them. My soil is very sandy (Rio Rancho) but I...
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Rio Rancho, NM
Replanting a blue agave in Rio Rancho NM
I have acquired a Blue Agave, approximately 4-5 ft high. It still appears quite healthy. It was used over the holiday season for display purposes in a liquor store. Unfortunately, the root ball has be...
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Albuquerque, NM
Ingestion of agave sap from Albuquerque NM
My boyfriend was out in the Arizona desert without water for two days and sought moisture through what he thought was a yucca plant but instead we believe was agave. He sucked the moisture off the ins...
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