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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!

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Questions From Near You

Scottsdale, AZ
Non-flowering plants in Scottsdale AZ
I have three plants that are supposed to do well in Arizona but mine are not flowering. The yellow bells and orange jubilee I have get full sun, drip watered 3 x a week for 1 1/2 hrs (at 4am) and are...
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Scottsdale, AZ
Problems with non-native Eugenia in Scottsdale AZ
I have 5 eugenia topiaries in my courtyard in pots..I notice as the days here in Phoenix get hotter and dry (as usual) they are starting to look bad, even though they are under a shelter out of the di...
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Scottsdale, AZ
Information about growing food in Arizona
Edible plants in Arizona: How can I get information on planting and growing food in Scottsdale Arizona?
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Scottsdale, AZ
Evergreen plants for shaded fence in Arizona
I need to place a fence around my front yard (4-5 ft tall), in Arizona. What evergreen flower/plant can you recommend that would grow on this fence? (it would only get about 2-4 hours of sun daily and...
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Scottsdale, AZ
Transplanting non-native crape myrtle in Scottsdale AZ
When is the best time to transplant dwarf crape myrtle in Scottsdale AZ?
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Scottsdale, AZ
Locating supply for Clematis drummondii in Arizona
I am trying to locate Clematis drummondii for my desert garden in Scottsdale, Arizona. Any help would be appreciated.
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scottsdale , AZ
Are Mesquite (Prosopis) pods safe for dogs to eat?
are pods from mesquite trees posionus to dogs if they chew or eat them?
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Mesa, AZ
Transplanting large Silverado Sage bushes from Mesa AZ
We just bought a condo with three Silverado Sage, each one is 6-8 ft tall, trained to grow as "trees" with bare branches for the bottom 4 feet or so, and beautiful flowering branches on top. They ar...
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Mesa, AZ
Mosquito problem from Mesa AZ
We have a mosquito problem in our backyard, I think they're grass Mosquitos. I wanted to get lemongrass for a deterrent but both nurseries were out so I opted for rosemary. They're ALL OVER the rose...
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Mesa, AZ
Help for a Transplanted Bougainvillea
I recently planted a bougainvillea in our south-facing front yard. While planting it, we inadvertently severed a large portion of the root system from the plant. What, if anything, can we do to help...
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Mesa, AZ
Why is my Agave suffering in Mesa, Arizona?
I live in Mesa AZ, and have an agave that we planted 7 years ago. It grew like crazy with hardly any care whatsoever, until I cut off some of the bottom leaves and 'pups' about a month ago. Recently...
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Mesa, AZ
Problems with non-native citrus trees from Mesa AZ
We have one valencia orange tree and one naval orange tree in our Mesa, AZ yard. Just noticed some oranges on both trees have a 1/4 inch diameter hole through the skin and the orange fruit and skin a...
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Mesa, AZ
Soaptree yucca falling over in Mesa AZ
My soaptree yucca is about 5 ft tall and has fallen over. Does this plant require staking for I thought not, or is something else going on with it?
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Mesa, AZ
Problem with Live Oaks in Mesa AZ
I have two Evergreen Live Oaks in central Arizona. One is flourishing and getting new spring leaves from top to bottom. Its trunk is rough, has large grooves, and the spots where I've pruned look li...
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Phoenix, AZ
Texas wild olive tree
I live in the Phoenix area. My Texas wild olive (Cordia boissieri) is about 5 years old, about 12 feet tall and has beautiful blossoms all year long. However, this past year (through all seasons...
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Phoenix, AZ
Privacy hedge plant for Phoenix, Arizona.
Hi, Can you tell me what would be a good plant or shrub to block one side of an unsightly 6ft high wrought iron pool fence, and create some privacy. It would be full sun and the hot temperature of P...
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Phoenix, AZ
Projected longevity of Opuntia fragilis (Fragile Prickly Pear)
How long does Opuntia fragilis live? Thank you.
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Phoenix, AZ
Disappearing sunlight in Phoenix, AZ
I live in a condo in Phoenix, AZ with a north facing patio that goes out about 10 feet and is 20 feet wide. During the summer months there is a span of 1 foot in the front that goes the 20 foot length...
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Phoenix, AZ
Care of non-native potato tree (Solanum macranthum or Lycianthes rantonnetii)
I live in Phoenix. I bought what was called a potato tree. Purple flowers with blooms quite often. It seemed a little puny and twiggy so I fed it Miracle Grow. It is now gorgeous with lovely leave...
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Phoenix, AZ
Effect of epsom salts and gray water on plants
We live in Phoenix where water is a precious commodity. We have decided to use as much of the gray water as we can for watering our garden, shrubs and trees. One of the suggestions we heard about w...
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Phoenix, AZ
Cenizo safe for consumption by parrots from Phoenix AZ
Could you tell me if Cenizo, (Leucophyllum frutescens) branches and leaves can be fed to pets? (parrots)I read the leaves were often used for tea for humans, but can't find an information if safe fo...
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