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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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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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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

Kingman, AZ
Propagation of non-native, poisonous oleanders
How do I propagate oleanders? Can the cuttings be rooted in water? Or is it better to use rooting hormone and stick the cuttings in the soil?
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Laughlin, NV
Trees for property in Nevada
Mr. Smarty Plants: I would like to plant trees in between Crepe Myrtles than put up a fence along the paved road. The temperature ranges from 27'F to 130'F. It is a full sun all day and I will i...
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Mohave Valley, AZ
Eliminating Arrow Weed from property in Mohave Valley AZ
How do I get rid of Arrowweeds on my property?
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Havasu Lake, CA
Landscaping in the Southern California desert.
We are located in southern California in Lake Havasu. I'm trying to landscape sloping areas. I have arrow weeds (Pluchea sericea) and want to get rid of them permanently. How can I achieve this or...
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Boulder City, NV
Leaf problems on Cherry Laurel in Boulder City, NV
I live in Boulder City, Nevada and have 4 cherry laurel trees. I'm having a hard time with brown leaves and loss of leaves. How much water should I give them each season? Temps run from 28 degrees to...
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Henderson, NV
Replacing grass with xeric plants in Nevada
I am looking to xeriscape my front yard - remove all grass! I am thinking 3-4 larger plants: bird of paradise (mesquite??), aloe, and ..?? Also, possibly a Chilean mesquite. Do you have suggestio...
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Henderson, NV
More on bluebonnets
When (month and week) do you think the "peak of bluebonnet blooming" will be this year in the Austin, Fredericksbug, and Llano, Texas area?
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Henderson, NV
Where can I find Opuntia santa-rita?
Dear Mr. Plants - I'm trying to locate a type of opuntia violacea-santa rita. (Purple prickly pear) Instead of the normal pads, this cactus has rippled pads that almost look like a type of coral. It...
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henderson, NV
Less Maintenance Plant Suggestions for New Raised Bed in Henderson, NV.
We have a newly constructed raised garden bed. I was wondering what kind of plants would be appropriate to plant this springtime in Henderson, NV with less maintenance because I work full time.
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Henderson, NV
How to Prune a Mountain Laurel to make it more tree like in Hendersen, NV
How do I prune a Texas Mountain Laurel into a tree? Just bought a 15 gal. with two trunks above the crown. Was told that multiple trunks are their natural growth, which is OK. But all research call...
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Henderson, NV
Plants For Sale
I have to move out of my home to take care of my mother. I have various plants in the small yard (6 mo old). If I dig them up and pot them, is there someone who will buy them? Thanks,Pat
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Henderson, NV
Flowering vine with yellow flowers in Nevada
A flowering vine started growing in our Henderson back yard about 2 months ago. It has variegated green leaves & yellow flowers. We decided not to pull it out & now it's spreading. I've looked on v...
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toronto, NV
Smarty Plants on cell elongation
Why do plants grow faster in the dark?
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North Las Vegas, NV
Plants for privacy hedge in North Las Vegas
My lot is in North Las Vegas. Looking to plant something that will be a privacy hedge. Full sun with horrible soil. Local nursery suggested the following: Green Cloud and Gray Cloud Texas Sage, Feat...
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Las Vegas, NV
Is Penstemon Poisonous to Dogs?
Is Penstemon palmeri poisonous to dogs? I couldn't find in ASPA guide.
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Las Vegas, NV
Failure to thrive of pecan trees in Las Vegas NV
In April this year I purchased two 8-foot tall pecan trees in 3-foot square boxes from a local nursery and planted them here in Southern Nevada. I'm sure I dug a large enough hole to provide plenty ...
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Las Vegas, NV
What kind of turf can be planted in Baja Mexico from Las Vegas NV
What kind of turf can be planted in Baja. Mexico
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Las Vegas, NV
Proper deadheading of non-natives Arabian Jasmine and Crape myrtle from Las Vegas
Advise please on proper deadheading of Arabian Jasmine, and of Crape Myrtle. They are both blooming great but I want to know once the petals fall should I deadhead and will it help them to bloom agai...
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Las Vegas, NV
Starting Venus Flytrap From Seed
I am a high school student doing a project on the Venus flytrap and would like you to help me by answering the following questions: What are the Venus flytrap predators and prey? How to raise a Venus ...
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Las Vegas, NV
Need a privacy screen beside a pool in Las Vegas, NV.
Hi, I need to plant a privacy screen fence next to the pool. There is only 4-5 feet between the wall and the pool. That leaves only about 2 feet for soil. What are my best options for non invasive r...
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Las Vegas, NV
Identification of vine from Las Vegas NV
I'm interested in identifying the vine shown by the leaf in this photo: https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/zR3R4JSPYcCI4ESczNXWM4h8z33Cq5cyZNqSSYf9hx0?feat=directlink My mother-in-law got one o...
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