Native Plants
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
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
Questions From Near You
Kooskia, ID
Is Douglas maple (Acer glabrum var. douglassii) native
Could you give me some information about Douglas maple? Moslty, I'm trying to find out if this plant is native or introduced to Idaho and/or U.S. Thank you.
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Kamiah, ID
Information about Rosa acicularis
Hi: At your site under "Benefit" it is mentioned that the seeds, leaves bark and twigs of Rosa acicularis Lindl. can be fatally poisonous to humans and animals. None of my past or present studies h...
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Moscow, ID
Privacy screen in Idaho
Hello Mr. Smarty Plants, I need to add privacy to a chain link fence. The fence is shaded by large trees.They add shade from up high but little privacy at fence level.What would you recommend I plant...
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Pullman, WA
Native plant lists for eastern Washington and trace element absorption by plants
I'm a graduate student at Washington State University in Pullman. I'm currently working out a method (in my head) of utilizing neutron activation analysis of prehistoric animal bone to figure out h...
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Enterprise, OR
Native non-invasive plant seeds for Oregon wedding
I study invasive plants and I am interested in native plant re-vegetation. I am also planning a wedding in July. We thought a nice party favor would be wild flower seeds. I have people coming from ...
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Colfax, WA
Plant identification
Bought a plant don't know what it is or how to care for it. It looks like it's dying. Description: light to dark green, long, skinny, rounded trunk, surrounded and topped with grass like blades(top ...
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Darby, MT
Are birdhouse gourds deer-resistant?
Bird house gourds: they smell nasty (to this human being) but I NEED to know if deer are as repelled as a human by the strong odor put off by the plants.
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Walla Walla , WA
Blueberry and huckleberry plants for Washington state
Could you give me the names of which blueberry plants and huckleberry bushes that grow the best in Walla Walla, Washington and where and how to plant and space and care for them??
Thanks so much.
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Walla Walla, WA
Blueberries & Raspberries for Walla Walla WA
Which blueberry and raspbery plants grow best and suvive winter in Walla Walla Washington
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Arlee, MT
Plant identification for Montana
I am in forestry and work by Flathead Lake MT. I came across a wildflower and cannot I.D. it. Two come close..the Low Larkspur and Mountain Bog Gentian. It is blue/purple, 5 rounded petals, leaves are...
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Post Falls, ID
Deer resistant plants for area under grand fir (Abies grandis) in Idaho
What can I plant on a slope under Grand Fir trees in North Idaho, zone 4 - anything deer resistant?
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Hayden, ID
Will deer eat lemon cypress trees from Hayden ID
Do deer eat lemon cypress trees? We do not think so since they are so spiny, but wanted a clarification.
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Hot Springs, MT
Montana native plants to create a garden with edible plants
Hi Smarty Plants
We are looking to create a native herb, vegetable, root, fruit, flower and ground cover garden for the area of Hot Springs, Sanders County, Montana. Our zone is 4 and soil is mostly ...
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HAUSER LAKE, ID
Plant Identification
I have a plant that shoots seeds out of pods in late summer and grows like crazy. The stem looks like a rhubarb plant. It has multiple leaves, and beautiful flowers that look like orchids. I was wo...
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Hauser Lake, ID
How to introduce a new columbine?
Hello Mr. Smarty Pants,
I have a new plant in my yard and need to know how to get it named and who do I send the seeds to. It's a white columbine double double like a miniature mum. It must have c...
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Four Lakes, WA
Problems in non- native weeping willow in Spokane WA
My wife and I have a weeping willow tree that has done well for two years. This year some of the branches are loosing their leaves in late spring in Spokane, WA. I though it was from the wind but ha...
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Spokane, WA
Albinism in plants.
Greetings, I was wondering what you know of albinism in plants? I know I've found a few articles about it online. I discovered my only albino plant last summer. It was an albino dogbane plant grow...
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Spokane, WA
Problems with non-native tomatoes from Spokane WA
I have 2 tomato plants in 1 whiskey barrel, they are in abundance with tomatoes. My problem is when the tomatoes start to ripen, half green & half light red within 1 day the tomatoes are really soft ...
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Garden Valley, ID
Perennial plants resistant to cutter ants in Aransas Pass, TX
We are moving to Aransas Pass, Texas. Are there any perennial plants resistant to cutter ants?
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Anaconda, MT
Puppy-friendly privacy screen in Montana
I need some puppy-friendly short(< 30') privacy from the gigantic windows of my next door neighbor. But- there are power lines above the area that I needed to plant! I had planned on an aspen grove, ...
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Kennewick, WA
Spacing for Dogwoods and Cotoneasters
How close should Dogwoods and Cotoneasters be to bricks?
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