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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

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
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Kettle Falls, WA
Encouraging Daisies to Reappear
Having moved into our home in the early spring of the year we hadn't seen any of the flowering plants around the place until we were living here and we were not given any info on care for them. So ...
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Coulee City, WA
Native trees for horse pasture in eastern Washington
Hi. I live in Washington State (eastern)What type of trees can I grow in a pasture for horses? Best Regards,
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Ione, WA
Plants that animals won't eat from Ione WA
In Ione Washington and need to know what types of plants and flowers I can plant that animals in that area wont eat?
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Republic, WA
Revegetating a hillside in western Washington state
Removing several downed trees across my dock demolished the native plants growing on the hillside and the contractor pulled out their remains. The area faces east on an open freshwater bay. Close to...
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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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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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Kennewick, WA
Spacing for Dogwoods and Cotoneasters
How close should Dogwoods and Cotoneasters be to bricks?
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Kennewick, WA
Creating a garden based on fragrance
I would like to know which Fragrant Flowers are easy to grow and hearty for the climate i live in. Eastern part of washington state. Desert like in summer, warm summers.
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Richland, WA
Preventing weeds in kinnikinnick in Richland WA
We planted our kinnickinick last Nov. and we live in Richland, WA, where it gets hot in the summer. We planted almost 500 of them on a hillside. Weeding is taking over our lives, to say the least. ...
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Richland, WA
Problems with non-native weeping willow
My weeping willow has black holish cracks in it. It is a yearling. Any suggestions? ...
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