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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

Marlborough, MA
What eats American holly bushes in winter?
I live in Marlborough, MA and I was shoveling snow on January 19th and noticed how beautiful my Holly bush was covered in red berries against the new fallen snow. My husband said to me this morning (...
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Marlborough, MA
Chile pequin not ripening to red from Marlborough MA
I have a healthy Chile Pequin in Marlborough, MA, flowering and fruiting profusely. But, the fruit are not ripening to red, as did their parent plants in Florida. Fruit go from green to deep purple ...
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Clinton, MA
Comptonia peregrina tea as topical treatment for poison ivy
I have been told that Sweet Fern stewed into a tea is a great topical treatment for poision ivy. Is this true?
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Shrewsbury, MA
Landscape buffer in Bluffton SC
I have to install an irrigated landscape buffer along the outside of a 6'high x 42'long privacy fence about 8' from a public sidewalk in Bluffton, SC. The property owners association requires 4' t...
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Harvard , MA
Ground cover for Massachusetts
Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, We are trying to kill poison ivy in shaded areas bordering our driveway and want to plant something quickly to replace it. There are many tall trees in this area, mainly pi...
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Natick, MA
Will a gift of bluebonnet seeds grow in Massachusetts?
I recently received a gift of bluebonnet seeds and would like to know if they are suitable to grow in Massachusetts. We live in Zone 5. If so, would they be considered an annual due to our hard winter...
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Grafton, MA
Strange growth on oak tree
i have a very strange round segmented growth on a tree in my yard. i think the tree is a chinkapin oak and the growth is a reddish color. it looks like a ball with suction cups on it. it is very st...
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Worcester, MA
Souce for Houstonia caerulea in Massachusetts
I am looking for bluet (Houstonia caerulea or H. serpyllifolia). I can't find them anywhere. The two sites listed under possible distributors under H. caerulea have not gotten back to me. I read that...
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Worcester, MA
Commercial source of Malus x arnoldiana in Massachusetts
Looking for a commercial source for Malus x arnoldiana, a Massachusetts native apple/crabapple. I work for a Massachusetts conservation land trust with an interest in wildlife habitat and mast and nat...
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Worcester, MA
USDA Plant Hardiness Zone of Worcester, Massachusetts
What zone is Worcester, Massachusetts?
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Worcester, MA
Problems with recently planted trumpet vine from Worcester MA
Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, I have a question about my recently planted Trumpet Vines. First of all, I live in Massachusetts, zone 6. The soil is perfect for the two vines, which I bought from a local nur...
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Medway, MA
Pruning tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera)
Thank you for your answer regarding when my tulip tree will flower. I also understand it can/will grow to over 100 feet so should we be pruning it a certain way to keep it contained? thank you
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Medway, MA
Do all tuliptrees (Liriodendron tulipifera) flower?
Do all tulip trees flower? We planted a baby one about 5 years ago and its grown considerably however it has never flowered. Is that normal? Thank you!
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Millbury, MA
Deer-resistant plants for South Carolina
I have purchased a home in SC in an area that is overun with deer. What flowering plants for that area do deer not eat.
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Leominster, MA
Source of seeds for helianthus salicifolius (Willowleaf sunflower)
Where can I purchase seeds for helianthus salicifolius?
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Newton, MA
Preserving endangered plants in Massachusetts
I've recently visited the national registry of threatened or endangered plants for my Massachusetts home, with a hope of : 1. Identifying rare, threatened or endangered species in my state. 2. fi...
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Newton, MA
Plant identification
I have had a plant for 37 years! It is a vine with leaves that grow in groups of three and they typically have 5 points. The leaves are dark green and shiny. I would love to know what this old friend ...
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Newton, MA
Low-Maintenance Hedge for Massachusetts
I want to put in a native low-maintenance hedge in a sunny spot with plants that can take dry soil. I would like the plants to grow to less than 4 feet wide. It can be an informal hedge, but I don't ...
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Lexington, MA
Distinguishing native Celastrus scandens from non-native C. Orbiculatus from Lexington MA
Dear Mr. Plants, I maintain a wildflower garden with the Lexington Field and Garden Club in Lexington, Massachusetts. Every year, I pull up sprouts of Celastris orbiulatis. I want to plan...
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Lexington, MA
How to get rid of invasive vine
We moved into our very old (300+ year house) several years ago and I am slowly getting round to cleaning up and replanting flower beds. When I cleared the space to grow clematis along a fence in the b...
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Groton, MA
Blue wildflowers for Massachusetts meadow garden
I am restoring a 1980's era barn in Massachusetts. To celebrate the roll-out of the restored barn, I would like to plant wildflowers in the hayfield next to the barn (aprox. 3 acres). I would like ...
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