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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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Questions From Near You

Lebanon, NH
Question about non-native false aralia (Schefflera elegantissima)
Hi. I have a False Aralia-8 stalks. Have had for a while and recently it has begun (and for the first time) dropping leaves. The stalks are getting pretty barren. I know the genreal care for the...
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Lebanon, NH
How does Graptopetalum filiferum produce seeds?
Hi I have a Graptopetalum filiferum. I found a seed on top of one of the plants and it resembles something like a cantelope melon seed-about 1/3" long, orange. Do these succulents produce seeds i...
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Etna , NH
Invasive horsetail in Etna NH
I seem to have an increasingly "healthy" supply of Equisetum in ALL of my many gardens over the years .. it is not easy to get all the rhizomes (what is?) is it possible to control it some other way...
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Norwich , VT
Vine for house in partial sun in Vermont
we are looking for a climbing vine against the east side of our house, partial sun but need at least 20 feet tall, in zone 4, vermont
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Plainfield, NH
Lupinus perennis Poisonous to Dogs?
I have heard that some lupine varieties are quite poisonous to dogs, others are not. Do you know if it's safe for my dogs if I plant and encourage Lupinus perennis in my NH meadow?
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Woodstock, VT
Edible native salad ingredients
Hi, I'm hoping to make a salad for a school Horticulture project, but I'm having a hard time finding some edible plants. I live in Vermont, and am hoping to find some edible flowers and 'weeds' a...
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South Pomfret, VT
Identity of tree with fragrant yellow flowers and thorns
I'm not sure if this is a native plant. It's a tree, around 15" tall. The leaves are in bunches with 3-4 very sharp small spines at each bunch. Flowers are small, yellow, hang down from the leaf...
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Randolph, VT
Identification of plant with orange sap that glows at night
I was just pulling up a plant and noticed that its sap was a kind of orange then I noticed it glowing orange at night. What kind of plant is this and is it dangerous?
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Haverhill, NH
Identification of vine growing near river in New Hampshire
I found a small vine growing near a river in NH. It has five point leaflets similar to sumac but much smaller. The flowers were pink with a deep purple/burgundy on the inside. The flowers are in clus...
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Brookfield, VT
Resources for information on native plants of Ecuador
Hi, I'm going to Ecuador this spring to work on a gardening project in the rainforest of Ecuador. I'm interested in native plants of Ecuador, especially flowering plants - do you know of a good res...
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Warner, NH
Plant with red berries that grows near the Warner River
We live next to a river, the Warner River, and every year these plants with red berries appear next to the river. we have search for name to no avail: the leaf is unique with one large spade shaped ...
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Rutland, VT
Privacy screen around pool in Vermont
I am looking for a plant or tree that doesn't lose its leaves or needles that can offer privacy around my pool but not grow tall enough to block out the sun in the early and late hours. Would an ever...
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Laconia, NH
Eliminating evasive Celastrus orbiculatus (Oriental bittersweet)
I have Oriental Bittersweet growing pervasively in my shrub garden, strangling my shrubs and growing into my beautiful Victorian porch. I can't keep up with it! What can I do?
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Lincoln, NH
Fast-growing evergreen shade shrub for Lincoln NH
I need a fast-growing, shade loving evergreen shrub that will give us privacy and grow in and around some White Pines whose branches were pruned to 4 - 6 ft above the ground. The house is in Lincoln ...
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Concord, NH
Bird attracting plants in Northeast U.S.
What plants will attract birds in zone 6 (Northeast) in the spring and early summer?
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Concord, NH
Fast growing native trees for firewood in New Hampshire
Can you tell me what FAST growing tree is best for a planned crop? We plan to generate new tree crops every year. We want to use this wood for burning in indoor wood stoves and maybe in an outdoor woo...
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Hancock, NH
Turf grasses and alternatives for NH
I live in Hancock, NH, just north of Peterborough. We just bought a relatively new house that pretty-much has no lawn and minimal landscaping. Can you (or anyone) suggest native lawn grass alternati...
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Pawlet, VT
Wildflowers and grasses in Vermont
Invasive in VT.? I am ready to try seed balls in my SW Vermont meadow. (All the tilling and clearing of grass - or as sometimes advised - using Round Up??? for a wildflower garden? seems like so muc...
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E Dummerston, VT
Defenses against imported red leaf beetles on lilies
I've recently discovered small red beetles of some kind on my lilies, which they are happily devouring. I've been picking them off with my fingers and squashing them, but I'd like a better alterna...
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Manchester, England
Problems on mock orange plant in England
I have a small mock orange plant that is about 3 years old. It is currently in a 12 inch plant pot in full sun. It bloomed beautifully this year but the leaves on both the new and old growth are start...
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Manchester, England
Identification of a mushroom in England
I have a fungi I cannot recognize. It has a whitish soft pithy stem about 2/3 mm wide and approximately 6-10cm long. It has no leaves just a white flower/seed case on the top of the stem. This head is...
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