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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

Coventry, CT
Identification of shrubs with red berries in Connecticut
In my yard there are bushes about 4 1/2' tall with red berries. The berries are bright red and somewhat translucent with striations visible through the skin.I thought they were gooseberries perhaps, ...
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Vernon, CT
Beans growing under artificial light from Vernon CT
What bean plant will grow the best under a flourescent,spot gro light,green transparent light,or Natural light and why.What caused it to grow like it did?
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Hebron, CT
Ground cover for Connecticut sandy gravel bank
What ground cover plant can I use on a sandy gravel bank behind my house?
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Amston, CT
Male pollinator to produce berries on Juniperus virginiana from Amston CT
We have planted 3 juniperus virginiana 'Glauca' (on our Connecticut property) that have a few blue berries on them. Will they need a male pollinator to make berries? We do not have other juniperus...
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Lebanon, CT
Plant Identification from Lebanon CT
What is that plant-- a wildflower --large thick stalk--flowers can be purple, pink, and very light pink. 3 branches off of stalk--flowers growing up each branch. Flowers smell similar to peonies.Leave...
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Glastonbury, CT
Failure to thrive of non-native Japanese maple
My 10 year old Japanese red maple leaves suddenly started to curl up and die at the end of summer last year. Only about a quarter of the tree leaved out this spring, branches are dead. Can I plant ano...
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Ashford, CT
Windthrow Resistant Trees for Northeast Connecticut
We live in northeast CT, and prefer to plant native trees. Many people here do not want trees around their homes, despite the benefits of shade and shelter they provide, because they are afraid of win...
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Franklin, CT
Re-landscaping neglected garden in Franklin CT
I am starting from scratch in a yard that has no planting beds or, for that matter, plants at all. House was vacant for quite some time, grass was three feet tall when we moved in. I would like to p...
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Hartford, CT
Recommendation for red raspberry species for Connecticut
Hello, I was wondering if you could recommend any red raspberries that I can grow in Connecticut. Thanks!
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Hartford, CT
Learning to garden from Hartford CT
Hello, I just recently found an interest in gardening, and have discovered "cultivars." I am having trouble finding what exactly a cultivar is, and if they are bad or not. Can culltivars ever occur ...
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Windsor Locks, CT
Is Echinacea poisonous to cats?
Is the echinacea plant poisonous to cats?
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Brooklyn, CT
Non-blooming yuccas in Brooklyn CT
I have outdoor yucca plants that don't flower - - in full sun. Why?
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West hartford, CT
Growth rate of the American beech tree from West Hartford CT
What is the growth rate of an American beech tree?
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West Hartford, CT
Native trees for privacy screen in Connecticut
I am looking to replace a row of white pine trees with something else along the border between our yard and neighbor's yard. We only get afternoon sun and we need something that will grow to around ...
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Woodstock, CT
Smarty Plants on staghorn sumac
I currently have staghorn sumac in my yard located in Woodstock, Connecticut. it appears to be of the Rhus typhina species. i am removing these from my yard using a chainsaw and creating a pile of ...
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Longmeadow, MA
Plants available for viewing in Wildflower Center in October
We are thinking of bringing a group to visit the Wildflower Center during the weekend of my son's wedding in Austin in early October. Will there be much to see at the garden at that time of year? ...
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East Granby, CT
Invasive native wild onions in East Granby CT
I have wild onions which have become extremely invasive. I have no idea how to get rid of them, and this year they seem to have taken over my entire flower bed. I tried pulling the bulbs out for sever...
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Oakdale, CT
Growth on underside of squash plant leaves
I have a mold in my garden that is oval in shape and has spikes growing out of it, the color is yellow. This mold (yup it's not a bug I checked) is all over the underside of my squash plants. Any hel...
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New Britain, CT
Non-blooming rhododendron in Connecticut
A two or three yr old rhododendron has not blossomed - ever! All other plants in landscape doing well, but not this one. Help
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Simsbury, CT
Is Rosa rugosa poisonous?
Are beach plums from a Rosa rogosa poisonous?
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Springfield, MA
Locating Rosa rugosa for Massachusetts
There is a shrub that grows out on the Cape especially at the beach. I have always called it Beach Rose and I have heard other people call it a Beach Plum. However, the most recent picture of a Beac...
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