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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

Perkiomenvill, PA
Wildflower planting in Northeast Pennsylvania
I live in PA, Northeast, and have high grass that is mostly wet, I was wondering if I could just throw wildflower seeds out into the high grass and if they would grow.
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Gilbertsville , PA
Is yellow tulip poplar alive from Gilbertsville PA
How can I tell if my yellow tulip poplar is alive? thank you
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Gilbertsville, PA
Problems with non-native nectarine in Gilbertsville PA
I live in southeastern Pennsylvania. I have a mature nectarine tree maybe 14 years old. It has a greenish grey spotting on the trunk and branches, the fruit always turns into the brown mummies and f...
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Gilbertsville, PA
Wildflower in southeastern Pennsylvania
I live in southeastern Pennsylvania and want to identify a wild flower that is common along small town and rural roads and highways. It is blooming now (Mid May), has a flower spike similar to a larks...
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Perkasie, PA
Need identification of a bush with red bumpy berries in PA.
Pennsylvania - We are trying to identify a bush that has small red bumpy berries. The berries are the size of a crab apple or a cherry. Can you tell us what it is?
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Perkasie, PA
Survival of wildflowers after Hurricane Irene in Perkasie PA
Mr. Smarty Plants, We have (had) a beautiful row of wildflowers and sunflowers along the one side of our house. Now that Hurricane Irene has passed, most of the flowers are matted down from the wind...
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Perkasie, PA
Identification of plant growing with purchased plant
I purchased a heurchera and there was another plant that was growing in the pot with it. I planted both together in my garden. The "other" plant is growing and none of the gardeners around here has ...
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Collegeville, PA
Understory Shrubs for Pennsylvania Clay
I want to replace three non-native Euonymus alatus with native shrubs that will serve as host plants for butterfly/moth species and/or attract bumblebees and other native bees. The shrubs I have are ...
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Collegeville, PA
Non-native invasive chickweed in Collegeville PA
My problem is chickweed. I have found considerable information on how to eliminate the chickweed. My question is after following a suggested elimination process: How and when do I reseed with grass?...
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Collegeville, PA
Location of Taxus baccata
Where in the USA may I purchase taxus baccata? I can't find them anywhere on the internet or at local nurseries. I need about 125! So, saplings would be preferred even though they are slow growing...
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Quakertown, PA
Container plants for Bucks County, PA
I live in Bucks County, PA and I would like to have a garden, but do not have a green thumb. Which plants come back each year that survive in large pots. Are daisies also a good choice for my garden...
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Pottstown, PA
Water-loving native plants for Pottstown, PA
I live about 40 miles west of Philadelphia. I am looking for a water absorbing evergreen tree/bush/plant that I could plant in the rear of my yard. We get a small stream every good rain and the back...
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Royersford, PA
Thinning out of maple tree following heavy winds
A 15 yr old red maple lost significant fruit in spring from heavy winds, in summer the tree seems thinned out. Is this the reason? Tree is otherwise very healthy and has always had thick foliage in ...
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Lansdale, PA
Need a tree to grow in the middle of a retention pond in Pennsylvania
I have a shallow retention pond in my yard in South Eastern Pennsylvania. The pond is used for rainwater runoff and also for natural springs that are located below the surface. If I plant a tree in th...
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coopersburg, PA
Ducks and geese resistant plants for a pond in PA.
We have a pond in all shade and we have ducks and geese. We would like to plant something in the space between the walkway and the pond to add color, but they have eaten everything we've tried- fern...
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Bucks County, PA
Arborvitae thinning in Bucks County, PA
My arborvitae trees are about 11 ft. tall. I had them put in about 3 years ago. They were 8 to 10 ft. when planted. After the first year, I have noticed they are thinning to the point where you can se...
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Bucks County, PA
Grasses for Pennsylvania
What type of grass does the best in my area?
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Mont Clare, PA
Plant Identification
Hi, I live in ne pa.i have always had a fasvorite wild flower with yellow flowers in the spring. the plant lasts all summer and fall til first frost. It gets small thin bean like seed pods that I save...
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Mont Clare, PA
Rules for picking wildflowers
I've always heard that, if not in a park or posted area, it is ok to pick one wildflower for every 13 and therefore leave a dozen. Is this at all true?
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Alburtis, PA
Failure of smoke tree to bloom in Alburtis PA
For whatever reason, my smoke tree did not bloom during its second season. Any ideas?
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Phoenixville, PA
Edibility of native and non-native wild onions
I'd like to know if the seeds of the wild onions found in southeastern Pennsylvania (possibly called Allium ascalonicum) are edible at all- these are the seeds that grow on top of the stalk, after ...
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