Native Plants
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.
Support NPINHelp grow the Native Plant Information Network by giving to the Plant Database Fund or subcribing to Wildflower magazine.
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
Questions From Near You
Falls Church, VA
Need suggestions for plants for a 45 degree slope in Falls Church, VA.
Have a 45 degree hillside 50 feet wide by 60 feet long on north side of 26 story building. Very little sun with the need for soil retention plants. Would like a native plant or plants to cover area...
view the full question and answer
Arlington, VA
Pine trees for West Virginia
I have two acres in the Canaan Valley, West Va. and would like to plant pine trees. What type would you recommend that the deers won't eat and the cold climate won't kill.
view the full question and answer
Arlington, VA
Need bug repelling plants in Arlington, VA
What kind of plants are best bug repellents, and need little or no maintenance.
I'm a city girl and don't like bugs (spiders)
view the full question and answer
Arlington, VA
Recommendations for a steep slope in Arlington, VA
I have a side yard area about 35' long and 10' wide. It is very steep and get full sun. I recently I removed all the weeds down to dirt. I want to do low maintenance plants with mulch.
view the full question and answer
Arlington, VA
Deer Resistant Plants for Northern Virginia
I'm looking for deer resistant shade plants in Northern Virginia. The deer have devoured my hostas, impatiens and native toad lily plants, day lilies.
view the full question and answer
Arlington, VA
Small shrubs for roof garden in Washington DC
I am looking for a hardy evergreen shrub for a roof garden in DC. Needs to be 3-4 feet tall, evergreen, dense, survive the extreme wind, cold and heat.
view the full question and answer
Arlington, VA
Looking for shrubs to replace Photinia as a privacy screen in Arlington, VA.
Suggestions to replace diseased red tipped photinia. Looking for hardy privacy screen type of evergreen, not too deep with height of approx. 10-12'
Thank you
view the full question and answer
Arlington, VA
Need suggestions for plants for a privacy screen in Arlington, VA.
I am looking for a tall-growing tree/shrub to act as a privacy screen with neighbors on two existing borders, including, e.g., blocking out the neighbors tall swing set gym, deck, and other activity, ...
view the full question and answer
Arlington, VA
Ground cover for wildlife in Virginia
Looking for a good ground cover to replace what we've got growing in front of our condo in Northern Virginia. Something to provide cover for the birds and their fledgelings in the spring and summer, ...
view the full question and answer
Arlington, VA
Native turf grass for Arlington, VA.
Hi, could you please provide me with a recommendation for a native turf grass to plant in a large commercial area in Arlington, Virginia. Currently Kentucky 31 is being used, but we would like to iden...
view the full question and answer
Arlington, VA
Plants for wet soil in turtle enclosure in Virginia
We recently installed a turtle pond in our backyard in Arlington, VA. We built an enclosure around the pond to protect the turtle from raccoons and herons, and left some open area for the turtle to g...
view the full question and answer
McLean, VA
Small Tree or Shrub for Northern Virginia
I live in Northern Virginia in the metro D.C. area and we just had a large pine tree topple over in the front of our house. We would like to replace it with a native evergreen that wouldn't grow up a...
view the full question and answer
McLean, VA
Evergreen for privacy screen in Virginia
Last year we lost a large pine that was part of privacy screen and we replaced it with two Eastern red cedars. There is still a substantial gap that won't be filled in by the cedars and we were cons...
view the full question and answer
Mclean, VA
Understory planting in Virginia
We have some 10 mature tulip and sycamore trees in our No. VA property. The previous home owners were fond of English Ivy and Japanese pachysandra. We are working hard at replacing these invasives to ...
view the full question and answer
Vienna, VA
Removing nut grass and wild strawberry in Vienna VA
Mr. Smarty Pants,
How do I get rid of wild strawberry plants and nut grass in my large garden bed?
I have rosemary and thyme already there and don't want to use a harmful pesticide (kids and pets...
view the full question and answer
Vienna, VA
Hedge shrubs that attract butterflies & birds in Virginia
Hi - I need recommendations for north VA hedge shrubs that attract butterflies and birds. Thanks
view the full question and answer
Alexandria , VA
Palm plant with lower inches browning in Alexandria VA
Palm plant 10 years old, about 5' tall, single trunk approximately 1" diameter, reddish green leaves about 12 to 14 inches long, original owner. All leaves on the lower 2 inches of plant leaves are ...
view the full question and answer
Oakton, VA
Splash-proof plants from Oakton VA
Hi Mr Smarty Plants,
Re: low, evergreen ground cover, Northern Virginia
The bare soil around my freshly painted screen porch splashes up onto the white framing when it rains so I am looking for ...
view the full question and answer
Oakton, VA
Plants to put between stepping stones in Virginia
We are a public school in Northern Virginia and are looking for native plants that could be planted between heavily used stepping stones and could withstand some foot traffic (mostly in a sunny spot, ...
view the full question and answer
Fairfax, VA
Improperly prepared building site in Virginia
Hi, I have a question about planting on newly-built homesite. We just moved into a new home in DC suburbs (Northern VA) and the landscape is the worst of the builder grade. There are prickly junipers ...
view the full question and answer
Fairfax, VA
Nectar from Lonicera sempervirens edible from Fairfax VA
Is the nectar from Lonicera sempervirens edible?
view the full question and answer