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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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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

Rochester, NY
Shade Loving Plants for Under a Black Walnut Tree in Rochester, NY.
Please advise on plants that will grow in the shade under a black walnut tree in Rochester, NY.
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Rochester, NY
Want salt, shade, drought tolerant plant for Rochester, New York
I am looking for a ground cover plant for western NY to grow on a strip alongside a road that gets very little sun in summer (lots of tree branches shading it). It gets a lot of road salt in winter a...
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Rochester, NY
Endangered species of trillium on disturbed soil in New York
Hello, I live in Rochester New York, near a gully/ravine by woodland. Quite a gem. Anyway here's my question and concern. In the past 35 years there have been trillium in small "pockets" or sing...
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Rochester, NY
Bare feet-friendly native groundcovers for New York
We own land at elevation 1600', near Sherburn, NY. We want to walk barefoot around the tipi area, but don't want to plant grass (mowing grass). What native ground cover would be kind to bare feet ...
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Rochester, NY
Shrubs for a fenceline in NY
Need to replace shrubs along a fence. Currently have Honeysuckle and they are very old. Would like to have something different with more color & interest during winter months. The line of shrubs are h...
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Rochester, NY
Bug repelling plants from Rochester NY
I live in Western NY (zone 6?) and have a shady area where I hang my swing, but it's so buggy under the tree I can't use it! The soil is very dry, rocky. Is there a plant/shrub that I can grow the...
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Rochester, NY
Failure to bloom of 4-year-old redbud in Rochester, NY
I planted a redbud four years ago and it still hasn't flowered - it does get the lovely leaves. When I planted it it was only an 18 inch stick. How long before it will bloom or is something wrong?
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Rochester, NY
Creekside Groundcover for Upstate New York
I live in Upstate New York in Rochester. Our winters can have lows of -10 at night at times. I have 1,300 linear feet of creekside land that seniors can view from their homes. Because of the brush, it...
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Rochester, NY
Vegetables for sustainable garden in Rochester NY
I have decided to start growing a small sustainable garden. Therefore I have decided to plant mostly North American native greens and vegetables. I live in upstate New York and so the plants designed ...
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Rochester, NY
Short or mowable plant for walkway
I'd like a short and/or mowable plant to use as a walkway in and around a vegetable garden in upstate NY. I was planning on clover, but I want to use a native plant if possible. The native clovers ...
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Rochester, NY
Plant identification
Hello Mr. Smarty Plants: We conducted an Internet search to find a name for a plant we have that has 2 opposing leaves on stalks, and is starting to grow a purple flower in the middle, near the groun...
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Rochester, NY
Plectranthus (native of South Africa) winter care and insects
I was recently given a beautiful plant which is now in a pot in my yard. I live in Rochester, NY and need to know what to do with this plant in the fall. The plant is 'Mona Lavender' Plectranthus p...
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Rochester, NY
Identification of plant that looks like a spider plant
Okay Mr. Smarty Pants, I have an identification for you. I have no pictures, but I've been staring at this plant for weeks trying to figure out what it is. I got it as a cutting from a friend who got...
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Rochester, NY
Two-leafed trilliums
Turns out our 2 leafed plant IS a trillium..I saw that another person from our town also asked about trilliums..we are happy to have them, but it is confusing when the third upper leaf is absent or ve...
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Rochester , NY
Propagating a magnolia by cuttings in Rochester, NY
How can I start a magnolia snip from my already existing tree, to grow another one from it, like a starter to pass on to someone?
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Webster, NY
Flowers that open during the day from Webster NY
Can you provide some information on flowers and plants that open during day with some examples.
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Webster, NY
Moving wildflowers into a pollinator garden in Webster NY
I live in the Western New York area and would like to utilize unwanted wildflowers near our roadside and woodland area into a large pollinator garden I am creating. What is a safe way to move an enti...
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Conesus, NY
Identification of plant with purple leaves and yellow flowers
I'd like to know the name of a plant that has purplish leaves and sends roots out underground to make new plants. It can be invasive. It has yellow flowers. Leaves are oval in shape. Almost looks lik...
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Knowlesville, NY
Possible identification of common mullein in New York
OK I have a monster size plant, growing beside my patio, looked weedlike similar to a burdock when young, but different and interesting. So we let it grow its now about 7'2" tall grows about 2-3" ...
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Lyndonville, NY
Container native plants for New York area
I live near Lake Ontario (zip 14098). Would like to know what to plant in window boxes that have southern exposure and are in direct sun 4-6 hrs a day
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Red Creek, NY
Bark splitting in old tulip tree in Red Creek, NY.
Hello, We have a tulip tree that has some bark splitting I guess I would call it. The tree is older and very tall. On the north side of it starting at the bottom of the trunk to about 8-9 feet up i...
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