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.
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Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
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
Monroeville, , PA
Plants to cover rock wall in Pennsylvania
Please recommend plants that I could use to plant on the (full sun) slightly sloped ground space above a 3 foot high, 20 foot long unattractive stone wall that would grow over and down to cover the wa...
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Murrysville, PA
Looking for a tree not toxic to horses in Pennsylvania.
I'm sending a tree as a gift and I need to know what I can get that is non toxic to horses. Can you please suggest a few.
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Pitcairn , PA
Clarification of question from Pitcairn PA
What is the best site and book for wild stables in Pennsylvania?
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Pitcairn, PA
Native Edible Plants of Pennsylvania Books
What is the best book that you know of for finding wild plant edibles in Pennsylvania?
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West Mifflin, PA
Plants for erosion control in West Mifflin PA
I have recently had a retaining wall rebuilt in my back yard and an above the ground pool installed. My lawn is uneven with no grass and the hillside is very dry dirt with rocks. What type of plant ...
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McKeesport, PA
Creeping buttercups in juniper in McKeesport PA
I have creeping buttercups in my juniper ground cover. How do I get rid of them.
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Greensburg, PA
What tree berries causes blisters in PA?
This summer my family was playing with some berries picked from a tree in our backyard. They would place them in their mouths and shoot them through homemade pea-shooters. Shortly after everyone beg...
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Greensburg, PA
Pruning non-native Japanese maple
Can you tell me how to properly prune a Japanese maple?
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Greensburg, PA
How to Remove Pokeweed in Greenburg, Pennsylvania
Last year I purchased a home with 3 acres of land and it is infested with pokeweeds,Phytolacca americana! I have small children and know this is a poisonous plant. Could you please tell me a way to ...
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Tarentum , PA
Indoor lantana tree dropping leaves
I purchased a lantana tree,a lantana hybrid that is only tolerant to 32 degrees. We are zone 5 so I brought it indoors and it only gets the morning sun, and 85%of the leaves have fallen off. The leav...
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Pittsburgh , PA
Plants for steep slope in Pittsburgh PA
I have a similar question to one from SC. I live in Pittsburgh, PA. We have a steep slope behind a newly built in pool. What type of plants can I put on the hillside to hold the soil. It gets a ...
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Pittsburgh, PA
Non-floweriing vines not poisonous to dogs from Pittsburgh PA
Are there any vines or crawlers (nothing that flowers) that are non poisonous to dogs? Everything I am finding is poisonous, I want to plant some vines up a chain link fence around a swimming pool.
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Pittsburgh, PA
Source for a soapberry in Pittsburgh PA
Flower box
Where can I buy a soapberry tree in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania?
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Pittsburgh, PA
Plants for the Shade of a Pine Tree in Pittsburg
I live in Pittsburgh, PA. My neighbor has a huge pine tree. Last year everything I planted on that side near the tree died. That part of the yard only gets morning sun, as the tree overshadows it. Wha...
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Pittsburgh, PA
Leaves on maple turning red in June in Pittsburgh PA
We live in PA and have a medium sized maple tree in our back yard. It is not a red maple. This year, in June, the very top of the tree's foliage turned bright red. This bright red started at the t...
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pittsburgh, PA
Planting for parrots
I have 2 parrots, a sun conure and a nanday conure, and I would like to find some plants to put in their aviary room that are safe for parrots. Can you help me with this question?
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Pittsburgh, PA
Cinnamon scented plant growing along Pennsylvania rivers
I've walked along both the Youghiogheny and Monongahela Rivers around my hometown and I've noticed moments at which time I would smell the strong, sweet aroma of cinnamon. Given the riverside envir...
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Pittsburgh, PA
Plant identification
I love around Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, and I saw a strange plant. It has a soft green outer shell, a harder thinner shell inside, points, but aren't pointy, and a white substance out of the stem when...
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Pittsburgh, PA
Deer resistant plants for erosion control on steep hill
I would like control a steep hill behind my house that is red clay, northern exposure with little sun. What plants would you recommend that deer will not eat?
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Pittsburgh, PA
Plant identification
My son has some kind of plants, weeds, or ground cover in his yard that smell like spicy meat. When the wind blows the right way it smells like he's been grilling kolbasi on his deck/in his house. ...
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Pittsburgh, PA
June bug larvae destroying Red Twig Dogwood in Pittsburgh, PA
June Bug larvae are destroying my Red Twig Dogwood. I have treated with Milky Spore, but the long wait for benefit is too long to save the ailing plant. What can I do? HELP!
Thank you from the bot...
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