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
Anna Maria, FL
Are palm leaves poisonous?
I live in a second story house surronded by various types of palm trees on the west coast of Florida. My 1 year old son crawls on the decks and tries to taste all of the palm leaves that sneak through...
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Bradenton, FL
Problem with non-native Houttuynia cordata (chameleon)
I have a Houttuynia cordata chameleon plant in a clay pot. My zone is 9b and my yard is partial sun. Up until January, it was thriving. Now, it is dead. I think the cold killed it. I kept it moist at ...
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Bradenton, FL
Pachira aquatica loosing leaves.
We have an indoor money tree that is 20 feet tall, the leaves have started to turn brown and fall. We water twice a month and mist about the same. Can you opine what what we are doing wrong the plant ...
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ellenton, FL
Winter wrappings for plants in Ellenton Florida
Hi and thank you for your time, I do appreciate it.
I have one question. I live in Florida and yes we do get frost and temps down to 28 degrees in the winter. last year I lost almost 50 plants tha...
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St Pete Beach, FL
Reasons to leave a century plant in place in Florida
Can you please list ALL the reasons to leave a century plant (as opposed to cutting it way back or removing it) in the wilds of the sand dunes on the coast of Florida, other than its prominent beauty?
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St Petersburg, FL
Does NPIN include non-native plant species?
I'm writing a book on the plants eaten by 12th century Indians of Florida. I'd like to use your site for some of my research. You say all of your plants are native, but then under some listings (wil...
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St. Petersburg FL, FL
Propagation of Century Plant in St. Petersburg FL
CENTURY PLANT PROPAGATION
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St. Petersburg, FL
Can Mock Orange be grown in a container?
Can the Mock Orange Shrub be grown as a container "plant"? I have seen apricots and apple trees (certain varieties, of course); grown this way.
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St. Petersburg, FL
Non-native herbs being burned by pool chlorine in St. Petersburg, FL
My herb garden is next to my swimming pool, which is serviced by a company using chlorine. I have found that on the two unsuccessful attempt to establish my herb garden, the herbs burn off after the p...
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St. Petersburg, FL
Leaves on non-native Rose Cactus
I have a Rose Cactus (Pereskia grandifolia). The leaves have all dropped off. I was wondering if this is normal in the winter. Also, is the pear shaped fruit edible.
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St. Petersburg, FL
Plant identification
I am new to Florida and can't find the identification of one of my plants anywhere. It's an unattractive plant that is stick-like, very rubbery - it reminds me of a stick-bug. I have a small one i...
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St Petersburg, FL
Vine for stucco wall in St. Petersburg FL
I would like to cover a 15' stucco wall with a fast growing, low maintenance vine. The wall faces south. I live in St. Petersburg, FL. What do you recommend? Would star jasmine or creeping fig be...
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St. Petersburg, FL
Looking for grasses for slope around retention pond in Florida
I live in St. Petersburg, FL on a large retention pond. Most of my neighbors on the pond have seawalls. I do not nor do my neighbors to my left and right. I am interested in colorful grasses to put...
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Sarasota, FL
Tradescantia as a water plant
I have a spiderwort plant, and when I found it at the nursery, it was in water by the pond plants, (I had no idea what kind of plant it was at the time) So I bought it, took it home, and repotted it w...
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Sarasota, FL
Plant identification from Sarasota, FL.
Hi I recently went to Discovery Cove in Orlando Florida and saw a purple flowering tree/shrub that had branches similar to okra shape or starfruit shape, the leaves were very grainy similar to alligat...
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Sarasota, FL
Fertilization of recently-transplanted yucca
I planted a soft tip yucca a week ago, the spineless type. I was doing a landscaping job, it was dug up, left for a week without any dirt around the roots, and when the customer did not want it, I pl...
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Sarasota, FL
Tilo (Justicia pectoralis), a tropical American plant
Re: keelo plant (Seminole, Fl. herb used to treat stomachache-St. Pete), try Tilo: Justicia pectoralis
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Sarasota, FL
Non-monoculture turf grass for Florida from Sarasota FL
I am looking for a non-monoculture turf grass suitable for the Florida climate. Will Habiturf work, or perhaps you have some other suggestions? Please advise.
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Sarasota, FL
Replanting of non-native Christmas Palm from Sarasota FL
Do you know of a proven technique to plant a Christmas Palm in a built-in concrete pool deck planter box - using gravel around the soil root ball to delay the root bound condition we just ripped out?
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Sarasota, FL
Transplanting non-native bougainvillea in Florida
Hi, My neighbor has two established bougainvillea that he is giving me..I just have to dig them up and not kill them..what is the best way to dig up and transplant them?
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Sarasota, FL
Are Royal Poinciana and Royal Empress trees the same?
Hi, can you tell me if the Royal empress tree and the Royal Poinciana are the same tree?
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