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
Lathrup Village, MI
Identity of Hercules Club from Lathrup Village MI
Thought the shrub was Hercules Club but when looked at photo on line, totally different leaf. Mine has palmate leaf rounded at the tips, spines that are short but substantial. Branches arch somewhat a...
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Ann Arbor/Bloomfield Hills, MI
Plant identification
I was walking in the woods, near Dresden Michigan yesterday, in a deer friendly area, where we came upon a grouping of large, umbrella leaved plants, seemed to be interconnected and only one foot high...
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Bloomfield Hills, MI
Michigan native plants for shady, low traffic area
Hello, I am looking for a recommendation for a Michigan native groundcover. I live adjacent to the Rouge River watershed and want to buy the right thing. The location is shady, infrequently walked ...
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Bloomfield Hills, MI
Fall flowering purple shrub for Bloomfield Hills MI
Need a fall flowering shrub for my temperature zone, preferably purple.
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Farmington Hills, MI
Evergreen screen for Michigan
Hi Mr. Smarty Pants,
I need help.
Can you please suggest some (preferably evergreen) shrubs and trees that will thrive in our backyard that will provide us some privacy from our neighbors (about ...
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West Bloomfield, MI
Leggy purple coneflower
Last year I planted purple coneflowers and this year when they bloomed they were extremely tall & leggy. I'd like next year to get them to be shorter and fuller. How do I do that & is it something ...
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West Bloomfield, MI
Native plants for Michigan
Hi I was wondering if there are native plant lists for various regions of Michigan.
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Warren, MI
Removal of previously-planted perennials
HI I JUST MOVED INTO A NEW HOUSE THIS YEAR THE PREVIOUS OWNERS PLANTED A LOT OF BEAUTIFUL PERENNIALS BUT I WANTED TO PLANT OVER ONE OF THE PERENNIALS THAT I REALLY DO NOT CARE FOR. IS THAT POSSIBLE? I...
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Warren, MI
Yuccas and prickly pears for Warren MI
What type of yuccas and prickly pears will survive in the Detroit, Michigan area? Also, can I grow Santa Rita prickly pear in a pot?
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Livonia, MI
Vine for screening fence in Michigan
Need a perennial vine to grow on a chain link fence, full sun, moist ground. Wanted to block view. If it flowers and/or attracts butterflies, all the better.
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Livonia, MI
Perennial summer blooming plant for Livonia, MI
I want to find a plant that I can cut back in the fall, will come back in the spring, flower throughout the summer, be a medium size plant, no taller than 48", about 36" in diameter. It would get f...
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Livonia, MI
Is a height of 5 to 8 feet forOenothera biennis (Common evening primrose) normal?
I have identified a version of Evening Primrose Oenothera biennia L. In my yard, Livonia Michigan. These plants range in height from 5-8+ feet.
Is this typical? The references I find indicates 3-5 fe...
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Sterling Heights , MI
Survival of non-native windmill palm in Zone 6b
Will a windmill palm survive a Zone 6b Michigan climate; if so would I have to wrap it up in burlap in wintertime?
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Dearborn, MI
Planting onions in Michigan
Hello, I live in Mi in zone 5. Can I plant green onions now (7/30/09)? And will they have enough time to have for an October-ish harvast?
Thanks
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Dearborn, MI
Failure to thrive of Eastern Redbud in Dearborn, MI
Our Eastern Redbud, multi-stem tree has done well for several years. This year the pods did not fall off, the tree looks anemic, lots of dead stems, no pink blooms this spring. What can we do??
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Utica, MI
Insect pest on non-native dwarf apply tree in Utica MI
I have a dwarf apple tree that bears 5-6 different kinds of apples. I am having trouble with insects; what is a good choice for this and feeding it? Is there also a organic choice?
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Rochester, MI
Propagation of Aesculus parvifolia from Rochester MI
Aesculus parvifolia. I purchased one plant in spring 2010---it's about 3 ft tall. How might I propagate from this one plant, or should I buy another?
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Eastpointe, MI
Are non-native hostas causing fly invasion from Eastpointe MI
I live in Michigan with a small backyard. I have 5 large hostas with the purple flower blooms which are located by my patio. I was wondering if they can be causing my large population of unwanted flie...
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Fraser, MI
Wrapping a newly planted non-native Japanese maple from Fraser MI
Does a newly planted Japanese maple need to be wrapped in burlap for the cold and snowy winter of Macomb County, Michigan?
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Commerce Township, MI
Showy Low Growing Perennial for Michigan
I have been looking for a native perennial that would do well in full sun and moist to dry soil. It would have to be at most 2.5' tall and have showy pink, purple, or red flowers. Is there such a pla...
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Detroit, MI
Corkscrew willow damage to roof in Detroit, MI.
I have a corkscrew willow (Detroit, MI) that is huge and whose branches hang on top of the asphalt shingles of my mobile home. It has now been discovered that these shingles, under the branches, are ...
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