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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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Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

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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!

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Questions From Near You

Pensacola Beach, FL
Red and black bugs on hibiscus
I can't get your Keyword search to work.. I have tiny red and black bugs on my hibiscus. I have tried 2 different garden sprays and neither seems to kill the tiny bugs. They barely move on the pla...
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Pensacola, FL
What thorny vine grows rapidly in Pensacola?
What thorny vine grows rapidly in Pensacola?
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Pensacola, FL
Care of a sedum indoors
I have a coworker who has trusted her Sedum Burrito plant into my care because it is not doing well in her office. It appears to need repotting, as it is very crowded in the pot it came in and is dif...
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Pensacola, FL
Poolside Groundcover Suggestions for Florida
I live in Milton, FL near Pensacola. We just had a pool installed and now want to put groundcover around the perimeter. It will be an area about 70 feet long and 10 feet deep. It will be full sun. We ...
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Pensacola, FL
Authenticity of a vendor from Pensacola FL
Can you verify the authenticity of Alex Jones as someone who can help us?
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Pensacola, FL
Mystery small tree with many large thorns
In a small spot on over 2 acres, we have this strange tree/shrub. It is a single, straight stem with no branches, and has profuse, large thorns from top to bottom. At the top of the stem, the leaves...
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Pensacola, FL
Juniper as host of cedar-apple rust
Thanks for the helpful advice on the Eastern Red Cedar. I was wondering if you could ease my mind about a potential problem. I have read up on some of the native plants in my area in a very good book ...
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Pensacola, FL
Juniperus virginiana and some pines for Florida
I live in Pensacola, FL (Northwest Florida, practically lower-coastal Alabama) and I am looking for a medium size tree that will cast shade on my home. The house faces due west and it gets extremely h...
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Pensacola, FL
ID of plant that looks like a pine cone?
I have a plant that i was told it was a Pine Cone plant. When it blooms it looks just like a pine cone. but i can't fine anything on it.
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Pensacola, FL
Removal of invasive non-native Chinese wisteria
I am going to be removing my ubiquitous chinese wisteria very soon (the method I'm going to use is undetermined). If I decide to use Round-up on the cut-stem (which may take more than one application...
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Pensacola, FL
Conditions for non-native, poisonous mandrakes
What climates or conditions can mandrakes live in? Do they have to live submerged in water, with some water, or with very little? Why? Thanks
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Pensacola, FL
Identification of insects on crepe myrtle in Florida
I have large colonies of striped bugs on large crepe myrtle in my backyard. They stay in large groups and have long antennae. There are larger black bugs among the groups that appear to corral and g...
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Pace, FL
Hurricane Ivan damage from Pace FL
My yard on Escambia Bay in NW Florida was stripped of good plants and topsoil by a 4 foot tidal surge in Hurricane Ivan. I have made some plantings, but am just now getting the entire property cleare...
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Pace, FL
Hillside Erosion in Pace FL
I have a hillside that slopes down about 10 feet to a spring fed pond. The pond drains into Escambia Bay. We have 2 dams with culverts to control the flow of water. Last year during a torrential ra...
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Pace, FL
Will Echinacea outgrow Spanish Needle?
I'd like to plant some Echinacea in an area where Spanish Needle has been growing. I've pulled up the old plants, but I know there's seed there, actually everywhere in my yard! Is there any variety ...
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Pace, FL
Privacy screen for Pace Florida
We live in the Florida panhandle and I wondering what we could use as a natural fence line between our property and the neighbor's. I love the look of oleander, but upon research found it to be toxic...
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Elberta, AL
Question about male muscadine plants
I have 9 muscadine plants, 3 females and 6 perfect flowered growing in my yard. A plant started growing under my porch lst year and it grew through the spaces between the boards. It grew nicely. It fl...
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Molino, FL
Looking for yellow bottlebrush (Callistemon sp.) and native substitutes
I have been looking for years for a yellow bottle bush. It is identical to the red but is yellow. there are several varieties, but the one i want is just like the red one in appearance. I live in Flor...
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molino, FL
Identity of a thorny vine in Florida
Area: panhandle of FL Problem: thorny vine with large potato like roots, rapid growing and very invasive. grows in summer time. thanks
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Molino , FL
Identity of tree with pumpkin-like fruit in Florida
Hello. I live in a small town called Molino FL. I was walking on the side of our road and found a tree with pumpkin type fruit on the limbs. I have been trying to figure this tree out for about 3 mont...
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Fort Walton Beach, FL
Regulations for transporting plants to Texas from Florida
We are relocating to TX from FL, I have a collection of potted palm trees and quite a few potted tropical plants (none are invasive)that I would like to bring with us, we will be traveling by car and ...
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