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
Eutaw, AL
Leaves turning yellow on Banana Shrub in Eutaw. AL
We have a very large (about 12' tall), very old (probably planted in the early 1900s) Banana Shrub in our front yard. It was very healthy until last year when its leaves began turning yellow and fal...
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Tuscaloosa, AL
Volunteer wax myrtles in Tuscaloosa, AL
I have Wax Myrtles growing in my front yard. I have noticed that some shrubs have sprouted in my back yard that have leaves that are exactly like my wax myrtles. Can Wax Myrtles sprout from seed or h...
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Marion, AL
Plants for slope in central Alabama
Our home is atop a 20-25' eastern facing sandy loam slope in central Alabama. It was previously covered w/ kudzu. After 3 yrs. of eradication of the kudzu we are ready to plant with native grasses/pl...
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Toomsuba, MS
Transplanting a young lilac
This past spring I planted a hybrid lilac in the ground. The weather here has started to get cold, and much more so at night. Also, the temperatures go from warm to cold and back again as if unsure wh...
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Meridian, MS
Non-native Indian Hawthorn leaves yellowing
I live in Mississippi. My Indian Hawthorn's leaves are not as green as they were when I purchased the plant, and several are turning yellow with brown spots on them. What should I do?
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Brierfield, AL
When may I remove seed heads from yuccas?
Soft tip yuccas dominate my home's landscape. When is the best time to remove the heavy seed heads after flowering? In addition to being difficult to work around, the pods seem to attract infestatio...
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Brierfield, AL
Aluminum foil disorienting insects under plants from Brierfield AL
Does covering the ground under plants frequently attacked by flea beetles with aluminum foil really disorient the insects? But does it also disorient beneficial insects?
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Lacey's Spring, AL
Blooming time in Austin for wildflowers
Hi Mr. Smarty Pants!! I am a wildflower artist coming for my first spring visit to Austin to exhibit in the Artisan's Festival. As a wildflower fanatic, I am hoping to see and photograph some of "...
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Alabaster, AL
Deterioration of non-native weeping willows in Alabama
I have a small lake behind my house. 8 years ago we planted two nice weeping willow trees, one on each corner of our yard down toward the lake. One started looking bad last year and we cut all the de...
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The Netherlands,
Seeds of Pinus engelmanii for the Netherlands
I am living in the Netherlands Europe, I hope that you can help me. A friend of mine has a beautiful Pinus Engelmannii and I am looking for seeds of this pine. Have you any idea where i can buy them? ...
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Helena, AL
Houston plants adaptable to Birmingham, AL
I have recently moved from Houston to Birmingham Al. I had a wildflower garden in my back yard. Would the same flowers work here as well? I would love to have the same beautiful colors here.
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Calera, AL
Plants with color for steep slope in Calera, Alabama
I have a large steep slope in my back yard that the developer called a privacy break. It has poor soil and gets full sun. I have planted muhly and maiden grasses but would like some color. The slope ...
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Starkville, MS
Native plants for cutting garden in Starkville MS
I would like to know the native plants to put in a cutting garden.
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Starkville, MS
How Do Persimmons Breed - Starkville, MS
Thank you for your earlier response about the genders of native persimmon trees. We have two, a much larger one that has borne fruit for years and years and a smaller one that I'd just assumed was m...
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Starkville, MS
Non-native Moth Mullein as a garden plant from Starksville MS
I collected seeds from a beautiful Moth Mullein growing in a lot which will soon be bulldozed. Would I regret sowing them in the back of a sunny perennial bed this fall. These are from the white-pin...
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Jefferson county, AL
Will sprouts under pecan trees become producing trees in Jefferson Co., AL?
Do pecan trees that sprout up underneath existing pecans trees ever amount to anything such as producing and bearing pecans?
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Sturgis, MS
Blocking dust from a road in Sturgis MS
Please let me know what Trees/shrubs will help block dust from dirt road.
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Homewood, AL
Will suckering of coralberry be a problem in Homewood AL?
I am considering planting Symphoricarpos orbiculatus in the yard of the home I just purchased. I am interested in attracting wildlife to my yard and covering over a stump with a 3' diameter. My onl...
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Birmingham, AL
Habitats of pitcher plants
Where do pitcher plants live?
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Birmingham, AL
Evergreen groundcover for full sun in Alabama
Mr. Smartyplants, can you suggest a native, evergreen, full-sun groundcover that might thrive in zone 8a? We hope to find a mass planting that would look good beside Heuchera villosa 'autumn bride,...
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Birmingham, AL
Transplant shock in American beautyberry in Birmingham AL
We created a new garden area in our yard that gets full sun in the afternoon. I had a Beautyberry Bush that had seriously outgrown the area where we originally planted it (also full sun), so I transp...
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