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
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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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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Laurel, MS
Problems with water oaks from Laurel MS
The leaves on my mature water oak trees have been falling since the leaves matured. My area has had an abundance of rain this year, 11 inches above normal. All the trees in my area are doing the same....
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Laurel, MS
Propagation of century plants from "pups"
I have two small century plants...about 10 inches tall...they are "pups" from an older one. one of them has three or four very small roots and the other looks like it was pulled up out of the ground...
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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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Newton, MS
Plant identification
I need to identify a weed-like plant ~1 ft high with thick stems, wide leaves ending in a single point and bluish-purple tear shaped petals arranged three in a triangle.
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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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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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Semmes, AL
Problems with crossvine from Semmes AL
I have a 3 year old cross vine (tangerine beauty) and the leaves have started turning black and falling off the plant. I have two plants growing on the same pergola (opposite ends) and the second plan...
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Semmes, AL
Wildflower meadow in Mobile, AL
I live in Mobile, Alabama. I have 1 acre of land that is partially shaded and covered with centipede yard grass. I would like to completely get rid of all the grass and replace the whole acre with wil...
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Hattiesburg, MS
Plants for red clay in Hattiesburg, MS
Looking for plants and flowers to plant in red clay?
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Hattiesburg, MS
Need landscape suggestions for area exposed after last flood on Black Creek in Forrest County. MS
We live on the Black Creek in Mississippi. After the last flood, we now have a steep sandy slope which is unmowable, and incredibly weedy. We want to remove the unsightly weeds- kill if necessary, and...
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Hattiesburg, MS
Pruning Citrus Suckers
Mr. Smarty Plants, you are the only person that has "not" insisted that the little balls on Satsuma and lemon trees were clumps of bugs. They are surely what you described in the answer to my previo...
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Hattiesburg, MS
Fuzzy Citrus Fruit on Satsuma and Lemon Trees
A man asked you about fuzzy little small fruit-like balls that looked like tiny lemons. I have huge numbers of these on both my mature Satsuma and lemon tree this year. I get 100's of really great f...
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Hattiesburg, MS
Source of Dalea greggii seeds
I want to purchase Gregg Dalea seeds. Where can I order them?
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Georgiana, AL
Is Norfolk pine poisonous to cats?
Is a northfork pine poisonous to cats?
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Mobile, AL
Plants for banks of a retention pond in Alabama
What can we plant on the inner and out walls of a detention pond to stop erosion? The pond is located in a neighborhood in Mobile, AL and the walls are 9 ft high with a steep slope.
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Mobile, AL
Shade tolerant vines for Mobile AL
I am looking for an evergreen vine that will thrive in the shade in hot and humid south Alabama. I plan to plant on a trellis. A flowering vine would be even better.
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Mobile, AL
Root cuttings for non-native, poisonous oleander from Mobile AL
I need help with best method to root cuttings from my oleander tree. Please advise best method. Thanks
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Mobile, AL
Oils/paraffins in sea oats
Do Sea Oats produce oils/paraffins?
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