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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

Florissant, MO
Shelf life of hawthorn leaves in Florissant, MO
I have a bag of hawthorn leaves that were harvested in 2007. Do you know if they're still effective? How long is the shelf life of hawthorn leaves? Thank you for your assistance.
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Florissant, MO
Germination of Passiflora incarnata seeds
I wish to purchase the Passionflower incarnata plants. I have found seeds, but they say they are very hard to start. I lost my very large vine and wish to replace it.
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St Louis, MO
Toxicity of barren strawberries
Are barren strawberries toxic? .
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Saint Charles, MO
Promoting bloom in Chocolate Summer Mimosa
Please help! I purchased a Chocolate Summer Mimosa from one of our local nurseries. It was a brand new plant to them and they don't really know much about them. I planted it just 3 years ago as an...
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St. Charles, MO
Repairing Previous Silver Maple Pruning Damage
I cut a limb off my silver maple wrong and now the trunk is developing a hole. What is the best treatment?
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St. Charles, MO
Looking for pink star grass (Rhodohypoxis milloides)
I am looking for a wildflower/plant called Pink Star Grass (common name). I am not sure what the proper name is. Can you help me with this? I would like information on it, and also would like to pu...
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St. Charles, MO
Yellowing foliage on a lemon cypress from St. Charles MO
I recently received a lemon cypress tree as a gift. After about a month we transplanted it outside and the foliage turned from a light green to a yellow color. Is this normal? The tree doesn't app...
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Alton, IL
Trees and other plants for privacy along lake shoreline
We are purchasing a new home that has a 2 acre lake. We would like to add some plants/trees for privacy around the shore line. Can you suggest something that would fill in nicely and is strong enoug...
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Granite City , IL
Member of Taxus genus native to southern Illinois from Granite City IL
Is there a native Southern Illinois similar to Taxus baccata? I live in Granite City IL and am looking for a native plant/scrub that stays green year round about 2-3 feet tall to it helps insulate the...
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Saint Louis, MO
Identity of bulbs from digging in an anthole
I was digging in an ant hole and it collapsed and as I dug it out, I found around 50 white bulbs that did not have a smell or roots. They resembled onion bulbs. I have a picture of these and they are...
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Saint Louis, MO
Consequences of leaving geranium in dark room
What would happen to a geranium plant that was left to grow in a dark room for many days?
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St. Louis, MO
Native Plants by Soil Type
Can't find an appropriate place to ask this - would love to be able to search for plants that do best in acidic soil (soil pH) another filter on the search screen. May not be there because the data...
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St. Louis, MO
Where to find azaleas in St. Louis
Where can I find reasonably priced Azalea shrubs in St. Louis in the red, orange color that are inexpensive? Precise enough? LOL
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St. Louis, MO
A vine to atract hummingbirds in MO
I am looking for a non invasive vine to plant on a trellis near buildings/brick patio to attract hummingbirds (and other birds and butterflies).
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Saint Louis, MO
Transplanting a redbud in August from St. Louis MO
I have a 4' tall redbud that needs to be transplanted before the end of August because of construction on our house. Can this be done without killing the tree? Can I take a cutting from the tree and ...
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St. Louis, MO
Seeding Bluebonnets in Missouri
I live in St. Louis, MO and obtained a packet of Bluebonnet seeds as well as a seedling. I read up on inoculating and scarifying the seeds, but I'm unsure as to the soil I should use. I was planning ...
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St. Louis, MO
Disease of eastern red cedars (Juniperus virginiana)
I have multiple Eastern Red Cedars spaced in my woods which are sick and dying. Some were transplanted years ago, others are volunteers, all are less than 4 ft tall. The foliage turns brown in vario...
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St. Louis, MO
Small evergreen native shrubs for apartment garden in shade in St. Louis
I live in an apartment in St. Louis, MO, and have a small patch of rocky soil in the stairwell that I would like to plant with a native or natives. The area is entirely shaded, but all the natives I...
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St. Louis, MO
Proposal of marriage to Mr. Smarty Plants
Dear Mr. Smarty Plants: Will you marry me? Garden bliss hangs in the balance.
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St. Louis, MO
Propagation of redbuds from shoots in St. Louis MO
I have a beautiful, healthy old redbud tree that I love. Every year, I find baby redbud trees rooted all over my yard, Since they are deep, I can't seem to dig them out so I simply cut them down to...
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St. Louis, MO
Failure of tall garden phlox buds to open in St. Louis MO
Why won't the buds of my tall garden phlox open? Plants are apparently healthy, no powdery mildew or visible insects, foliage looks great and buds are profuse but they don't open. I have two clumps ...
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