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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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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!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

Questions From Near You

Silsbee, TX
Information on non-native Erythrinia crista-galli
I am trying to find out some more information on a plant called firemen caps.. How to grow and sun or shade or both..
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Silsbee, TX
Sooty mold on Texas Sage in Silsbee, TX.
I just saw two questions from December regarding black sooty mold appearing on leaves of Texas Sage. My Texas Sage is two years old growing in the original, well-draining large pot it was planted in ...
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Silsbee, TX
Can bluebonnets grow in a field of Bahia grass in Silsbee, TX?
My question is if you have a field of Bahia grass, can bluebonnets grow there or will the grass choke them out?
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Providence Village, TX
Survivability of birch trees in Texas
Is it known whether Gray birch (Betula populifolia Marsh) will grow in North Texas? It seems like the only birch variety which might - and how short is a "short lifespan" for a tree?
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Providence Village, TX
Selecting landscape trees for Denton Co., TX
I live in Denton County and I'm trying to select a few trees to plant in my yard. I'd like them to be native or at least "antique" (hardy varieties which have adapted to the conditions without bec...
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Vidor, TX
Viability and storage of bluebonnet seeds past "use by" date
I have several packets of Bluebonnet seeds and wildflower seeds which have "packed for 2006 use by 3/07". My questions: 1) will these seeds be good for the 2007 growing season?; 2) how should I ...
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Beaumont, TX
Visual difference between Strophostyles umbellata and S. helvola
I know that Strophostyles umbellata is perennial and S. helvola is an annual, but can you tell me how to visibly distinquish between S. umbellata and S. helvola.
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Beaumont, TX
Identification of Sphaegneticola trilobata as non-native invasive plant
Hello Mr. Smarty Plants, I have some wedelia growing but would like clarification on the type whether it is the texana or trilobata. Is the texana a bushy plant? Mine is more of the sprawling/tra...
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Beaumont, TX
Identification of a plant that appears to be a pink Merremia.
I recently discovered a plant growing locally that was not blooming, but based on the leaves and seed pods I thought it might be Merremia quinquefolia. This week I was able to catch it blooming and th...
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Beaumont, TX
More on bluebonnets
My bluebonnet plants have seed pods (I guess they are, they look like pods of snap peas). Can I collect these or do I just leave them alone and hope they multiply? If I can collect them, what is the ...
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Beaumont, TX
How will winter weather affect bluebonnets this year?
Just wondering how our winter weather this year will affect the blooming of bluebonnets. When are they expected to be in full bloom and what will be their duration? Thank you.
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Beaumont, TX
Looking for source of Carex texensis in Beaumont, TX
Looking for Carex texensis, the only place I find it is in Tennessee or North Carolina. Should I buy it online from those places to put in Beaumont, TX?
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Beaumont, TX
Non-native Empress trees in Beaumont TX
I want to grow some Empress Trees in our yard. We have a huge yard and it is right on the corner of a cross street where they have just put a traffic light. People stopped at the light can see into ...
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Beaumont, TX
Are the seeds of Amberique bean edible in Beaumont, TX
I found one of these growing in my yard. Strophostyles helvola (L.) Elliott Amberique-bean, Trailing fuzzybean. Are the bean pods edible? I read somewhere that they are. Thanks.
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Beaumont, TX
Companion Plants for Texas Mountain Laurel
I am building a garden from scratch and need help. I want to plant a Texas mountain laurel on each front section of my house in front of a window, and I also want to use Thumbelina Leigh English laven...
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Beaumont, TX
Is Rudbeckia hirta annual, biennial... or what?
The desciption for Rudbeckia hirta says it is biennial and blooms the second year then further down the page it says it is an annual, which is it? Will I see blooms the first or second year?
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Beaumont, TX
Smarty Plants on pollinators
I am researching threatened pollinators in Texas and elsewhere - bees, butterflies, hummingbirds. I would like your input on the subject.
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Beaumont, TX
Differences between Lantana urticoides and Lantana camara
I have found an orange variety of lantana growning in several location in Jefferson County. Is there any way I can tell for sure if it is L. camara or the native L. urticoides?
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Beaumont, TX
Plant ID from Beaumont TX
I live in Beaumont Texas and have some trees on the land I hunt that look like a yaupon but put on a small blue berry that the deer devour in December. I have looked and searched the Internet but hav...
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Beaumont, TX
Getting rid of bermudagrass
How do I get rid of bermuda grass in my San Augustine grass?
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Beaumont, TX
Plant identification called Touch-Me-Not, Impatiens sp.
Dear Mr. Smarty Plants: My grandmother used to have a bed of plants that would come up every year that she called "Touch Me Nots". The flower was about 1 1/2" across, orangey with flat green leav...
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