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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!

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

Questions From Near You

Douglassville, TX
Speeding up growth of Hesperaloe parviflora (red yucca)
I have germinated Hesperaloe parviflora, Red Yucca, for our Caddo Native plant sale. I have kept in the cool greenhouse for 2 months and they are about 2 inches. A friend put one outside and they froz...
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Douglassville, TX
Looking for a fast-growing evergreen shrub to use along a fence line to obscure unsightly surroundings in Douglassville, TX.
I live in far East Texas (near Texarkana). I need a fast growing, thick evergreen shrub to plant along a fenceline to block out the unsightly "junkyard" my neighbors have going. Prefer something t...
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Atlanta, TX
Possibility of propagating buckeye from basal shoots
I have a beautiful red buckeye tree that has small shoots coming up at the base. I would love to share these with my friends. How do I do this?
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Atlanta, TX
Smarty Plants on southern magnolia
I live in East Texas and there are two 50-year-old southern magnolia trees in front of my house on the highway right-of-way marked to be destroyed. The Texas Department of Transportation has allowed t...
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Atlanta, TX
Plants for edge of pond
We live in Atlanta, Texas. My husband built a beautiful pond that is almost an acre in size. We are fortunate in that one side of the pond is covered by trees and a natural ground cover that keeps w...
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Atlanta, TX
Drought stressed wooly butterflybush in Atlanta, TX
My butterfly bush is dead looking from the drought. Do you think there is a chance it just went dormant and will return next year. I am still putting water on it. I believe it is a white wooly butterf...
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Atlanta, TX
How to grow bluebonnets in Atlanta TX
How can I grow bluebonnets in Atlanta Texas?
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Simms, TX
Identification of tree or shrub from Simms TX
Thought you might have the expertise to help identify this tree/shrub? They were planted about 10 years ago and started in a pot about 2 feet high. I have photos but not sure how to send them to you; ...
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New Boston, TX
Purchase source of Coral honeysuckle from New Boston TX
I have been unable to find a supplier in the listings on your website for Lonicera Sempervirens. Many of them had a variety of different plants listed under this name but none were the 20' species. ...
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New Boston, TX
Unknown blue flower growing in New Boston, TX
A light blue wildflower, similar to a cosmos, appeared in one of my beds this spring. I've never grown this flower and would like to identify it. The flower also has similarities to a passion flower...
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New Boston, TX
Is Tagetes lemmonii a Texas native?
Is the Copper Canyon Daisy (Tagetes lemmonii) a native Texas plant?
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Nash, TX
Native grasses for chain link fenceline in Nash, TX
I have chain link fence all the way around my yard and I am getting tired of having to weed eat along the fence line. I am looking for some type of year round decorative plant or grass (preferably on...
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Texarkana, TX
Native plants for Texarkana, TX
I've been searching for a dependable list of attractive north east native plants, for gardens, landscaping, etc. Specifically, native flowers and shrubs.
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texarkana, TX
Soil for Agave americana
Can you give me some information on soil admendments for growing Agave (Century Plant)? I kept it in a pot during the winter and now I am ready to plant it in my beds
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Texarkana, TX
Suggestions for street trees for Texarkana TX
Texarkana, TX, is going to replace a few and add some new street trees downtown. The engineers specified crape myrtle. When I asked if they would consider native trees instead, I was told they thought...
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Daingerfield, TX
Fast growing, native fruit trees for Northeast Texas
What kind of fruit tree will grow fast and be pretty in Northeast Texas?
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Texarkana, AR
Plants for Daisy Girl Scout native plants project
Hello, I am a daisy Girl Scout leader and we are working on one of our Journeys and Native Plants Patch Program which requires our group of 5-6 year old girls to plant and care for a mini-garden. ...
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Texarkana, AR
Need Native Plants for Ditch Stabilization in Texarkana, Arkansas
I live in Texarkana, Arkansas. I have a ditch near the street in my front yard that is approximately 90-100 ft. long. It gets full sun. There is a lot of clay and rocks in the ditch. I need to fin...
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DeKalb, TX
Problems with purple passion flower from DeKalb TX
Yes my purple passion plant, is pretty but there is a piece of it that's all limp, what do I need to do to revive it?
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Jefferson, TX
Sources of cut native wildflowers
I am preparing for my garden club's annual flower show and I have been assigned Southern Graces in San Antonio. Is there a source for cut bluebonnets or indian paintbrushes? Thank you.
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Mt. Pleasant, TX
Removing Purple Top Tridens out of Mt Pleasant Texas
We would like to know how to kill these Purple Top Triden out of our garden. Thanks, Judy
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