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
Maysville, MO
Are buckbrush (coralberry) berries poisonous?
Are the berries on buckbrush (Symphoricarpos orbiculatus) poisonous to humans?
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Cameron, MO
Identification of pink flower near Austin
My mother found a flower early this spring at Chrystal Falls park just outside of Austin. It was between red and salmon pink in color, tubular in shape and about 4 inches long. It smells very bad, a...
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Lathrop, MO
Native plants for clay soil in Lathrop MO
My family just moved to the north Kansas City, MO area and would like to know what native species, both perennial and tree, will do best in the clay soil. It has already proven problematic as we have ...
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ST. Joseph, MO
What is gelatinous plant in a Missouri lake
Q what is gel like plant floating in lake looks like a bag filled with green living plant and is see thru and has red. when touched feels like piece of fat but seems to be living in water. Missouri
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Wathena, KS
Raspberries in KS
A friend told me that when he planted golden raspberries next to red and black-raspberries that the golden raspberries did not produce any fruit. He was told that when planted near each other, the go...
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Maryville, MO
Salvia that needs dividing in Maryville MO
I have some May Night salvia that is 3 years old. Last summer it split in the middle and spent a lot of the summer laid open. I'm wondering if it needs to be split or pruned in some way?
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Leavenworth, KS
Native plants for eroding hillside in Kansas
We have a creek running thru our property and the hill running down to it is about 30 feet tall, in some places almost straight down, some sloping. Some is in shade, some full sun. We would like som...
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Kansas City North, MO
Landscaping for slope in Kansas City
We have a down sloping back yard and patio on the lower area. We need some water absorbing plants near the foundation and some in the front of the house, where water isn't a problem. We are allergic ...
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Norborne, MO
Plants for the north side of the house in Norborne MO
What perennials, plants, flowers, are best suited for north side of house?
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Independence, MO
Are variegated ginger plants poisonous to cats?
Is a variegated ginger plant poisonous to cats?
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Kansas City, KS
Searching for poisonous plants from Kansas City
Looking on how to acquire wourali vine, upas, or arrow poison wood.
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Kansas City, KS
Mulberry sap in the bloodstream from Kansas City
What affect does mulberry sap have if put in contact with the blood stream?
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Kansas City, KS
Assuring berries on Viburnum dentatum
I just purchased 2 blue muffin viburnum bushes-I live
in Kansas-How many years will it be before they get berries?
They are full size(3-4 ft) Do I need to trim them down for winter or just mulch the...
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Kansas City, KS
Plant similar to forsythia for Kansas City KS
I want to plant a plant very similar to Forsythia.
I want it to be tall 4-5 ft tall.
Need something that leaf changing, something besides burning bush.Former area rose beds 4 x 4 (two areas) Right ...
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Kansas City, KS
Inadvisability of mounding earth around tree in ring
We have a mimosa tree in our backyard. My husband wants to build a tree ring around it. My mother told me that some trees will die from having soil built up around it like that. Will a tree ring ki...
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Kansas City, MO
Privacy screen in Kansas City, MO
Hello, I am located in Kansas City, MO and am looking for a wall/screen plant. Last year I used a wall of sunflowers and loved them, however I want something more hardy and something I don't have to ...
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kansas city, MO
Identification of plants seen at Disneyworld
I was hoping for the answer to a certain plant that i have been trying figure out the name of and where i might be able to purchase this particular plant. I have seen it in the Bahamas, Hawaii, and re...
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Kansas City, MO
Deterring geese from a wildflower garden
I've moved into a home with a large pond beyond the grass yard. I intend to plant a sunflower house with lots of other plants as part of the structure, such as flowering vines, clover, mint and thyme...
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Kansas City, MO
Native Plants for a Shaded Patio Container in Missouri
What kind of native plants would grow well in a pot on a fully shaded patio? I live in Kansas City, Missouri. The patio faces north and doesn't get any direct sunlight, but it gets lots of indirect...
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Kansas City, MO
Growth on trunk of Eastern Redbud
My seven yr. old Eastern Redbud has a large patch (12x4inches) of white grey, shell or mushroom-like growth on the trunk. The bark has a wide split so the growth is on the layer of wood inside the sp...
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Kansas City, MO
Plants for dog-safe privacy hedge in Missouri
I live in Missouri and would like to put a "living fence" around my yard for some privacy. Ideally, I want something that is going to grow fast so that I don't have to wait years and years for my ...
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