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
Eudora, KS
Wild onions and garlic in Genus Allium
My husband and I found a strange bulb like plant that when broken open it smells and tastes like strong onion or garlic. The heads are at the top of the plant though not at the root base like most wil...
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Lawrence, KS
Length of root systems for wildflowers over septic system
Mr. Smarty Pants: I want to know the length of root systems for native Kansas wildflowers that will be planted on a Wisconsin mound septic system, which is a special septic system partially above grou...
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Lawrence, KS
Native or non-native hibiscus for Kansas
I recently purchased a 10" Hibiscus flowering plant and would like to know how to care for it. How much water and sunlight does it need and how long I can expect it to live? It is a beautiful plant a...
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Lawrence, KS
Plants to stop erosion on hills in Kansas
I would like to plant some type of forage to stop the erosion on my hills & eliminate some of the mud in my turnout areas. It needs to be something that either horses won't eat or that can survive h...
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Lawrence, KS
USDA hardiness Zones
I love your site..I don't live in Texas and would like it very much if you would include the zone with plant listings. Thank you for all your hard work!
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Lawrence, KS
Smarty Plants on Helianthus annuus
I am doing an Earth Fair project on the Helianthus annuus. I would like to know if you possibly had any information on this subject. Some of the things I would like to know are:
How big does it get? ...
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Lenexa, KS
Native grasses for Kansas City
I live in a Johnson county suburb of Kansas City. I would like to have a section on my yard be native grasses. Can I drive the country roads and dig up clumps of the grasses I like? Will they grow?...
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Olathe, KS
Are non-natives, Dappled willow and Kousa dogwood, toxic to horses?
Are dappled willow trees/bushes or kousa dogwood trees toxic to horses?
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Olathe, KS
Cotonwood fluff in Kansas
Two weeks ago my yard, deck pond became covered in seeds/leaves not sure what it is but it looks like oatmeal. Any idea what plant it might come from.
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Overland Park, KS
How to remove tannins from acorns
On your web page it says that the edible acorns (example: Chinkapin Oak) are edible if boiled, but the wikipedia article on "Acorn" says that "Boiling unleached acorns may actually cause the tannin...
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Prairie Village, KS
Plant identification from Prairie Village KS
My friend has identified this plant as a Horseweed. It is 3 1/2 to 4 feet tall. Has a thick, fuzzy single stem. Linear leaves, about 3/4 inch across and 3 or 4 inches long with one or two notches on e...
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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
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
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, 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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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, MO
Groundcover for shady slope in clay soil
I need to stop erosion on a very shady, sloping side of my house. It is cly soil. We drive our rider mower over it to get to the grassy area in our yard. What perennial ground over might work? Thank...
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Kansas City, MO
Are freshwater sponges poisonous if eaten by a dog?
Are freshwater sponges, native to Missouri, poisonous if eaten by a dog?
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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
Bloom on non-native Agave attenuata
I have an Agave Attenuata that has grown a long and unsightly stem.Is there a way to cut the plant portion off and re-root the plant without killing the petal portion?
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