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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

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
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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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
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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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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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
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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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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Topeka, KS
Small shrubs for landscape in Kansas
I am intersted in small shrubs for the landscaping in front of our house located in Topeka,KS. Many of the shrubs I looked at are 5 foot in width in height. The plants will receive morning sun.
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Topeka, KS
Articles on landscaping with native plants in Kansas
I work for the Kansas Department of Transportation in Topeka, Kansas and would like to receive information on growing native wildflowers. I have a catalog titled "Wildflower Favorites" that was pub...
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Topeka, KS
Perennial plants for full sun around pond
I am looking for full sun perennial plants for the exterior of a water pond. Planting suggestions?
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Topeka, KS
Pruning of non-native Mimosa in Topeka KS
Read the Mimosa answer with much interest - other websites are love and hate this tree - we love ours - had one before that was multiple trunk and bought one from local nursery that seems to be single...
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Topeka, KS
Fast-growing shrub or tree to block dust from dirt road
I live on a dirt road in Northeast Kansas. Could you recommend a fast growing, low maintenance shrub/bush or small tree that will form a barrier to block the dust from the dirt road? It will be plante...
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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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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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Vassar, KS
Windbreak for Eastern Kansas
I need to plant a fast growing windbreak near my lateral lines for a septic tank. We obviously can't have anything that would interfere with the laterals but I desperately need a North wind break. ...
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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
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
Searching for poisonous plants from Kansas City
Looking on how to acquire wourali vine, upas, or arrow poison wood.
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