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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

Atoka, OK
Smarty Plants on Pittosporum
Need to know if "PITTOSPORUM" (TOBIRA VARIEGATA) will grow in my area of SE OK. I have purchased two of them and the nursery said that they would do great. Just needed an extra opinion. Than...
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Stuart, OK
Low growing annuals for OK shaded slope.
I have a heavily shaded slope on the north, west, and south side of my home. Can you suggest some low growing annuals (flowering, or not) that would allow me to beautify my property.
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Ada, OK
Will buffalograss thrive in Ada OK?
Would buffalo grass thrive in Pontotoc County, Oklahoma, where my sandy loamie soil struggles with summer droughts?
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McAlester, OK
Failure to bloom of non-native Althea in Oklahoma
I have 2 Althea bushes that will not bloom. For the past 2 years, they become covered in buds, which eventually yellow, but never open. The buds are fully developed. This year the branches have starte...
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Ivanhoe, TX
Permit to transport trees in Ivanhoe TX
Do you have to have a special permit to transport trees on a semi truck and trailer in Texas? They are Texas grown trees, just going to a different location inside the state.
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Sulphur, OK
Why do the leaves of my potted Esperanza plant look droopy?
My Esperanza plant leaves look droopy. I have it in a big pot and have for 3 years.
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Sulphur, OK
School children planting trees native to Oklahoma and North Texas
Hello, I'll be going into grade school classrooms to teach children how to plant trees. Perhaps they will each plant a seed in a cup to take home to plant in their yard. I may even be able to get see...
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Denison, TX
Native turf grass for Denison TX
I have researched many grasses for sandy soil in Denison,Tx that are easy mantainance. Habiturf has been recommended but is mostly Buffalo grass and is not recommended for sandy soil. What other opt...
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Denison, TX
Shade trees with a tap root
I need a list of shade trees with a tap root system. I would also like the tree to grow at a medium to fast rate. I will be planting near a concrete wall and do not want the roots to do any damage to ...
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Denison, TX
Native turf grass for acreage in Denison TX
I have recently moved to Denison TX where we have 5+ acres of true crosstimbers land. I am looking for a native turf grass that will do well in sandy soil and with the water provided by nature. The m...
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Ft. Towson, OK
Native tree for cemetery in Western Oklahoma
My siblings and I are wanting to plant a tree next to my Mother's grave at the cemetery. It is in Western Oklahoma so hot sun and constant high wind are both considerations to choosing the right tree...
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Sumner, TX
Best wildflowers for Lamar County TX
What are the best wildflowers for northeast Tx? We live right below the Red River just north of Paris. Can they only be planted by seed in the fall? Thank you.
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Powderly, TX
Perennial native plant to attract butterflies/hummingbirds
Need 3-6 foot perennial native plant to attract butterflies/hummingbirds in Paris Texas...full sun, with sprinkler system
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Bonham, TX
Need plants to replace Red Tipped Photinias in Bonham, TX
I have 7 red tipped photinias that had all their leaves eaten last summer by an infestation of grasshoppers. I do mean all. They are or were about 10 years old. Can you tell me if they will grow back ...
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Wewoka, OK
Is conium maculatum safe for cataracts from Wewoka OK
My doctor has prescribed conium maculatum for my cataract problems. Is this safe to use in the eyes?
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Sherman, TX
New agave plants, offshoots of parent plant, transplanting
I have different varieties of Agaves that are sending off new plants from the mother. Some have 1-2 and some have 6-7 plants. Is there a proper method for removing (cutting them a certain way) for t...
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Sherman, TX
Does Chilopsis linearis, var.Bubba produce seed pods? No.
We have a really beautiful 2-year old Bubba, Desert Willow. It is already about 12 feet tall. I really have two questions. One does the Bubba form the seed pods like the other types of Desert Willows?...
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Sherman, TX
Native landscaping plants for Sherman, Texas
We are starting from scratch on landscaping our new yard. We live in Sherman, TX and I would like to use plants and flowers that are native to Texas and have a good chance of surviving. What are you...
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Paris, TX
Identification of growth on possible oak tree
We have photographed a very unusual bloom or growth on a tree we suspect may be an oak, and would like to submit photos of the bloom, bark, and (leafless) tree to someone for identification. My wild ...
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Paris, TX
Ground cover for south-facing yard in Paris, TX
We are moving to Paris, Tx. Our front yard faces south with 2 large sycamores shading it. Grass has a hard time growing here. I'd like to plant groundcover. Think it's sandy loam. Do you have a...
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Paris, TX
Ground cover for trails in Northeast Texas
I have several acres of wooded land in Northeast Texas, Southern Lamar County. Both sandy and black land. I have created trails through the woods and would like to plant a native ground cover or gras...
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