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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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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

Arlington , TX
Florist Gloxinia Care
Got a florist gloxinia and it was doing great for months. Went on vacation and returned; it was wilted. Think son watered it too much. Allowed it to dry. It has some new leaves forming on the very leg...
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Arlington , TX
Leaves on yaupon holly turning brown/black
Arlington TX Yaupon Holly has leaves on stems closer to the bottom of the plant and moving up that are turning brown/black. Is this a disease, over/under watering? There is black gummy soil, but it ha...
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Arlington, TX
Container plants for Arlington TX
Mr. Smarty Plants, I just moved to Arlington, TX. I am trying to create a container garden on my apartment balcony. What flowers, herbs, vegetables, and fruit combinations can I put together that wil...
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Arlington, TX
Sales of horseherb seeds in Arlington, TX area
Where can I purchase horseherb seeds in Arlington tx.or Dallas Ft.Worth area
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Arlington, TX
How much shade will Thunder Turf (Habiturf) take?
How much shade will Thunder Turf take?
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Arlington, TX
Looking for native plants for a rain garden in Arlington, TX.
I am looking for native Texas plants that would do well in rain gardens. Do you have any suggestions?
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Arlington, TX
Blueberries in Arlington TX
Which wild or native blueberries can I grow in Arlington Texas? I think it is zone 8?
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Arlington, TX
What does spp. stand for in Paspalum spp? From Arlington, TX.
What does the spp stand for when talking about Paspalum spp?
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Arlington, TX
Need Fast-Growing Screening Shrub for Arlington, TX
What fast growing shrub/tree could be planted along side a fence to provide additional privacy? We have a pool in our backyard and the view behind our house is less than enjoyable. We would like to ...
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Arlington, TX
Plant identification
There's a wildflower I can't identify. I have a picture of it and have searched many sites and can't seem to find it. Is there a way I can submit the pic to you to identify?
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Arlington, TX
native plants for landscaping in Honolulu
Hi, wildflower.org has been a great help for me in learning about different plants, their Latin names and characteristics. I was looking for a list of plants (trees, shrubs, ground covers, perennials...
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Arlington, TX
Sticky white substance from Arizona Ash tree in Arlington TX
Our Arizona Ash Tree is producing a white substance that floats down from the tree almost like a snowflake the size of a bb. You cannot see it on the tree/leaves. When it lands on the car, it takes th...
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Arlington, TX
Companion planting with heartleaf skullcap from Arlington TX
What can I plant with heart-leaf skullcap when it goes dormant in the summer?
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Arlington, TX
Problems with red oak trees in North Central Texas
What is the disease effecting Red Oak trees in North Central Texas; causing them to lose leafs in Spring/Summer and turning the remaining leaves light yellow/lime green in color. Thank you.
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Arlington, TX
How to make a lawn into a prairie in Arlington, Texas
I am removing lawn grasses in order to start a native prairie meadow. After grass removal, I'll put down 1/2" of compost. I will broadcast wildflower seeds on the compost. If I mulch after broadcas...
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Arlington, TX
Native ground covers for rocky, shady slope in Arlington, TX
I need a good native ground cover for a completely shaded and rocky 30 degree slope with red sandy soil and southern exposure. Will anything grow in these conditions?
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Arlington, TX
Plant identification
In North Central Texas recommended plants, there are three coneflowers listed: Echinacea angustifolia-Black sampson E. purpurea-Purple coneflower E. purpurea-Eastern purple coneflower Is the Eas...
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Arlington, TX
Is there a recommended list for Texas Eastern Cross Timbers?
Is there a recommended list for Texas Eastern Cross Timbers?
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Arlington, TX
Eastern redcedar uprooted by snow in Arlington, TX
During the recent snowstorm one of our juniperus virginiana fell over with the rootball looking intact and with a lot of soil all around it.Should we try to save it? It is approximately 20 feet tall ...
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Arlington, TX
More on bluebonnets
When can I harvest my Bluebonnets?
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Arlington, TX
Oak Bark Loss in Arlington, TX
I have multiple oak trees in my yard (in north texas) that have begun to lose their bark in small chunks. I'm in the middle of the city so their are no deer and yes it's been a dry 2 years but this...
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