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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

Hewitt, TX
When is the appropriate time to prune pecan trees in Hewitt?
Labor Day Weekend my husband decided to trim all the low branches on a big pecan tree in our back yard which I thought should had been done at the first of the year, our temprature is in the mid 90's...
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Hewitt, TX
Elimination of nutgrass
Nutgrass has taken over my vegetable and perennial garden to the point that I can not see my plants or granite sand paths. The two major areas are about 600 square feet in total. What can I do to co...
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Hewitt, TX
Low evergreen drought-resistant shrubs for area in partial shade
I promised my mom to help her with some new plants for her house, so here goes. She lives near Waco on Blackland clay soil. The problem area is right in front of the house. It only receives a few hour...
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Waco, TX
Native perennial winter plants for Waco, TX
I live in the Waco area, and would like to know winter plants that I could use that would come back each year, flowering or otherwise.
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Waco, TX
Problems with a Cercis (Redbud)
Half of my redbud tree is pooped out looking. On two places on the bark are areas where a few layers of bark have pulled back. In these areas there are white growths.
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Waco, TX
Registered/patented pecan by Foster W. Fort
Hello, we own a historic house museum once owned by the Fort family of Waco, and have learned that Foster W. Fort developed a type of pecan tree and had an orchard somewhere here around Waco (possibly...
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waco, TX
Eliminating prickly pear
What is best practice for eliminating 100+ acres of dense prickly pear?
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waco, TX
How to get rid of poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans)
Our school grounds are infested with lots of poison ivy. What is best remedy for extensive growth?
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Waco, TX
Identification of a flower, perhaps a yarrow
There is a a flower blooming now on the roadside and in fields here in Waco. It really looks like Yarrow, but I don't want to harvest any and make a mistake. Can I send a pic to you guys and see if...
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Waco, TX
Looking for the tallest okra stalk in Waco, TX.
I am looking for the tallest okra stalk in Waco,Texas. Back in the 1950s, it was in the Waco paper but I can't find it. My Grandfather's name was Robert W. Goss of Waco, and he had his picture take...
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Waco, TX
Searching for a red mulberry tree (Morus rubra) to buy
Want to purchase a native Texas Red Mulberry tree (morus rubra). Can't find one. Can you help? Thanks,
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Waco, TX
Dogs developing allergic skin problems in Waco TX
We have 2 West Highland White terriers..since we moved 2 yrs. ago, they have developed TERRIBLE skin problems at our new home, about 5 miles from our old home, in Waco. What contact plants, shrub...
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Waco, TX
Why website does not have better variety of flowers
Why don't you have a better variety of flowers? I can't find the ones I have.
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Waco, TX
Plant ID at Wildflower Center from Waco TX
I was at the Center last weekend and no one was able to answer these two questions: 1. Where can I buy Silver Ponyfoot groundcover? 2. What is the name of the plant with coral blossoms in front of...
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Waco, TX
Best fertilizer for live oak trees in Central Texas
What is the best fertilizer for live oak trees in Central Texas?
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waco, TX
Killing regrowing shoots of a downed hackberry tree
Hackberry plants won't die. You and others have suggested to cut the suckers or saplings to get rid of them. Over the years I have continued to cut the same saplings and the only thing I have now ar...
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Waco, TX
Pruning Pigeonberry
Should pigeonberry be pruned back to the ground this time of year or should a few inches of stem be left? This is my first spring with them in the garden and I've not found any reference material tha...
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Waco, TX
Shade Tolerant Grasses and Groundcovers for Waco TX
What is the best shade-tolerant grass? What is the best shade-tolerant ground cover?
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Waco, TX
Shumard oak or live oak in Waco TX?
Dear Mr Smarty Plants, I planted 2 small Shumard oaks in my front yard (east side of the house, 8-9 hours of sun per day) 18 months ago. Both had been purchased from a national chain store's garden ...
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Waco, TX
Small evergreen shrubs for part shade in Texas
Mr. Smarty Pants, I'm, for some reason, at odds with myself about a shrub decision. I have need about 8 ft of hedge-like evergreen shrub(s) that I can maintain around 4ft to go under a window. It...
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Waco, TX
Pruning Cuphea Plants
The David Verity cuphea (cigar plants) that I planted last spring are now 3-4 feet high. I would like to move them, but before I do they seem to need pruning. All the branches are brown and dry lookin...
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