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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

Fort Worth, TX
Every plant in Texas
Do you know every plant in Texas? Alexis
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Fort Worth, TX
Drought resistant small tree for Ft. Worth TX
I am looking for suggestions for a small tree (no more than 25 feet max)that is drought resistant but can handle a little irrigation and a lot of wind. Something showy is a plus. Grouped with salvias ...
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Fort Worth, TX
Nurseries that Sell Perennial Native Plants in Fort Worth,TX
Where can I locate a nursery or nurseries with the best selection of perennial native plants in Fort Worth?
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Fort Worth, TX
Is scarlet buckeye (Aesculus pavia) poisonous?
Is a scarlet buckeye poisonous? Anna
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Fort Worth, TX
Are flower petals poisonous?
Is it toxic to eat the petals on a flower? Ashley
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Fort Worth, TX
Will a Venus flytrap bite?
Will a venus flytrap bite a person? Taylor
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Fort Worth, TX
Plant identification
Hello Mr. Smarty Plants! I have a plant that was given to me and told it was spider plant, but I don't believe it is. The plat grows up and has leaves coming out like a spider plant but they are gree...
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Fort Worth, TX
Arctostaphylos Hanging Basket for Texas
I would like to plant an Arctostaphylos uva-ursi in a hanging basket with a coco liner. Will this work, or will the roots grow too long? it's the 'Massachusetts' cultivar.
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Fort Worth, TX
Acid rain in Ft. Worth?
ALERT. NEED IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. Why are so many trees, plants, etc. in the Fort Worth area dying?? I heard acid rain. Please don't say drought. I have lived in this area all my life and survived t...
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Fort Worth, TX
Is it illegal in Texas to pick bluebonnets? No.
Is it illegal in Texas to pick a bluebonnet?
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Fort Worth, TX
How to have year round color in the garden in Fort Worth
Hello, I'm sending an SOS for a miracle! Since planting is the best now during the fall or so I've been told for North Texas Native Perennials, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. My beautifully mat...
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Fort Worth, TX
Edibility of Rumex hastatulus (heartwing sorrel)
My mother and aunt, who are in their 80s, tell stories of eating a plant, when they were girls in North Central Texas. They call the plant "sheep shire". My mother says that it is a flat weed, that...
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Fort Worth, TX
Plants for 100 gal. pot by pool from Ft. Worth TX
What North Texas evergreen — or combination of evergreen plants, bushes or trees — could thrive in a huge, 100-gallon clay pot (immovable!) that is situated in full sun year round in an exposed area n...
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Fort Worth, TX
Plants for under non-native fruitless mullberry trees from Ft. Worth TX
I live in Tarrant county, where summer droughts are the norm. I have a 150x50 foot swathe of mature "fruitless mulberry" trees, which create a very shady atmosphere. The soil is clay dominated, ro...
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Fort Worth, TX
Shrub to hide chain link fence
Mr. Smarty Plants, Please recommend a tall, thick shrub to conceal the 6 foot chain link fence around the perimeter of our property. The fence is located down a hill from our home with western exposur...
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Fort Worth, TX
Will non-native poisonous oleander grow through non-native invasive bermudagrass in Ft. Worth?
I was wondering if you knew which flowering plants would grow through grass. I have bermuda, have tried raised beds but due to uneven yard with lots of rock it would be too expensive to do properly. ...
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Fort Worth, TX
Mail order source for Guaiacum angustifolium from Ft. Worth TX
Do you have a mail order source for the seeds of Guaiacum angustifolium? I have looked extensively and cannot find one. Thank you!
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Fort Worth, TX
Possible reasons for yellow heads for Indian Blanket
I had Indian Blanket flowers that had almost pure yellow heads. Will the seeds of these flowers produce plants that will have yellow flowers?
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Fort Worth, TX
Hackberry stripped by Cedar Waxwings or American Goldfinches
I live in Fort Worth. My one and only tree in the backyard is a 23 year old hackberry. While not infested with gall or weevils, we have been invaded this past few weeks by hordes of small, chubby, yel...
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Fort Worth, TX
Yaupon hollies dying mysteriously
I have a row of yaupon hollies (Ilex vomitoria) that I keep trimmed like a hedge. They were all healthy for many years. Two years ago one of them died and I removed it, leaving a gap in the line of h...
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Fort Worth, TX
Firecracker plants not growing in Ft. Worth
I live in Fort Worth, TX and last fall planted several firecracker plants. It's now June and they're not growing. How can I tell if they are still alive?
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