Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

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.

Support NPINHelp grow the Native Plant Information Network by giving to the Plant Database Fund or subcribing to Wildflower magazine.

Subscribe online now
Mr. Smarty Plants would give Wildflower magazine two thumbs up...if he had two thumbs.
Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

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

Johnson City, TX
Sad Germanders in Johnson City Texas
I have some grey bush germanders that never seem to do well although they did at first when I planted them four years ago. They have sun and dappled shade on the south side of the house. A friend in ...
view the full question and answer

Johnson City, TX
Source for Ashe Juniper seeds from Blanco Co., TX
I'm trying to find Ashe Juniper seeds to plant in bare areas of my property in central Texas. I understand they grow well in rockier soil and have many other benefits for native animal species. Unfo...
view the full question and answer

Johnson City, TX
Need source for seeds or plants of Pinus remota in Johnson City, TX..
I cannot seem to find a source for Pinus remota or papershell pinyon pine. Who Grows this? I understand it is rare and would love to try it here in Johnson City. Thanks
view the full question and answer

Johnson City, TX
Bloom stalk not visibly connected to Century Plant from Johnson City, TX
Can anyone tell my why my Century Plant is growing a bloom stalk a couple of feet away from my plant instead of up through the middle? Ive never seen one do that and it strikes me as being rather odd!
view the full question and answer

Johnson City, TX
Finding woolly butterfly bush from Johnson City TX
Where can I find woolly butterfly bush? They are difficult to locate in the nurseries
view the full question and answer

Round Mountain, TX
Clover Among the Bluebonnets in Round Mountain, Texas
I have a beautiful yard of bluebonnets, but mixed in with them are a tall clover that is hiding the flower's beauty and a shorter plant with clover-like leaves that produces burrs. Pulling is not an...
view the full question and answer

Round Mountain, TX
Is the Ashe juniper native from Round Mountain TX
Some friends and I disagree on something, and I hope you will settle the argument. Are the cedars found in the Texas hill country (ashe juniper) native or not?
view the full question and answer

Round Mountain, TX
Transplanting Eve's Necklace from Round Mountain TX
We have dozens of small Eve's necklace plants coming up in our large yard. I would like to share them with my friends who aren't so lucky. Many years ago, I tried to transplant one, and it didn't...
view the full question and answer

Round Mountain, TX
History of plant Poliomintha longiflora
My question is about the known history of a plant Poliomintha longiflora. In the 1930's (according to my grandmother) in any Mexican market in Texas you could buy this dried plant then known as Wild ...
view the full question and answer

Blanco, TX
Getting rid of yucca plants in Blanco, TX
How does a person get rid of Yucca plants? We have four fig trees that do not bear figs, what do we need to do? We live in SE Blanco County, Texas.
view the full question and answer

Blanco, TX
Dying Damianita in Blanco, TX.
My Damianita bloomed its heart out and since all the rain here in Blanco the biggest plants turned brown and look dead. I've trimmed back some and do see green stems. Will they come back? How far ...
view the full question and answer

Blanco, TX
Chlorosis in Texas Wisteria from Blanco TX
Just noticed a Texas Wisteria I bought last month and it is already looking chlorotic. Mixed compost in w/the dirt it is planted in but I don't think that will be enough. Is Blanco soil too alkaline?...
view the full question and answer

Blanco, TX
Methods of controlling poison ivy
What do you suggest for controlling poison oak (ivy)?
view the full question and answer

blanco, TX
Wildflower seeds that may be planted in late spring
Monday April 09, 2007 Is it too late to plant wildflowers? I know nothing of the planting season of wildflowers however we are doing a residential ranch development and I would love to throw some see...
view the full question and answer

Blanco, TX
Spring sowing of wildflower seeds in pots
Is it possible to start wildflower seeds in pots in the spring and then transplant them to the yard?
view the full question and answer

Henly, TX
Propagating Dakota vervain (Glandularia binpinnatifida)
Dakota Vervain. We recently moved into a new house in Henly--Hays/Blanco county line. Mother nature was kind enough to provide us w/Dakota Vervain in some of our planting beds while we are getting...
view the full question and answer

Henly, TX
Plants for cleared area by creek
Hi Mr. Smarty Pants. My front "yard" is about 2 1/2 sloping acres with a wet weather creek at the bottom. It has been recently cleared of cedar. The cedar is now shredded and acts as a cover to he...
view the full question and answer

Henly, TX
Native grasses that are shade tolerant for Central Texas
I recently purchased acreage in Henly (Dripping Springs area). The property has a large stand of big Live Oaks, Black Jack Oaks and Cedar Elm trees. The area has not been grazed for several years an...
view the full question and answer

Willow City, TX
Who was Salvia clevelandii named for?
Where does the term "clevelandii (as in the Salvia I recently saw for the first time) originate?
view the full question and answer

Willow City, TX
Interaction of Habiturf and St. Augustine grasses from Willow City TX
How does Habiturf and St. Augustine interact? Does one dominate the other? Can you plant them in close areas? Thank you.
view the full question and answer

Horseshoe Bay, TX
Yellow-flowered Ipomopsis rubra - Standing Cypress
We have several acres of we call native plant areas, maybe unmaintained areas or natural is a better description of these areas. As we were developing these areas we sown in several different wildflo...
view the full question and answer