Native 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.
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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.
Questions From Near You
Gatlinburg , TX
Use of pictures from our Image Gallery
I would like to use the picture of prickly wild rose on a website I am designing for information on native plants. I am designing this site for children and teachers. Who do I contact?
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Natural bridge Caverns, TX
Caterpillars on young bluebonnet plants in Comal Co., TX
Due to much needed recent rains our bluebonnets are coming on beautifully. Today however when looking at what I thought was frost damage noticed caterpillars that start eating from the center and work...
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Bergheim, TX
Plant barrier along fence in South Central Texas
Dear Mr. Smarty Plants:
I want to put in an attractive, diverse but tough plant barrier to help stop my dogs from running the fence with neighboring dogs. The 5-foot, open-wire fence is far from the...
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Fair Oaks Ranch, TX
Possible freeze damage to Texas Persimmon in Fair Oaks Ranch TX
I have a Texas Persimmon tree that is in a green belt. It has leafed out and flowered for the eight years we have lived here. This year it leafed out then the leaves turned brown and dropped. The top ...
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Fair Oaks Ranch, TX
Pruning of non-native abelias in Fair Oaks Ranch, TX
I have some old established Abelias that are leggy at the bottom. Can I cut them back, and if so, how far and best time to do so?
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Fair Oaks Ranch, TX
Taking down a Century Plant blooming stalk from Fair Oaks Branch TX
Our century cactus looks like it's in the final stages of blooming and I read on your site that the original plant dies. Can we go ahead and cut down the tall blooms?
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Fair Oaks Ranch, TX
Propagation of Texas grapes
What is the best way to propagate wild Texas grapes?
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Garden Ridge, TX
Plant identification
Comal County, Texas.
Trying to identify a plant found growing in Comal Co. It was growing along the ground, with long, spiky leaves, and a ball of green flowers with a dark purple/brown 5 pointed sta...
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Garden Ridge, TX
Need a privacy screen of native plants for swimming pool in Garden Ridge, TX
We are building a pool and would like to use native plants as a screen around the fence, preferably a shrub that grows quickly to about 6 feet. Any suggestions? Thanks.
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Garden Ridge, TX
plant labels to indicate resistance to wildfire
I have a group of students researching plants that are more fire resistant. They have learned that keeping home landscaping around a structure will help reduce the risk of a structure catching fire i...
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Garden Ridge, TX
Screening bush for shady area
I need some kind of bush that will act as an air conditioning blind. So far the deer have eaten or destroyed everything planted in the very shady mulch bed. What do you recommend?
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Garden Ridge, TX
Student research on fire-resistance plant labels from Garden Ridge TX
Dear Mr. Smarty Pants,
I'm a 4th grader at Garden Ridge Elementary in Comal County. I am researching fire resistant plants. Can you please tell me if most plants' tags say whether they are fire r...
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Spring Branch, TX
Copper Canyon daisy leaves turning yellow in Spring Branch TX
My Copper Canyon daisies have grown well this year but the leaves are turning yellow. Any ideas?
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Spring Branch, TX
Identification of red-topped grass blooming in Comal County
I live in Comal County and right now (mid May) there is a beautiful, red topped grass growing along the side of country roads. It is maybe 1 foot tall, and waves in the breeze. Do you know what kind o...
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Spring Branch, TX
Deer-resistant trees for privacy in Texas
I need to find a deer resistant tall shrub or tree to plant and hide the deer fence my neighbor just put up on our property line. My property has full sun in parts and mostly shady in other parts and ...
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Spring Branch, TX
Groundcovers for North Central Texas
I have a very large area that is in Palo Pinto County, Texas. We tried to plant grass but it never established. I'm looking for a ground cover that does well in shade (lots of oak tees) and is semi d...
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Spring Branch, TX
Problems with non-native bi-color iris from Spring Branch TX
Bi colored iris. I have four plants planted around our water feature last fall. Up until recently they all looked very healthy, yet not blooming. Several weeks ago I noticed that two of the plants ...
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Spring Branch, TX
Smarty Plants on Virginia crownbeard
I recently moved to the Hill Country and notice some "weeds" that seemed to into explode into ice formations when the temperature first fell below freezing. Can you tell me the name of this plant an...
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Spring Branch, TX
Lesions on Agave Leaves in Spring Branch, Texas
I have a giant Agave americana that was beautiful until recently. Several of the leaves have lesions, some of them quite drastic, on the last third of the leaf. What is causing this?
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Spring Branch, TX
Planting instructions for horsetail
Re: Equisetum hyemale L.
Canuela, Horsetail, Scouring rush, Scouringrush horsetail
I bought a 1-gal Equisetum hyemale for my seep/pond. In searching the web, I find conflicting planting instructions...
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Spring Branch, TX
Sun-scorched Cherry laurel (Prunus caroliniana)
I live in south Central Texas 30 miles north of San Antonio. I am looking for a good evergreen hedge plant that once established will not die if I forget to water it a few days and is deer resistant....
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