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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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Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

Questions From Near You

Llano, TX
Texas sage near a granite outcropping from Llano TX
I have a large granite outcropping near my house. There are pockets that have spring flowers growing in them and is just beautiful in the spring. I want to plant other native plants in and about the g...
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Llano, TX
Native Substitute for Boxwood in Llano, TX
I love boxwood because it's evergreen & provides a great backdrop to my flowers w/o taking over the bed. However, I'm trying to stick with native plants, so can you provide a native alternative to b...
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Llano, TX
Freeze damage on Barrel Cactus in Llano TX
I believe my barrel cactus has freeze damage. The flesh turned yellow and is now turning dark. The base is still green. If I cut off the damaged top portion, leaving the green base, should it survive?...
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Llano, TX
Planting Anacacho orchid tree in Llano, TX
Re Bauhinia lunarioides: I'm trying to pick a good site in Llano Co for a 5 gal tree I received as a gift. Your plant database says part shade. The arid zone trees publication you reference in a...
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Llano, TX
Can trees survive if trunks are buried under 3-5 ft of soil?
We have two cedar elms and a mesquite that I protected from backfill as our Texas Hill Country lot was leveled in preparation for building a house. The bulkheads are now holding back 3' to 5' of ma...
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Llano, TX
High mowing equipment for Llano TX
We're trying to follow your wildflower meadow recommendation "if your meadow has tall, warm-season native grasses, wait until late summer or early fall to mow, allowing them to elongate, flower, and...
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Llano, TX
What is the orange vine that is covering the wildflowers from Llano, TX?
What is the invasive orange vine that is covering the wildflowers on Texas highways?
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Llano, TX
What is the pH of Bald Cypress needles?
What is the pH of Bald Cypress needles?
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Llano, TX
Propagation of yellow columbine
I purchased a yellow columbine, Aquilegia chrysantha and your website says it grows in moist upland soils, and yet it shows their habitat as Utah, Arizona, NM, and sw Texas. Tell me how it can...
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Llano, TX
Native replacement for Mexican heather in Llano, TX
Please suggest a native or adaptable alternative plant for Mexican Heather.
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Llano, TX
Mountain Laurel suffering from Spring freeze
I have a 4 1/2 ft Texas Mountain Laurel shrub in current location for several years. A hard freeze this spring killed every leaf on the tree, but the stems remained green. My other smaller Mt. Laure...
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Llano, TX
Trimming a bur oak in Llano, TX
We have a beautiful, large Burr Oak next to our house. This tree has many large lateral branches. I have trimmed dead branches, but no other trimming. It grows a lot of "suckers" during growing sea...
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Valley Spring, TX
Growing live oaks from acorns
What is the best way to grow Live Oaks from acorns?
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Kingsland, TX
Germination of Sophora seeds, and Dodder identification in Kingsland, TX.
Our Mt. Laurel has just produced seeds. Can those be scarified and planted now or do they have to dry out. Also what is the stringy orange substance that gets on bluebonnets and other wildflowers ...
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Kingsland, TX
Groundcovers for Kingsland TX
I am looking for a list of native ground covers and grasses(not lawn grass).
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Kingsland, TX
Highway construction in wildflower areas from Kingsland TX
I see no other link to contact about this, except for you. Maybe you can direct me. I just drove Hwy 281 South and a lot of road construction is being done. For many years that I've noticed, there ...
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Kingsland, TX
Is it illegal to collect wildflower plants from county roads in TX?
Is it illegal to collect wildflower plants like bluebonnets from county roads in Texas?
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Kingsland, TX
Promoting bloom of crossvine
I planted a crossvine a couple of years ago and it has grown quite well, climbing well up the Mesquite tree it was planted under. However, it has never bloomed. I was really looking forward to those...
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Kingsland, TX
Plant Identification
What is the common purple flower found in fields that has a yellow flattened oval berry like pod after blooming? Leaves are grayish green. I am thinking in the nightshade family? It is a bane to a pas...
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Kingsland, TX
Falling Balls from an Oak in Kingsland TX
I have a large Live Oak in the back yard, with St. Augustine grass under it. It is April 3, 2015. The leaves have fallen and now little tiny round balls are falling. I am hearing a popping noise und...
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Kingsland, TX
Leucophyllum Resistant to Verticillium Wilt
I need to know which large shrubs are resistant to verticillium wilt? I believe that a few of our Elaeagnus have succumbed to this disease, but being over 15 years old, I am not positive. I am thinki...
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