Explore Plants

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
    
 

Can't find the answer in our existing FAQs, submit a question to Mr. Smarty Plants.
Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

Questions From Near You

Bandera, TX
Deer resistant shade plants for Southern Texas
Looking for low shrubs and flowers that will grow in full shade and that would be mostly deer resistant. North facing front of our house.
view the full question and answer

Bandera, TX
Deer-resistant native plants for privacy fence in Bandera, TX
I am trying to have a living privacy fence of some type of evergreen shrubs that would grow about 6ft tall and that would be deer resistant. It would be good if didn't need a lot of maintenance. Do y...
view the full question and answer

Bandera, TX
Failure to thrive of Lantanas
Here at work we have 4 beautiful yellow Santanas(should I say had), the leaves have started to turn brown and no longer blooming. Appears to have a fungus or disease. Please help!
view the full question and answer

Medina, TX
Non-native ligustrum in non-native fescue in Medina TX
Is there an effective way to kill baby ligustrums coming up in my fescue yard without harming the grass?
view the full question and answer

Comfort, TX
Plant screen for Comfort TX
My house sits on a hill between Fredericksburg and Comfort. Darn, if my neighbors didn't build so close to my property line that I can see into their cabin when the trees drop their leaves in the f...
view the full question and answer

Comfort, TX
Non-native Jerusalem Sage from Comfort TX
I live in Comfort, TX. I have 3 Jerusalem sage plants that bloom beautifully each year. However, just the past week one has started turning yellow and brown. The leaves look withered and ready to die....
view the full question and answer

Comfort, TX
Problems with Agave americana in Comfort TX
We have lost a huge agave americana and are not able to find out what to do for our others. The one we lost was rotted or eaten (beetles?) at the base and the whole thing just fell over. We have a l...
view the full question and answer

Comfort, TX
Century plant dying after bloom
My century plant is so tall that it is up to the top of the telephone pole top lines that carry our streets electric. I was wanting to know if you knew if I cut the stock off would it save the plant ...
view the full question and answer

Boerne, TX
Time for trimming oaks from Boerne TX
I want to trim a native red oak but am scared to touch it because I dont want to lose it. It is the primary source of shade in our back yard. Also I want to trim the live oaks and am surrounded with O...
view the full question and answer

Boerne, TX
How does Asclepias asperula (antelope horns) respond to fire
From your experience with prairie burns, how does Asclepias asperula (antelope horns) respond to fire? Thanks.
view the full question and answer

Boerne, TX
Use of newspaper mulch in garden
Before constructing a raised garden, I would like to lay newspapers at the initial ground level, then add about 12 to 15 inches of compost on top of that. Would that hurt the plants? And will the ne...
view the full question and answer

Boerne, TX
Frequency of mowing on native grasses
I live on 5 acres in TX Hill Country. I love the native grasses when they are high and blowing, etc. My husband insists on mowing, claiming that by mowing, the grasses grow more rapidly over the dry...
view the full question and answer

Boerne, TX
Yellow, pale green leaves on Cedar Elms in Texas
I have had several cedar elms of various sizes planted in our yard over the last 10 years. Only the largest has dark green, healthy looking leaves. All the others have yellowish, pale green leaves. Th...
view the full question and answer

Boerne, TX
Half-life of the insecticide imidacloprid
How long do systemic insecticides such as imidacloprid (Merit) remain active in nursery grown plants? Asclepias curassavica (tropical milkweed)is frequently grown with imidacloprid to prevent...
view the full question and answer

Boerne, TX
Seed pods on Acer grandidentatum
Hi, we have three young Big Tooth Maples that are doing very well in our pasture. We bought them already established and small. However, we would like to start some. Do they produce a seed?? What wo...
view the full question and answer

Boerne, TX
Recently planted live oak tree in Boerne, TX
My brother planted a live oak in August. It was from a nursery and had a root ball. It looks dead but I keep watering it. The trunk is about 6 inches around. The leaves died but when the winds came th...
view the full question and answer

Boerne, TX
What variety of Opuntia is best for eating in Boerne, TX.
Which variety of Opuntia, is best for eating the pads and which are the ones best eaten for fruit?
view the full question and answer

Boerne, TX
Problems with Live Oak in Boerne TX
I had my large Live Oak trimmed last year. This spring there seems to be a problem with leaf growth. Most leaves are small in nature and appear to have been attacked possibly by bugs. Many of the bran...
view the full question and answer

Boerne, TX
Availability of Texas Frogfruit
Are there any nursery suppliers that supply Texas frogfruit?
view the full question and answer

Boerne, TX
Why did mountain laurel turn brown and die?
I have (had) a lovely mountain laurel that I planted more than 25 years ago. Many times one or two branches would turn brown and I would trim them out. The shrub is about 10 feet tall and is many tr...
view the full question and answer

Boerne, TX
Possibility of Colorado Blue Spruce tree in Boerne TX
Is it possible to plant Colorado Blue Spruce trees in the Boerne, Texas area?
view the full question and answer