Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members 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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When to Move Potted Plants Outside in Texas? July 07, 2016 When can I move my potted patio plants back outside? I live in Heath/ Rockwall, Texas. I have Horses tail, Croutens, and Money tree. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Planting Canary Island Date Palm in Austin, Texas July 07, 2016 I want to plant a Phoenix canariensis on the south side of my property in West Austin, in a sheltered location. We are on very shallow soil - on top of limestone. Does the plant have any chance of sur... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Questions about hollyhocks and yucca May 25, 2016 I have 2 questions. In Western N.Y. State the hollyhocks grow like weeds but add color with their large stalks. I've sent for seeds and the best I can do in N.W.Travis county is 9 inch plants that die... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Care of non-native plant March 17, 2016 I have a plant that grows about 1' tall, looks sort of like a dracaena. The leaves grow off of a short stem and are yellowish (no green at all) with brilliant slashes of hot pink an red. It is georg... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Pachira aquatica loosing leaves. March 17, 2016 We have an indoor money tree that is 20 feet tall, the leaves have started to turn brown and fall. We water twice a month and mist about the same. Can you opine what what we are doing wrong the plant ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Abutilon or Podocarpus Toxic to Dogs? March 17, 2016 Are either of these plants toxic to dogs? Flowering maple or the Podocarpus henkelii shrub. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Dwarf Form of Japanese Blueberry? March 17, 2016 Is there a dwarf variety of Japanese blueberry that will grow in my area? Or is it so non-native that it's not in your category? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Rabbit-proof Plants for Florida Swimming Pool Area February 22, 2016 I plan on planting white star jasmine and purple bocouilla plants around a south-facing swimming pool in Naples, Florida. I was told rabbits might eat them which we do have. Should I be concerned, and... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Pruning Leggy Santolina January 30, 2016 We are members of the society and have loved your section offering advice. We have green santolina that is becoming quite leggy. I would like to prune them to get them more compact come spring and sum... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Growing Florist Roses January 23, 2016 Often I find that florist roses sprout for me, but I fail to get them to grow into a bush. Do you have the answer? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
ID for Caribbean mystery plants. January 13, 2016 I AM TRYING TO FIND THE COMMON NAME FOR TWO FLOWERS I TOOK PICTURES OF ON A CARIBBEAN CRUISE. I TOOK ONE IN HONDURAS AND ONE IN GRAND CAYMAN. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHERE I CAN GO TO TO GET HELP IN ID... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Containing Japanese Wisteria Roots November 22, 2015 I have some Japanese wisteria plants that I would like to plant inside root barriers but I cannot find any info on how deep the roots go. Do you know if a 2 ft deep root barrier for trees can contain ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Should Mexican milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) not be used to attract Monarch butterflies? November 20, 2015 Should I remove Asclepias curassavica (Mexican milkweed) in my garden for threat of OE parasitic protozoan threat to Monarch butterflies? Is this threat as widespread as Chronicle implies? I had great... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Deer eating Non-native Asiatic Jasmine in Georgetown, TX October 22, 2015 Is there a spray or granular material that will prevent deer from eating asiatic jasmine? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Is my Crimson queen maple dying? October 20, 2015 Is my Crimson queen maple dying if it's leaves are turning brown? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Suggestions for vegetables to grow in North Texas October 12, 2015 Hi, I want some suggestions on vegetable plants that withstands North Texas winter icy weather? and when to plant them? Thanks, Meena. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Are Royal Poinciana and Royal Empress trees the same? October 09, 2015 Hi, can you tell me if the Royal empress tree and the Royal Poinciana are the same tree? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Ficus pumila on Stucco Walls October 06, 2015 Can the creeping fig vine damage the stucco covered walls? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Overwintering Ruellia brittoniana in Missouri October 03, 2015 I live in Missouri and have five beautiful Mexican Petunia or Ruellia brittoniana planted and established in my landscaping. With winter fast approaching, I would love advise on how to winterize the p... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Dividing Agapanthus October 03, 2015 When and how do I separate Agapanthus? Should I do it? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
How to Deal with Leggy Artemisia 'Silver Mound' October 03, 2015 I have two Artemisia (I think 'Silver Mound') in full sun in West Austin. They have been happily growing there for the past 10 or so years. Both were hard-hit by last winter's cold weather and did... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Florist Gloxinia Care October 01, 2015 Got a florist gloxinia and it was doing great for months. Went on vacation and returned; it was wilted. Think son watered it too much. Allowed it to dry. It has some new leaves forming on the very leg... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Need help with Wheeler's Dwarf Pittosporum September 02, 2015 We have about five Dwarf Wheeler Pittosporum plants. All of them are mature and were doing well. I was on vacation for a week or so and when I came back I saw of each of them is plant 90% dead. The d... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Are Native Cultivars As Beneficial to Wildlife? September 02, 2015 I am working on adding more native plants to my small acreage. I would like to know if using a selection or cultivar of a native species is as likely to have wildlife benefits as using a randomly prop... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Green Pearls or String-of-Pearls plant August 13, 2015 Years ago I had a plant I called green pearls because that's what it looked like. It was an inside plant. Can you please help me with this? Thank you View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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