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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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topicquestion
Is cenizo (Leucophyllum frutescens) edible?
December 21, 2012
I found a post here about cenizo leaves being used for tea, but I'm wondering if the leaves of the cenizo are edible? I have found many recipes for 'brown butter sage' leaves (sauteed often with on...
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Identification of a vine in El Paso, Texas
November 23, 2012
I live in Del Rio Texas - Zone 8/9 and I have a vine which can't be identified. It looks like a morning glory white flower with crimson throat, but the leaf pattern is like a 5-7 fingered hand with d...
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Texas plants useful to early settlers
June 05, 2012
I'm working on some interpretation for a prairie heritage trail in SE TX (near Houston). I'd like to know where I can find some good information on plant remedies which might have been used by early...
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Fiber and dye plants at the Wildflower Center from Round Rock TX
May 24, 2012
When I visited the Wildflower Center recently I noticed a garden labeled as containing fiber and dye plants, but the individual plants and their uses were not all labeled. I would be very interested ...
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Dog eats Celtis laevigata, sugar hackberry
May 21, 2012
This is an odd question but I am a biologist and have for years notice an odd behavior in my Golden Retriever. When he gets stomach distress or something makes him nervous like an incoming thunderstor...
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Growing fruits and vegetables from Holbrook NY
April 06, 2012
I have been looking for information on what plants, vegetables and fruits can be grown on Long Island NY to provide a sustainable food source for a community in the event of food becoming scarce. Wha...
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Negative and positive effects of invasive dandelions from Rama Ontario
January 12, 2012
How do Dandelions have a negative impact of being a invasive and a Positive impact of being a invasive species ?
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List of plants native to the Abilene, Texas area
September 15, 2011
Am looking for direction to a complete list of plants native to the Abilene, Taylor County, Texas area (trees, shrubs, grasses, cacti and other plants that grew here before cultivation, eradication or...
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Identifying a plant similar to sarsaparilla
September 04, 2011
I am trying to identify a plant that looks very similar to sasparilla, but has a ring of blue berries at the end of a long stalk, and the plant itself is spreading, not an isolated herb like sasparill...
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What gives the Creosote bush its characteristic smell?
August 09, 2011
Good evening, Mr. Smarty Plants, There is a question which I would please like to ask regarding a plant called "Creosote Bush" (Larrea tridentata)- does it actually smell like the creosote...
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