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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Smarty Plants Question Topics
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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| Passiflora incarnata 'Alba' cultivar or hybrid from Birmingham AL January 13, 2014 Is Passiflora incarnata 'Alba' a cultivar or a hybrid? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Use of non-native pothos for outside wall from Las Vegas NV January 05, 2014 I am in Las Vegas, NV. I live in a cottage-style apartment so I have a north facing porch with no one on the west so I get some there (and have an inherited cactus probably a yard all round) I would ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of a vine with 3 leaves and a red trunk January 02, 2014 What is a vine with 3 leaves that has a red trunk? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Native Vines for Coleman County, TX December 19, 2013 Do you have a list of native vines for Coleman County, TX. Thank You for your help View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Vines for fence, safe for horses in California December 12, 2013 I live in a fire prone part of Orange County, CA named Silverado and own horses. Am interested in fast growing vines to cover a fenced area which are horse safe. Thank you. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identity of invasive vine in The Woodlands, Texas December 02, 2013 What is the invasive vine covering trees in The Woodlands, Texas? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Flowering vine for summer sun in Southern California November 26, 2013 Hi and thanks for this great site. 1)Southern CA -- South facing wall(lattice on top)total height 7ft with mature Boston Ivy-- Viburnum tinus and Euonymus at base. THE PROBLEM: East 25% (25ft) has b... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Grapevine at the Wildflower Center November 05, 2013 Hello :) I recently visited the Lady Bird Wildflower Center for Goblins in the Garden. I'm curious if you all know exactly what type of grape is growing in the back of the garden near the "Heali... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Germination of Purple Clematis from Junction TX October 31, 2013 I have some Purple Leather Vine seeds I want to share and want help learning to germinate. Can anyone there help me find interested recipients? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of vine with seed cluster that looks like a 3D star October 28, 2013 I found a weird vine on the creek bank with seed clusters that look like a 3D star they also have hair like thorns on them. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| A Bounty of Edibles for New Braunfels Texas October 25, 2013 I was hoping you could suggest a few plants that would serve several purposes. I live in New Braunfels, TX and would like to incorporate as many drought tolerant plants which would support birds, but... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| How to get rid of Phytolacca americana (American pokeweed) October 02, 2013 Mr. Smarty-Pants, I have pokeweed growing all over my backyard. I know this plant is poisonous, how do I get rid of it for good? Also, a broad leaf vine that is swallowing my trees whole. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identity of vine in New York September 30, 2013 Hey there. I've recently found a "Wild Cucumber" vine in my backyard, which has been taking over our electric fence. Now I've stumbled across another very similar vine. They fruits are clustere... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Purple Passionflower as a native in Charlottesville VA September 18, 2013 Is it possible to grow purple passion flower as a perennial in zone 7? I am looking for hummers and butterflies to be attracted by the plant. Thank you. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Are seeds of trumpet vine poisonous from Creston BC September 12, 2013 Are the seeds in the trumpet vines pods poisonous to humans or can I use them as dried beans? I have one plant that covers most of my house's south wall. It is a very established plant. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Opinion of 5 best native garden plants in Oklahoma from Burneyville OK September 07, 2013 What would you say are the 3 to 5 BEST native garden plants for south central Oklahoma? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Riverbank Plants for Minnesota September 04, 2013 I would like to stablize a steep riverbank slope along the Upper Mississippi in St. Cloud MN. The slopes are almost 1:1. We are using an open cell concrete matt in which we are going to plant native... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Fence Vines for Austin, TX August 31, 2013 Hi, What are the best high density vine plants for coverage on chain link fence in Austin, TX? Thank you View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| White sticky stuff on muscadine grape vines from Chappells SC August 17, 2013 Muscadine vine has white sticky substance on leaves and vines, what is it? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Tip Dieback on Lonicera sempervirens August 14, 2013 I have a Lonicera sempervirens (coral honeysuckle) vine in Virginia which does well early in the season, but then around July, the very tips of its shoots (just the last 1-2 inches) wither, turn black... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Vine to cover pile of tree limbs August 13, 2013 I have a pile of tree limbs in my yard. I'd like to find a (flowering or not) vine type plant native to the Austin TX area that will eventually grow all over and cover this pile. Thanks for any sug... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | | |
| Identity of vine growing in Kentucky. August 11, 2013 I have a vine I can't identify. The leaf is heart shaped and the vine is fuzzy. The blooms is just now starting to bloom. They are small red and some white in it. The bloom sort of remind you of a c... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Mystery berries on vine in Montgomery County, TX August 09, 2013 While out in the woods today on Caney Creek near Grangerland, Texas, I found what I thought to be some grapes on a vine hanging down from a tree. I brought the vine down, but when I got it home to pr... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Report on object glowing in tree in New Hampshire August 04, 2013 Hello again Mr Smartpants. I commented about a purple glow coming from a tree in previous comments. Since then they have multiplied and are spreading to different trees. We believe we may have it narr... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identity of night-glowing object in tree in New Hampshire August 02, 2013 I know this sounds crazy but last night when my husband stepped outside he noticed a purplish glow in one of the trees. At first he thought some kind of animal but when throwing a rock at it it did no... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
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