Native Plants
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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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| Do I need to cover my Habiturf planting with straw? March 02, 2012 I'm preparing to seed the Habiturf in my front yard in a couple of weeks. My dad has suggested I spread some straw to help protect the seeds. Your thoughts? Thanks!!! View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Replacing St. Augustine with native grass in Austin February 24, 2012 We are renting a house our Sister-in-law owns- the St Augustine is in tough shape, drought and lack of care over the years. Could we plant a native grass or do we have to pull up the remaining St. Aug... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants for a hillside in WI February 18, 2012 I live in Wisconsin and am currently doing a research project on plant variation on the north and south sides of a hill. I was wondering you could suggest any books to me that would address this issue... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Deer and Drought Resistant Natives for San Marcus, Texas February 15, 2012 Hi there, Do you have a list of plants and ground covers (deer/drought resistant) for the San Marcos area? Much as I love grass, it's impossible with this drought. I'd love to have lots of flowers ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Native Plants for Galveston February 12, 2012 I'm looking for low maintenance, drought tolerant plants for Galveston, on the bay side, in a well drained area with morning sun. I was thinking of Phlox, Muhly grass, Lantana.....and I am looking f... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Need plants to grow between flagstones in Vista, CA. February 06, 2012 Hi, I have put in a flagstone patio set in DG. The DG is creating a very sandy messy surface on the flagstone, so want to plant a low ground cover between the joints. Its a fairly large area, in sun... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Can Habiturf be planted by hydroseeding from Austin? February 04, 2012 We are thinking about seeding our lawn with HABITURF. Could you provide any input on whether HABITURF can be planted by hydroseeding? Thanks! View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Drought resistant flowering plants for Spring, TX January 25, 2012 Hi Mr. Smarty Pants. I live in Spring Tx. and wanted to plant a garden in my front yard. I'm looking for flowering plants that are colorful, easy to manage, and drought resistant but so far can't fi... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Need name of company with experience in Habiturf installation in Round Rock, TX. January 24, 2012 Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, I read the article about "NATIVE LAWNS: HABITURF™ A MULTI-SPECIES MIX FOR NORTH, WEST AND CENTRAL TEXAS" Do you know any landscape companies/groups in Austin - Round Ro... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Ilex vomitoria Sufering from Drought? January 19, 2012 My Ilex vomitoria has always thrived. It is about ten years old. This fall, a portion of the leaves on the ends of the branches have turned yellow on the edges with green veining in the center. Othe... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Replacing Drought-Stricken Cedars January 16, 2012 Hello, I live in Williamson County on a couple acres. We have several dead cedars as a result of drought; we're reluctant to cut them down because many of them provide a friendly barrier between us... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Leaves dropping on evergreen sumac in San Antonio January 11, 2012 I have a large evergreen sumac in my back yard that started off as a small shrub 10 years ago. This summer the leaves turned red and now have dropped off. Is the plant dead? It sent out two smaller pl... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Due to drought is pruning live oaks beneficial from Houston December 07, 2011 Would it be beneficial (presuming a continued spring drought) to prune live oak trees more severely than usual this winter? I'm thinking that it might help them to have less mass to support. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Drought tolerant grass with little need for mowing for Hill Country of Texas November 17, 2011 What grass would you recommend for the hill country of Texas that is drought tolerant and does not need frequent mowing? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Drought affecting non-native Zoysia grass in Austin November 06, 2011 Due to the extreme drought here in Austin this year and the watering restrictions our Zoysia lawn has suffered and appears to be dead in many areas of our lawn. Will it come back? Is there anything w... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Restoring fire damage in Bastrop TX November 03, 2011 I live in the Bastrop State Park area. We were severely affected by the wildfire and as we are trying to rebuild our home, we are being very aware of the particularities of the recovery process. We lo... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Trees and shrubs turning brown in Dripping Springs TX October 31, 2011 Due to the extended drought - a number of trees and shrubs in our Dripping Springs area property have turned brown. Specifically: Live Oak; Agarita; Ash Juniper; Cedar Elm. Is this a dormant stag... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Water eroding corner in Austin October 25, 2011 I live close to the Wildflower Center. My yard slopes - as do my neighbors' yards to one corner in my yard. The result is constant moisture in one corner. The rest of the yard is caliche, rocks (m... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Non-native lambs ears wilting in heat from Fredericksburg TX October 19, 2011 3 days ago I had professional landscaping done in an area with plants that tolerate heat & sun well. We planted 7 healthy, large lambs ear & mulched. Everything planted is doing well except the lambs ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native replacement for non-native Bermudagrass in Leander TX October 16, 2011 We have Bermuda grass. Large patches have died due to the drought and our yard has been taken over by weeds and St. Augustine grass whose seeds must have blown in. Even when the grass was in great con... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Sun loving plants for flower bed by the pool in Weatherford Texas October 03, 2011 We have a 40' long x 2 1/2' wide flowerbed along our pool. It is in full sun with the pool deck across the front and a 6' privacy fence across back. Also, the level of the bed is 18" below the l... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Cenizos browning in Houston October 01, 2011 After this horrible drought, I am committed to xeriscaping with native Texas plants. The few hibiscus that survived have been transplanted into pots and are thriving. I bid the tiny boxwoods a fond fa... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| 2012 wildflower forecast from Friendswood TX September 29, 2011 What is your current view of the 2012 Wildflower Forecast? What weeks might be best for someone traveling from Colorado to see our flowers? We are concerned about what the drought will do to the 20... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Evergreen privacy hedge resistant to verticillium wilt September 27, 2011 I am looking for an evergreen, fast-growing privacy hedge (over 6') that is resistant to verticillium wilt and has low water requirements. I live in Monrovia, CA and have to replace hopseed bushes w... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Eight Foot Screen for Austin, TX September 01, 2011 I'm looking for a fast-growing shrub to "extend" the height of my fence and provide privacy in my yard in Austin. My lot is pretty much full sun and very dry, mostly clay soil. 8' is my goal. Than... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Landscaping plant for Austin September 01, 2011 Great site! Have gotten lots of ideas. We're about to start construction on a fairly major landscaping project: raised beds/privacy screen. We're at the top of a hill in the Hill Country just wes... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | | |
| Drought tolerant plants for MA August 28, 2011 We have some very very poor soil at our house on Cape Cod and are looking for plants that will take low water and sandy soil. Also we are high on a hill and quite exposed to the elements. The plot get... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Drought tolerant plants for IN August 23, 2011 What are some plants that would do well in an east facing area near my front door? I live in Indianapolis IN. I need something that is drought resistant and will fill in a 4x3 foot walled off area th... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Difficulty of watering at drip line of trees from The Woodlands TX August 18, 2011 I'm watering my couple dozen native mature trees to make sure they survive this drought and its aftermath..and I'm reading about how to water at the drip line. But..all of my trees' drip lines ext... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Antelope Resistant Plants for Casper, Wyoming August 12, 2011 What are some drought resistant, full-sun plants for Wyoming that are Antelope resistant - Deer are not much of a problem, but antelope are! View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Survival of native lawn in Hockley TX August 02, 2011 I'm on the edge of the Katy Prairie and a very large ranch with full blasting sun and completely open exposure. The soil is fill from the developers with more clay than sand, a minimum of nutrients,... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Dormancy in Pin Oaks without water in Del Rio, TX August 02, 2011 Can Pin Oak trees go dormant without enough water? If so how long can they live that way? Can they be brought back to producing leaves? If yes, then what do I need to do besides giving them water. I d... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Alternative to swamp sunflower for Austin June 15, 2011 Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, I love this forum and have learned so much from it! Do you know of an alternative to Helianthus angustifolius L. (Swamp sunflower) that requires less water and would be m... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| protecting native trees during drought June 07, 2011 We are very concerned about our mature live oaks and cedar elms because they are so stressed due to the drought. We have lost several of our mountain juniper and I really don't want to lose our more... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Drought tolerant Plants and moving Wax myrtles in Austin April 30, 2011 Mr. Smarty Plants, What are the most fire resistant and drought tolerant plants for caliche soil in Austin area? I am considering relocating or removing my wax myrtle shrubs because they are ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Drought and Fire Resistant Plants for Round Top, Texas April 24, 2011 Dear Mr. Smarty Pants Do you have any advice on plants which are drought tolerant and fire resistant for a central Texas location near Round Top Texas? Thanks View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native plants for Jonestown/Leander September 01, 2010 Dear Mr.Smarty Plants, I am new to Texas we bought a house here in Jonestown/Leander that has absolutely no plant life whatsoever I was wondering if you could provide me with the names of some drough... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants for sunny dry soil location August 22, 2010 Do any native plants exist in a highly sunny very dry soil location? (high overhang prevents rain but allows sun) View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Shade loving plants with color for Irving, Texas July 01, 2010 Looking for shade loving perennials or annuals with color - native and low water. Live in Irving, Texas. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Trees and shrubs for adobe soil in Penngrove CA June 19, 2010 Hi, I'd like to find a list of trees that are native, drought tolerant and suitable to the adobe soil in Penngrove. We will be landscaping a bare .5 acre parcel starting later this fall. Another fea... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| What is a cyme-bearing plant for Waco, TX? June 10, 2010 I need a wildflower or drought tolerant perennial example of the inflorescence type 'cyme' to plant in a school garden in Waco, TX. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Small native plants to line driveway in Los Fresnos, Texas March 15, 2010 I have a 70' driveway. What are recommended drought resistant dwarf (no more than 3 feet) plants to line the driveway? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Straw that broke the camel's back. September 01, 2009 Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, I keep forgetting which day I am supposed to water and my St. Augustine lawn has turned into the neighborhood eyesore. Where can I go to learn more about this drought tolera... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Range and adaptability of evening primrose from Tucson AZ August 28, 2009 What is the natural range of the evening primrose? What adaptations does it have to live in the arid Southwest? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Low water hedge for Sedona, AZ August 19, 2009 I'm looking for a shrub to plant along a 90' property line with my neighbor in Sedona, Arizona (high desert). Ideally, the shrub would grow to about 8' and would not require too much water. What wo... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Evergreen replacement for bamboo in Redding CA July 27, 2009 We have just removed bamboo from our backyard and need to replace it with a plant that will give us the same type of privacy. What plant would you suggest to plant along a fence line that will surviv... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Native plants for a school garden in Austin May 14, 2009 We are starting a native garden at our school in Central Austin, what native plants and flowers would be best to plant? The area we are planting faces east. We also need drought tolerant plants becau... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Drought tolerant plants for Gilroy, California March 15, 2009 We live in Gilroy, CA. We want to plant drought tolerant plants native to our area. We already have native sycamores and oak trees, manzanita and snowberry shrubs, and we have a list of local wildflow... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Drought and pollution resistant flowers for Rock Falls, IL February 08, 2009 I am looking for hearty flowers for our city planters that are both resistant to drought and auto emissions. We are located in northern Illinois. Planting is done in May. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Watering needs for a new landscape October 11, 2008 How much and how frequently are you supposed to water after implementing a new landscape? For example, perennials and succulents that are drought tolerant. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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