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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| Vines free from cutter ants from Caldwell TX November 14, 2012 What are some climbing vines cutter ants won't eat View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Cupressaceae dying in Suffolk Co.NY October 20, 2012 I have noticed that all of my Cupressaceae (& others I see in my area) are dying. They turn yellow, then rust & brown til they are everbrowns. what is going on? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Spots on non-native naval orange trees from Stockton CA October 20, 2012 I have two mature Navel Orange trees. One tree has developed spotty chlorophyl depleted areas that were not on the oranges when they were smaller. In addition, the oranges on both trees are smaller ,... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Live oak trees buzzing in Taylor TX October 20, 2012 Is it possible for live oak trees to make a buzzing sound? We have heard this sound under our live oak and were worried it was bees but we don't seem to see any. I also heard the buzzing under my mot... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Are fuzzy oak leaf galls harmful to post oak trees? October 19, 2012 Are the fuzzy balls on the undersides of our post oak trees harmful? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Orange eggs on milkweed plants October 18, 2012 Hello I have milk weed in my flower garden. Every year I find small orange 'eggs' on the leaves and stems of the plant. I don't think these are the monarch eggs, but not sure if they are other... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Weeds in Buffalograss from Edmond OK September 20, 2012 We have a patch of buffalograss surrounded by patio/flower garden/vegetable garden. We like B-grass, but are getting a lot of weeds despite preemergents, and some bermuda had appeared. Are there h... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| New nursery plants with sappy spots from Round Rock, TX September 09, 2012 We live on the west side of RR, near Cedar Park and recently bought three 15 gallon cherry laurels from a nursery. Started to plant them today as we bought them a week ago and noticed base of the trun... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Sticky film on oak tree leaves from Whitney TX September 04, 2012 What is the sticky film that is coating leaves on our oak trees? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Problems with mountain laurel from Sunrise Beach TX August 29, 2012 In Llano Co., TX near lake LBJ, crushed granite type soil - my 4 - 5 year old TX Mtn. Laurels (2), about the size of large wheel barrows, are turning very pale, dropping leaves and on 1 the seed pods ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Tiny holes oozing sap from Austin August 22, 2012 My ash tree becomes loaded with butterflies on the trunk. At closer inspection, I see they are drinking sap which is coming from small holes in the trunk. Are the butterflies creating the holes? I ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Wasps on live oaks from Sinton TX August 20, 2012 Wasps on my live oak trees. What is attracting them? Does this hurt the tree? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Oaks emitting substance in Lakeway TX August 14, 2012 We have two large oak trees in our yard that are emitting a clear, very sticky, non-fragrant substance. The leaves are beginning to be covered as is our deck. Bees are now attracted and I am worried ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Insect damage on possumhaw August 12, 2012 We planted a small possumhaw in February of this year (2012). It had leaves and some berries and was doing real well until some bug starting eating the leaves and berries. I know it is not deer becau... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plants that donkeys won't eat August 08, 2012 What plants/trees do donkeys NOT like? I live in Hawaii on the Big Island and they visit once a week in my yard. I like them but would prefer that they stay just outside. Unfortunately they like my... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Crape myrtle in Austin August 01, 2012 Please don't bother to answer my question about how to treat a crepe myrtle with sticky stuff falling from it. I just found the answer on your site. Good site, by the way. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Sticky stuff dripping from non-native crape myrtle in Austin August 01, 2012 There is sticky sap-like stuff dropping from the very large crepe myrtle in my yard. The tree has quit blooming. This didn't happen last year when it was so dry; it started after we had all the rain ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Demise of Flameleaf Sumac in Austin, TX. July 31, 2012 My Flameleaf Sumac suddenly died. Beetles came out around the trunk when I cut it down. How can I prevent this on the other sumac? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Something dripping from red oak in Austin July 30, 2012 There is a large red oak outside my apartment. The leaves are shiny and covered with what appears to be oil. The ground underneath is coated with this also. When I parked under the tree my car beca... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Ticks on native grasses in Katy, TX. July 23, 2012 Are there native grasses that are less susceptible to tick infestation than others? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Getting rid of Aphids on Asclepias plants in Brea, CA. July 23, 2012 I grow asclepsias or MILKWEED for the benefit of Monarchs. At times I have aphids consuming the leaves. How can I destroy the aphids without harming the Monarch eggs? Thank you very much. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Sticky material dripping from tree in Austin July 22, 2012 The tree in my backyard is dripping what I surmise is sap - a thick,fdrake1@ sticky substance in July. What kind of tree is it and is there anything one can do prevent this from happening? Thank you... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Aphids in pecan tree from Austin July 14, 2012 Last year at this time (midsummer) everything under the canopy of our 60+ year old pecan tree was covered with a sticky substance--plants, lawn furniture, concrete pool deck..Since we had never seen t... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Something eating cannas in Austin July 14, 2012 What is eating my cannas? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Dealing with aphids on milkweed plants in Alloway, NJ. July 11, 2012 I planted milk weed for the Monarch butterfly. Every year it gets orange aphids that seem to suck out the juices and eventually kill the plant sooner than I like. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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