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.
Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
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.
Search Smarty Plants
| topic | question | |
| Marbleseed (Onosmodium sp.) propagation and use as groundcover for October 08, 2007 I am interested in any information, esp. propagation & suitability as a landscape plant, (possible ground cover?) for marble seed. I have found it growing in deep shade on stream banks. It has a 4--... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Removal of bramble under live oaks and replacing with groundcover September 26, 2007 We have several large live oaks on the front of our 12 acre property in Hockley, Texas. Under and around each oak is an extensive amount of bramble which we would like to remove so that we can enjoy ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Looking for cover June 18, 2007 I live iin Schaumburg, IL and have a difficult spot (extreme sun and heat in summer (South Side of house). I'm looking for a very short ground cover - < or + to 6 inchees. Does Arabis hirsuta fit t... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Parthenocissus quinquefolia as replacement for Asiatic jasmine June 14, 2007 The deer have stripped the Asiatic jasmine groundcover under my clusters of live oak trees in Southwest Austin. This year the bare areas of ground are covered in Virginia creeper seedlings. I have b... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Coexistence of rubus trivialis and American beautyberry May 28, 2007 I'm growing some rubus trivialis in a 1-gal. pot and plan to plant it this fall. Will this dewberry coexist with American beautyberry, or must it have its own space entirely? If it needs its own sp... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native groundcovers to replace non-native St. Augustine May 24, 2007 I live in west Travis County just south of Lake Austin. My backyard is very shady and does not drain well. I want to spend some time and effort landscaping it. I have thought about Amerishade St. A... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Ground covers for Denton, Texas May 17, 2007 Hi, I live in "The Colony", Texas. I want to have a garden that is evergreen and colorful and low maintenance. Also looking for ground covers as do not have time to remove weeds growing in the flow... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Understory plants for Tuolumne Co., CA May 14, 2007 My driveway is lined with purple plum trees. I would like to grow something underneath them. What can I grow that will not harm the root system/health of the trees? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Oxalis drummondii as ground cover May 11, 2007 We live in Austin, Texas. A sunny, dry swath of grass (originally St. Augustine) has been invaded by pink wood-sorrel (a large-leafed, mounding kind). I love the wood-sorrel, and would like to use it ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native plants for heavy clay soil in east Austin May 02, 2007 I live in East Austin and have very thick clay soil on my property. I also have a lot of shade and partial sun/shade. Can you suggest some native plant varieties that are well-adapted to these condi... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| topic | question | |