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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| Transplanting yaupon (Ilex vomitoria) trees, concern about cultivars February 06, 2008 I would like to place some yaupon in the perimeter areas of my yard. I own other rural property that has an abundance of yaupon and was considering trying to transplant some small bushes. Is yaupon ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Possibility of growing Buckleys yucca in South Carolina February 03, 2008 I live in Lexington, SC. I am wondering if I can grow Buckley's yucca (yucca constricta) here and if so, where can I purchase the seeds or plants? I am from Texas and we are trying to create a "we... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Moving a red oak away from the house foundation January 24, 2008 About a 3 weeks ago I noticed a 5 ft. red oak growing in my flower bed. I hadn't noticed it growing up through my shrubs until the leaves turned bright red. The problem is that its coming up about tw... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Division of impatiens grown in a pot December 08, 2007 I have an impatient and it is growing out of the pot. I was wondering if it were possible to divide it somehow and have two medium size plants. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Propagating yaupons (Ilex vomitoria) November 30, 2007 Dear Mr. Smarty, I enjoy your weekly tips printed in the Austin Statesman. We live in the Texas hill country where the soil is essentially rock. One of the nice benefits of our yard and the are... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Transplanting care of Mayten tree (Maytenus sp.) November 06, 2007 I planted a Mayten tree 2 years ago. It's about 8 feet tall. The trunk is about 1-1/2 or 2" in diameter. The earth around it sunk and now there is a "bowl" that fills with water in the rain. I... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Optimum planting time for perennials and trees November 02, 2007 Our group is running out of fall workdays. Is it OK to plant native perennials and small trees in Central Texas during the winter months? Or should we wait now until the spring? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Newly planted anacacho leaf browning October 15, 2007 I have just put my anacacho orchid into the ground and its leaves are turning brown and falling off. Is that normal for this time of year, or have I shocked it? What can I do to ensure its health? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Care of Styphnolobium affine, Eves necklace October 05, 2007 I have an 18 yr old Eve's Necklace tree that is dying from the "bottom up". It has only a few leaves at the very top of the tree. I have, connected to the gutter, a rain barrel from which the exc... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| New agave plants, offshoots of parent plant, transplanting September 16, 2007 I have different varieties of Agaves that are sending off new plants from the mother. Some have 1-2 and some have 6-7 plants. Is there a proper method for removing (cutting them a certain way) for t... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Transplanting Turks Cap, when and how September 10, 2007 Mr. Smarty Pants - We have an enormous healthy Turk's Cap - not the lily, but the one with red flowers(Malvaviscus arboreus v. drummondii) It has also produced a new plant nearby. Please tell us how... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Transplant shock in Texas natives garden August 20, 2007 Dear Mr. Smarty Pants, I thought that my new Texas Natives garden was recuperating from ALL the rain. But, suddenly, my Texas Red Bud and the Eve's Necklace next to it have MANY yellow leaves. Is the... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Transplant shock in Dakota mock vervain July 23, 2007 We just planted some Verbena bipinnatifida in our back yard and when we planted it, it had purple flowers on it but now they've all dried up. We live in central Colorado and thought this plant was fa... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Care and propagation of American Beautyberry July 20, 2007 We have an American Beautyberry growing on our lot. Before we fenced the backyard it was browsed by deer, and survived by wedging itself between the fence and a juniper tree. How can we: 1. encou... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Recovery from transplant shock for bougainvillea July 12, 2007 I live outside of Phoenix. I just bought a bougainvillea in a large pot. It was doing nicely until I brought it home. I placed it in a sunny spot in my front yard inside of a large volcanic rock that ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Transplant shock in Vacccinum corymbosum (highbush blueberry) June 28, 2007 Blueberry plants - We planted Northland and Blue Crop, 2 of each. All 4 plants have some leaves that are turning brown. This starts at the tip of the leaf, eventually encompasses the entire leaf, a... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Invasiveness of native Viola sororia June 13, 2007 I live in Warwick, RI and have a section of my backyard overgrown with common blue violets. My husband and I would like to relocate them to a more scenic location if possible. The advice the cooperat... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Transplanting Magnolia grandiflora June 11, 2007 We just moved to Plano TX and there's a magnolia tree planted between our house and the driveway. (The tree is 7ft tall and it's about 7ft from the side of house and 4ft from the driveway) I alway... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Transplant shock in Achillea millefolium May 28, 2007 I had a clump of yarrow in my garden and was worried that it would become very aggressive to the other plants. I decided to transplant it into large clay pots to control it. Immediately after the tran... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Optimal time to separate and transplant black-eyed Susan May 26, 2007 When is the optimal time to separate or transplant black eyed Susan. I have some in a planter on my patio, but it has multiplied and become too crowded for the pot; it needs water daily. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Propagation and transplanting of Vernonia lindheimeri April 10, 2007 I have located a wooly ironweed plant and have taken some seeds to start. This is the only ironweed I have seen. Any suggestions on how to start the seed? Also, if development of the property appea... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Transplanting large trees in Austin, TX March 30, 2007 Hello, I'm new to Austin and live in Circle C Subdivision off of Hwy 45 and Spruce Canyon. We would like to plant a couple of trees that will provide shade. I've read your Q&As but would like ad... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Transplanting roughleaf dogwood in Pflugerville, TX March 28, 2007 Hello. My rougleaf dogwood is suckering enthusiastically, and rather than mow off all the root suckers, I'd like to transplant a couple of them to the stream bank in the greenbelt behind my house. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Transplanting seedlings washed out of area by rain February 17, 2007 I sowed a rather large area in my wild back yard in wildflowers. There is no grass. A few weeks later after we had been watering them because of no rain (in Sept), we got way too much rain and many o... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Transplanting time for Smoketree in Quebec September 14, 2006 I would like to transplant my smoke tree. It is two years old. When would be the best time of the year to transplant. I live in Zone 4. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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