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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| topic | question | |
| Identification of Texas bluebell (Eustoma exaltatum) June 27, 2006 Very recently on the 6 o'clock news there was a report about The Center joining UT. There was a picture of a large, purple lily-like/trumpet flower with a yellow pistil. I recall my Grandmother call... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Possibility of Oenothera flava growing in Michigan June 16, 2006 Oenothera flava (A. Nels) Garrett, is it true that this plant is not in Michigan? Is it rare or something? Because I had a hard time trying to find out what it was. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native, non-invasive plant seeds for each region in U.S. June 09, 2006 I need to identify a wildflower from each region that we can package in custom packaging to use as giveaways at our member zoos and aquariums. Our project this year is called Conservation Made Simple... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Wildflower seeds that drop into a sidewalk crack May 31, 2006 This is an odd question. I'm writing a children's book about a seed that gets dropped in the crack of a sidewalk or driveway and blooms there. Can you tell me if there are any wildflowers that it ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Germination of Passiflora incarnata seeds May 28, 2006 I wish to purchase the Passionflower incarnata plants. I have found seeds, but they say they are very hard to start. I lost my very large vine and wish to replace it. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| More on bluebonnets May 17, 2006 I'd like to know if Texas Bluebonnets or even Aggiebonnets (maroon bluebonnets) can be grown in the Phoenix, AZ area. If so, what conditions would you recommend doing this in, as our spring and summe... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Repairing damage to perennials from hailstorm May 15, 2006 We just had a tremendous hailstorm north of Georgetown. The hail was being blown horizontally and my perennials were sheared off at the ground. Is there any advice as to how to help these plants reg... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Wildflower seeds for trail for Eagle Scout project May 11, 2006 I'm a boy scout with Troop 1202 in the Dallas, Texas area, planning an eagle project to benefit my local parks department. The project will be to plant native wildflowers (from seed) along a trail. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Culture and location of native Stachys coccinea May 10, 2006 What are the soil, light, and water requirements for Texas betony (Stachys coccinea) and in what area(s) of Texas does it naturally occur? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Alternative names for Aquilegia Sanguinaria May 03, 2006 I am looking for the common name for a flower called Aquilegia Sanguinaria. Can you help? Does this even exist? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| More on bluebonnets May 02, 2006 How are bluebonnets used by wildlife? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Wildlife uses of wildflowers in Central Texas May 01, 2006 How are wildflowers in Central Texas used by wildlife? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Viability and storage of bluebonnet seeds past "use by" date April 26, 2006 I have several packets of Bluebonnet seeds and wildflower seeds which have "packed for 2006 use by 3/07". My questions: 1) will these seeds be good for the 2007 growing season?; 2) how should I ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Restoration of hilly area with natives of New York April 24, 2006 I have an area, down the street from me, 2 side hills. During the summer, this all becomes over grown with small trees and just brush in general. I have asked our city for over 20 yrs to clear it as j... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Information on native plants in Canyon State Natural Area April 21, 2006 I am the Cubmaster for a Cub Scout Pack here in San Antonio. I am planning summertime activities for the kids this summer. One thing I have decided to do it take them on a hike in the new Government C... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Orientation of roots of Ranunculus April 11, 2006 I need to know how to plant "Ranunculus". I don't know which way to put the rhizomes/bulbs in the ground. Do they go flat side down or strange long tubular things upward ? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Using Native Plants Database to determine flowering time in Austin April 07, 2006 How can I access your data base to learn what plants are flowering in Austin during the months of October and early November? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| More on bluebonnets April 05, 2006 Hello: We have been told that the sparse Bluebonnet appearance this Spring is due to sparse rainfall at the appropriate times. Were there fewer seeds to sprout and grow? Or are the seeds still ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Predictin bloom time for Indian Blankets (Gaillardia pulchella) April 04, 2006 Is there any way to predict when the Indian Blankets will bloom this year? I live in Dallas, and last year they were in peak bloom at Twelve Hills Nature Center (also in Dallas) around the 21st of Ma... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Peak period for viewing Central Texas wildflowers March 31, 2006 My daughter lives in San Antonio now. I want to time my next visit with the peak period to blue bonnets and other TX wildflowers. When do you recommend that I visit and come to the Center for the fi... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Wildlife management programs for tax exemptions March 17, 2006 I own a property in La Grange, Texas on which we're considering a wildlife management exemption. Would there be a program that also provides tax advantages for growing wildflowers? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| List of native perennial Texas flowers March 13, 2006 Good day, I am searching for a list of native Texas flowers (preferably perennials) for a flower garden. Thank you. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Possible locations of fields of Forget-Me-Nots, Myosotis March 04, 2006 This might be kind of a weird question but me and my girlfriend have a really special thing with the forget me not wild flowers, and I will be asking her to marry me soon and would love to do it in a... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants for winter color in native wildflower meadow backyard February 28, 2006 I am establishing a wildflower meadow in my backyard (150'x50'). it will have native Texas wildflowers, Buffalo Grass and Blue Gramma grass. Is there any plant that you can recommend for winter inte... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Problems with propagation of Indian Paintbrush (Castileja indivisa) February 07, 2006 We are growing Indian Paintbrush. I have 2-300 seedlings. They were sown with fescue and have grown beautifully. Now they are approximately 4-6 inches high, a few have bloomed and many seem to be dy... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Boom time for Texas wildflowers and best sites for viewing February 01, 2006 I live in NJ and would like to visit Texas and see the bluebonnets and other wildflowers in bloom this spring. When do you expect the best display of flowers this year? Also, can you tell me where th... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Sowing additional wildflower and grass seeds on steep hillside January 30, 2006 Mr. Smarty, we recently moved to Hot Springs, AR. We have about a 1000 sf hillside area too steep to plant with shrubs etc. We had wildflower seeds scattered last May in this area and the flowers we... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Information on Mrs. Johnsons efforts in highway beautification January 11, 2006 Perhaps you can help. I am trying to unearth a little history of Lady Bird and her involvement in the beautification of our highways, especially as it relates to using native plants. This is for a p... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Advisability of sowing wildflower seeds in mid-January in Lousiana January 07, 2006 Newton County borders Louisiana in SE Texas. Can we plant wildflowers now-mid January? The park has recently been graded and many trees blown down by Rita which will make it more sunny. The Garden ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Viability of seeds that have not come up December 06, 2005 I planted some wildflower seeds per instructions and they are not coming up. Should they? or will they come up in spring? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Guidelines for planting native wildflowers on roadside November 17, 2005 My 4th grade Girl Scout troop has chosen to plant bluebonnets and other wild flowers along TX Hwy 114 in Southlake as their project for their Bronze Award. Do you have a guideline that you follow w... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Where and when bloom; will they bloom in artificial light November 06, 2005 Do wildflowers grow through out the world, even in desert and Arctic regions? When do they bloom? Will they bloom in artificial light? What is the most interesting fact about wildflowers? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native plants growing between Eagle Pass and Del Rio, TX October 25, 2005 I have just bought an acre near Quemado, Texas. That's about halfway between Eagle Pass and Del Rio. I'd like to know what the native plants for this area are, especially colorful flowers for the ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native wildflowers and grasses for sunny field in Nashville, TN October 09, 2005 I want to plant wildflowers in a sunny field (old pasture land) in Nashville, Tennessee. I plan on killing the existing weeds and tall grasses with roundup this fall and planting native grasses (wha... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Propagation of Gay Feather September 22, 2005 Can I transplant the flower Gay Feather any time or should I wait until the plant dies this winter? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Smarty Plants on Wildflower Meadow Gardening September 16, 2005 Good morning! I want to overseed a buffalo lawn that has been down for about a year with a wildflower mix, how would you recommend that we prepare the site. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Wildflower seeds to be sown on roadway for wedding September 16, 2005 My daughter is planning an outdoor wedding reception at a ranch in Granbury, Texas, on April 29, 2006. We would like to sow wildflower seeds along the roadway leading to the ranch. What flowers woul... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Smarty Plants on CRABGRASS August 23, 2005 I live in Indiana and purchased native wildflower seeds from the soil and conservation district in my area. I completly tilled the 10x70 foot patch and planted the seeds as directed. Some of them are ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Possibility of over-watering of Asclepias tuberosa August 05, 2005 Another question about butterfly weeds, the leaves on one of my plants are turning a yellow-red color and the blossoms seem to be dying (drying up) before they can bloom. It is right in the same area... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Deadheading or trimming back of Asclepias spp July 29, 2005 I have some butterfly weeds (flowers) and I have heard conflicting stories as to how to cut them back. Should they be deadheaded to elongate bloom time or does that prevent any seeds from replanting?... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Deadheadidng of gaillardia July 10, 2005 How do I maintain gaillardias? Specially, do I deadhead them? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Small native flowering plants for Plano, TX July 07, 2005 Suggestions for native flowering plants small enough for a border planting? I live in Plano TX, just north of Dallas. Zone 8. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| More on bluebonnets July 01, 2005 I've seen several recommendtions for using a Bluebonnet Inoculant when planting Bluebonnets. "For best success, we strongly suggest using Bluebonnet inoculant (to assist in fixing nitrogen into soi... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Smarty Plants on Echinacea paradoxa July 01, 2005 What kind of habitat (soil, sun, water etc) does Echinacea paradoxa like to live in? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Low maintenance native plants for college campus in Monterey, CA June 30, 2005 I am a graduate student at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. We are researching ways to save money (decreased maintenance, pesticide/herbicide use, etc) on our campus. I need so... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Wildflowers that will grow in sandy soil in New York June 09, 2005 Dear Mr. S. Pants, We live near Albany, NY in what was once a pine forest. The soil is very, very sandy. I've had some success with wildflowers but I have to use some topsoil and humus mixture to ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native Texas plants that will grow in sandy soil and salt tolerant June 08, 2005 I am in the US Coast Guard and we are looking to plant some wildflowers. The plants will be near saltwater and may get exposed if the area floods during a tropical storm or hurricane. Being on the Gul... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Wildflower seed for west central Texas acreage June 06, 2005 We have a ranch in central Texas between Brownwood and Brady and want to plant wildflowers that will grow in that area. We'd like to cover acreage and need information on what mix would suit our are... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants for Maine June 06, 2005 Hi there, I am looking for types of wildflowers that might be growing in Maine late july that would be okay to pick (would rather not pick endangered species, etc.). Any leads would be great. Also if ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Desmanthus and Chamaecrista seeds June 05, 2005 Hello my wildflower specialist friend. I got 20 Desmanthus illinoensis and also Chamaecrista fasciculata seeds. Then I planted them in early March, when there was still frost, in clayish soil, not far... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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