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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| Is Passiflora 'Purple Haze' a host to Gulf Frittilary butterflies? September 14, 2011 Is the passion flower purple haze (pasionaria purple haze) a host plant to gulf frittilary butterflies as is the passiflora incarnata passion flower? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Shrubby options for a bird lover in New Jersey September 07, 2011 Could you please recommend a native shrub to NJ that grows to about 3-4 feet, is very low maintenance, does well in afternoon sun and is also something the birds will like? Thank you. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Help finding and growing milkweeds for monarch butterflies August 01, 2011 I would like to participate in your "Monarch Waystation" program. Knowing how milkweeds generally don't transplant well, and I have poor luck getting them to propagate from seeds, could you please... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Want to Amend Soil Without Harming Earthworms in Dallas Area March 16, 2011 I have a totally odd question. I live in the Dallas area in the blackland soil. I am removing sod from part of my back yard and will replant with nectar and host plants for butterflies. The soil is... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Dead woody plants in wildlife garden in Austin March 02, 2011 I am an enthusiastic and pretty successful wildlife gardener, have studied my Wasowski "Bible", but I can't get any evergreens established in my yard! We live on blackland clay, which I amend with ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Butterfly/hummingbird garden plants for Hill Country, TX February 04, 2011 What drought resistant plants would you recommend for a Hill Country butterfly/hummingbird garden that receives at least a half day of sun? It has afternoon exposure. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Soil improvement near Kerrville, TX December 11, 2010 We live in the Kerrville area; the soil is extremely shallow and deficient. The yard consists of mainly native plants, with a concentration of plants for butterflies and birds. What kind of soil and ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Green blooms on Cedar Sage in Lucas TX September 22, 2010 I have two Cedar Sage (Salvia roemeriana) one purchased from your plant sale and one from a local nursery planted in part shade in the Dallas area. They seem to be quite happy and are blooming but ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Woolly butterfly bush only one native to Texas from Ft. Davis TX August 19, 2010 I see many kinds of Butterfly Bush at nurseries. Is the woolly butterfly bush the only Texas native? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants for shelter for butterflies July 04, 2010 I understand that butterflies need certain plants for food, but are there specific plants that butterflies prefer to use as shelter in central Texas? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Hummingbird and butterfly plants for Idaho May 04, 2010 I'm interested in planting a hummingbird and butterfly friendly garden. What do you suggest? I would like something that will rebloom every year and that has long lasting blooms or some different one... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| How to grow milkweeds (Asclepias spp.) for monarch butterflies March 31, 2010 I tried and tried and tried to grow Asclepias viridis, A. asperula and even A. oenotheroides from seeds and even tubers for fourteen years! Do you have advice for growing these and other milkweed plan... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native plants to replace non-native Pentas plant in butterfly garden March 25, 2010 Can you suggest a Native alternative to Pentas? a freeze killed mine and if a native plant can fill that nectar/color void in my garden I'd appreciate it. thanks for all that y'all do. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Propagating milkweeds for a monarch butterfly habitat November 02, 2009 I am planting a monarch habitat in Burnet, Tx with Antelope horns, Green milkweed, and butterfly weed. Should I plant in fall or spring??? Should I use cold moist stratification for 3 months at 40... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Yellow butterfly in Tennessee August 19, 2009 I live in Crossville Tenn and am seeing a butterfly that is yellow with a long hanging. What is it and what is it doing? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Butterfly plants for Kolkata, India August 06, 2009 I am from Kolkata, India. I have a garden of 200ft x 50ft size, mostly shadowed by big trees. I want to attract butterflies in my garden. Can you please let me know the flowers / plants I plant for bu... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| What species of Aristolochia occur in Hidalgo County, TX? August 06, 2009 What species of Aristolochia or are in the Aristolochiaceae family occur in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, particularly Hidalgo Co., TX. Both Pipevine and Polydamas Swallowtail butterflies occur down h... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| What would replace non-native orange tree leaves in butterfly hatchery? July 17, 2009 I have a very small orange tree that currently has dozens of caterpillars on it that look like bird droppings. I think I have narrowed them down to a swallowtail butterfly. I would love to let them ma... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Butterfly and medicinal plants for New Braunfels July 10, 2009 I am in zip code 78132 and we just put in a garden at our front steps- so my choices for plants need to fill a need for beauty and function. I want to include plants that will host and feed butterfli... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Transplanting butterfly weed in Hamden OH July 10, 2009 I have tried transplanting butterfly weed from it's native location to my yard and each time the plant wilts and dies. Any suggestions? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Butterfly plants for Washington DC area June 28, 2009 Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, I am a teacher working with very young students to establish a wildlife garden. We received a donated butterfly bush of a smallish cultivar, but wondering if there is a native... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Butterfly gardening in Wood County, TX February 11, 2009 What food and host plants should be planted for butterflies in Wood County Texas. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Butterfly gardening in Quitman, TX February 11, 2009 We want to establish a butterfly garden in our back yard. What plants should we establish to attract the butterfly for food and host planting? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Non-invasive plants for hummingbird and butterfly garden January 20, 2009 Hello :) I've been building a huge Hummingbird and Butterfly garden. Up until now I've only had the Milkweeds and Dill for host plants for the Monarch and Black Swallowtail Butterflies. I'd love t... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| More questions about Asclepias spp. December 24, 2008 Hi. Thank-you for replying to my message. What does Emory's Milkweed look like? I have been trying to find out, but no luck. Also What Milkweeds did you find for sale as seeds and plants? Does Texas ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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