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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| What to do about volunteer trees growing beneath a large live oak tree in Austin, TX January 08, 2013 We have a large live oak tree. Several volunteer trees are growing directly underneath it and into its branches. I want to cut them down if they are going to hurt the long term health of the live oak.... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| pruning Chinkapin oak, Loquat and Monterrey oak trees December 07, 2012 What is the best time to plant a 45-65 gal. Chinkapin oak tree in Pflugerville. Also, when can i prune fig trees, Loquat trees and a Monterrey oak. Thanks for the information. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Care for some non-native salvias from Austin November 12, 2012 Mexican bush sage and Salvia "indigo spires" are both blooming in my Austin beds right now. Once they stop blooming and/or frost gets them, could you tell me by how much they should be cut back? R... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Wound from non-native date palm thorn Naples FL November 12, 2012 Was trimming my pygmy date palm when a frond fell and a thorn pierced my rubber gloves and stuck me in the web of skin between my thumb and forefinger. Did not see a broken thorn but area where struc... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Persimmon trunk grown around fence rail in Austin November 08, 2012 I have a Texas Persimmon in my backyard that is about 12-15 feet tall. It's been growing next to a chain-link fence and over the years, the top rail of the fence has cut into the bark on the trunk. A... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Pruning guidance for Carolina buckthorn from Houston October 23, 2012 I have a Carolina Buckthorn in my back patio that I planted in fall 2001. The summer of 2003 the roofers dropped something off the back and broke the top 10-12 inches off. I have tried to train the la... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Pruning of Desert Hibiscus Coulteri from Lubbock, TX October 20, 2012 Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, We have in our garden this year 2 volunteer Desert Hibiscus Coulteri----quite lanky! I notice on your website under "comments" someone notes they should be cut back "nearly... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Non-native pomegranate failing to fruit from Highland Village TX October 20, 2012 Last spring I planted a pomegranate tree (type: Wonderful) which is supposed to produce edible fruit. It had 5 or 6 absolutely beautiful blooms, but each of them dropped off and no sign of fruit. Is... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Area under live oaks from Austin October 08, 2012 We have many live oaks in our mostly shaded half acre. While I have tried to plant mostly native plants, often beneath them, the plants are showered with leathery leaves, acorns and sap, while oak sp... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Trimming non-native sago from Fresno CA September 10, 2012 I have a sago plant, fronds are hanging over into street, can the fronds themselves be trimmed back without removing the whole frond? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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