Native Plants
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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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| Digestive distress from eating Lonicera sempervirens February 23, 2006 A friend of mine ate Lonicera sempervirens and it caused a burning sensation in his stomach. What may have caused this sensation? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Use of cenizo (Leucophyllum frutescens) for tea February 20, 2006 Back in the 50's when I spent the summers with my grandmother south of Hondo, Texas, she use to pick leaves from the cenizo (purple sage) bushes, dry them and then brew them for tea. I asked one of m... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Transplanting trilliums in dormancy in Michigan February 15, 2006 I live in Michigan. I have a Trillium in my yard and we are having a new septic field put in. I need to know if I can save the whole plant and can I keep it in the house or do I just need the bulb a... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Pruning time for Smoke Tree (Cotinus obovatus) February 13, 2006 Gentlemen: I have a Texas Smoke Tree (Cotinus obovatus). It's doing very well & I wish to prune it before its leaves come out. I understand there are a few trees you don't prune, among them birch. I... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Cultivation of Gossypium hirsutum, Upland Cotton February 08, 2006 I got a cotton boll (seeds and all) at a spinning workshop. I spun the cotton and the lady who brought the cotton boles said the seeds could be planted and the plant could be grown in a container on ... 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 | ||
| Many different species called February 07, 2006 I know from researching that Dusty Miller is drought tolerant. But, I tend to water too much when I do get irrigation water. Will it stand this? (clay soil, near a very young globe willow, southern ex... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Links to geographical zones February 06, 2006 A link page to similar sites would be helpful. Rather than 8 "geographical zones" how about by real zones; I live in California at 8000 feet. I know I can use the Rocky Mt. Zone to a degree, but al... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Differentiating between red oak, Shumard oak and American sycamore February 05, 2006 I have a few trees growing in an arroyo and I'm pretty certain that they are either red oak, shumard red oak, or Texas sycamore. The trees are deciduous and have a scaled grey bark which becomes lig... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Tahitian gardenias (Gardenia taitensis) salt and wind resistance in Hawaii February 03, 2006 Are Tahitian Gardenias salt tolerant? We live on a rocky coastline in Hawaii and we get a lot of salt spray. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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