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.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Thursday - July 01, 2010
From: Alloway, NJ
Region: Northeast
Topic: Planting, Wildflowers
Title: Digging up and transplanting wild plants in Alloway NJ
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
I saw some wild growing black eyed susans in a passing field so I dug some up this weekend and planted them in my garden now they look like they are dying. Do you think they will come back next year ? Or maybe the whole plant is now dead.ANSWER:
Okay, three mistakes:
(1) First mistake, you dug up and removed plants from a property that was not yours and (we assume) you did not get permission from the landowner to do so. Those plants may have been planted by the highway department to beautify the area or by the landowner for the same reason.
(2) If these had been endangered plants, removing them from their habitat could have been the last straw in the extinction of a species.
(3) Digging up and moving a whole plant, in bloom, in summer, without special precautions, not only means the plant is dead, but it has lost the opportunity to set seeds for next year.
More Planting Questions
Schedule for planting perennial wildflowers from Asheville NC
March 22, 2013 - When is the best time to plant perennial wildflowers?
view the full question and answer
How do I save my recently transplanted yaupon holly?
April 20, 2011 - Recently transplanted (two weeks ago) a yaupon holly tree from one part of the yard to another. Leaves are beginning to turn yellow and fall. What can be done to save this plant?
view the full question and answer
Privacy screen for Sedona AZ
August 02, 2013 - I live In Sedona Az. A builder just built a house next to my house and the new house is ugly to look at. What plant or tree would grow fast and reach 18 foot in height fast. It can be about 5 to 6 foo...
view the full question and answer
Removing St. Augustine for natives in Grapevine TX
September 29, 2012 - We have St Augustine in our yard and we hate it. It guzzles water, we have to cut it often, and it's thick and hard to work with.
Anyway, we want to replace it with a combination of some kind of g...
view the full question and answer
Moving a large red horse chestnut tree in Jackson MI
April 20, 2012 - I have a red horse chestnut that is maybe 12 inches around, can I move it after the sap goes down about 10 miles to our new place? Sadly, I cannot afford to hire a tree truck. What are its chances?
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |