Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

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.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Saturday - October 20, 2012

From: Lawrenceville, NJ
Region: Northeast
Topic: General Botany, Soils, Watering
Title: Native New Jersey plants to remove iron water from Lawrenceville NJ
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

Are there any native New Jersey plants that can remove iron water

ANSWER:

While this is a native plant question, the answer is not native plants. We get many, many questions in which our correspondents ask us for a plant that will do something that plants don't do. Just a few days ago, we got a question from someone who wanted a list of 40 or more plants that ate smog. Unfortunately, there is no such list because there is no such plant.

If your question means remove iron FROM water, we can give you some links to help with that, but not plants that will do it by themselves. To some extent plants need iron; please read this University of Illinois Extension article on Chlorosis.

Since we are unclear in exactly why or where you want to remove iron - whether it is excess iron in well water or city water, or just iron stains appearing on sinks or laundry - we will link you to some articles on iron, water and plants, and see if you can locate information that will help you.

From Virginia Tech University: Iron-rich soil can help remove lead

North Dakota State University: Treatment Systems for Household Water Supplies

eHow: How to Remove Rust and Iron from Water

Rutgers University Cooperative Extension Office for Mercer County

 

 

More Watering Questions

Problems with Habiturf in Austin
May 10, 2014 - I have been trying to establish a Habiturf lawn in my back yard. It is approximately a 1,000 square foot area and this last seeding was the third over about one and a half years. I just recently over ...
view the full question and answer

Problems with water oaks from Laurel MS
October 05, 2013 - The leaves on my mature water oak trees have been falling since the leaves matured. My area has had an abundance of rain this year, 11 inches above normal. All the trees in my area are doing the same....
view the full question and answer

Transplant shock in Chestnut Oak in Waukesha WI
September 13, 2009 - Bought and had nursery install a 4" diameter, 16' tall chestnut oak. Watered it as instructed-every 2nd or third day-hose stream size of my pinky for 45-60 minutes. It was planted in July. Just l...
view the full question and answer

Plant for graveside in New Jersey
August 07, 2010 - I am looking for a plant to put on a graveside in southern New Jersey. The problem is that the area is very hot & dry and the plant would only receive rain. I am interested in a perennial. Thanks
view the full question and answer

Possible transplant shock in Red Oak in Albany, TX
October 20, 2015 - We planted a new tree last spring which we were told was a Texas Red Oak. The soil where it was planted is hard clay. We have had a watering bag on it and have watered an average of 2x per week throug...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.