Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers Nan Hampton, Jimmy Mills and Barbara Medford to be the culpable and capable parties. Yet, others think staff members Damon Waitt, Joe Marcus and Philip Hawkins might 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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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.
Questions From Near You
Alpine, TX
Using salt to kill bermuda grass
(Submitting to site per your request on Facebook, plus an added bit o'info)
I am considering trying to kill off the bermuda grass around my raised bed with salt. Vinegar isn't cutting it.. S'pos...
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Alpine, TX
Black growth on sotol plants
My mature sotol plants have a black-like growth on the leaves. Is there any thing I can do to treat what looks like a disease on these plants?
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Fort Davis, TX
White powder on non-native houseplants from Fort Davis TX
I have a white powder on my houseplants that I can't figure out what it is or what to do about it? (Dracaena & Corn plants) Could be a fungus can you help? (can send a photo if you will tell me how t...
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Fort Davis, TX
Non-native Silver lace vine invasive from Ft. Davis TX
Is silver lace vine invasive?
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Fort Davis, TX
Woolly butterfly bush only one native to Texas from Ft. Davis TX
I see many kinds of Butterfly Bush at nurseries. Is the woolly butterfly bush the only Texas native?
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Terlingua, TX
Germination of seeds of Stephanomeria pauciflora (Brownplume wire lettuce)
I have discovered a very fast growing Stephanomeria pauciflora on property where I work here in Terlingua, TX. At first glance it appears as an invasive weed but on closer inspection with my macro le...
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Terlingua, TX
Preparation of seeds of Cosmos parviflorus for planting
This is in regards to Cosmos Parviflorus. I reside directly outside of Big Bend National Park in Terlingua, TX. Cosmos Parviflorus grows naturally here and I have collected some seeds from a couple of...
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Terlingua, TX
Identification of pale blue flower near Big Bend, TX
I have looked almost everywhere in order to ID this bloom with no luck. Some blooms do arrive close but not quite. I live just outside of Big Bend National Park in Terlingua, TX. On a hike into Dog Ca...
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Terlingua, TX
Leaves dropping from a potted Mesquite
I have a Prosopis pubescens (Screwbean Mesquite) that I purchased at a nursery in Alpine, TX just a few miles away from me. It was a in nursery style black plastic container. The mesquite is perhaps a...
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Terlingua, TX
Identity of an Astragalus species near Terlingua, TX
I have been photographing as many of the wildflowers that I can this Spring 2013 season here in the Big Bend Area between BBNP, Terlingua and Alpine, TX. Two days ago I took a drive from Terlingua to ...
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Monahans, TX
Existing live oak taking over in Monahans TX
I have just purchased a home with a huge Live Oak tree in the front yard. The previous owners have over the years allowed the sucker roots to grow unchecked. The tree is shading most of the lawn (di...
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McCamey, TX
Fasciation on Texas Mountain Laurel
Do Texas Mountain Laurel normally have a staghorn looking growth hanging on them after blooming in addition to the seed pod clusters or could this be a mutation?
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Odessa, TX
Identification of shrub looking like honeysuckle in Odessa TX
Bought a shrub in Pecos, TX yesterday. It looks like honeysuckle but the brightest flat orange I have ever seen. Flower and greenery looked like honeysuckle but when I looked on the Internet under or...
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Odessa, TX
Space for a desert willow in Odessa, TX
I have a small planting space about 5X5 that is four feet in front of the side of my front door. It is right under the eaves of my house. It's rather an enclosed porch space. I have a new very sma...
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Odessa, TX
Esperanza failing to bloom in Odessa TX
I have 3 Esperanza plants that have not bloomed this spring/summer. I live in Odessa, TX. We had about 5 inches of rain in July in one week (very unusual), but they have not bloomed-before or after. ...
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Odessa, TX
Wildflowers for West Texas Permian Basin area
What wild flowers grow out here in West Texas (Permian Basin Area)? I know a lot of the wild flowers from other parts of the state will not grow out here in the dry heat and poor soil.
Thanks for you...
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Odessa, TX
Information about the bluebonnet
What other plants live near a bluebonnet?
What problems does the plant face, such as people, weather, and insects?
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Odess,, TX
Native turf and trees for Odessa TX
What native turf and trees can I grow in my Odessa, Tx back yard?
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Carlsbad, NM
Source for purchase of Texas Madrone
Where can we buy a Texas Madrone, the Peeling Tree, or Naked Indian tree?
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Midland, TX
Failure to bloom of Turk's cap in Midland TX
My turk's cap won't make flowers. It has daily watering via irrigation system, and soft amended soil. The plant is beautiful and thriving, but no flowers. What should I do?
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Midland, TX
Is Chilopsis linearis poisonous to dogs in Midland, TX?
Is any variety of Chilopsis linearis (particularly bubba bubba) poisonous to animals? I'm thinking about using it as a source of shade for multiple dog kennels in west Texas.
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