Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Ask Mr. Smarty 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.

Support NPINHelp grow the Native Plant Information Network by giving to the Plant Database Fund or subcribing to Wildflower magazine.

Subscribe online now
Mr. Smarty Plants would give Wildflower magazine two thumbs up...if he had two thumbs.
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.

Questions From Near You

Kaysville, UT
Loss of leaves from globe willows in Utah
I have four globe willows that have been in my back yard for the past 6 years. For the past month they have been losing their leaves from the bottom up. We had aphids in some of our other trees and ...
view the full question and answer

Kaysville, UT
Containing roots in Kaysville UT
I'm planting my yard in all native Rocky Mountain and Great Basin plants. Is there a way to halt or contain the root propagation of Smooth Leaf Sumac and Quaking Aspen? I've considered digging dow...
view the full question and answer

Bountiful, UT
Smarty Plants on edible and poisonous plants
I am trying to gather information regarding edible and poisonous plants in Utah's Salt Lake City area. Can you help? Thanks.
view the full question and answer

Ogden, UT
Will a non-native smoke tree, Cotinus coggygria, be harmful in Utah
Can one plant a smoke tree in Utah without causing and harm to the environment? I'm worried that this plant may be a species that could cause a problem since I believe it is not a native plant.
view the full question and answer

Ogden, UT
Searching for a dye made from a French weed
Dear Mr smarty plants, I watched a gardening show on cable and they talked about a place in France where they use a weed called Wod to make dye and dye fabric and several other items to sell. It was ...
view the full question and answer

Morgan , UT
Disease in non-native globe willow from Morgan UT
I have a globe willow tree that is a few years old but still a relatively young tree. It appears to have slime flux disease. It has 3 or 4 spots on the trunk where the foam exits and runs down the tru...
view the full question and answer

Salt Lake City, UT
Identity of dandelion-like weed in Utah
What is the over-sized dandelion looking weed in utah that you can blow the seeds just like a dandelion?
view the full question and answer

Salt Lake City, UT
Replacement for a globe willow tree
We are interested in replacing a pine tree with a globe willow because they grow fast but everything i have been reading about them scares me. is there another tree comparable to a globe willow that g...
view the full question and answer

Salt Lake City, UT
Non-native lilacs for wedding bouquet in July in Salt Lake City
My friend's daughter wants to have lilacs in her wedding bouquet, but she is not getting married until July 15th. I realize lilacs are spring flowers, but will there be anywhere in the U.S. that lila...
view the full question and answer

Salt Lake city, UT
Source for Oregon boxwood from Salt Lake City, UT
I am seeking plugs / cuttings for paxistima myrsinites (mountain lover) in a large quantity and cannot seem to source them. If you have any sources I could contact; I need 2225 of them please forward...
view the full question and answer

Salt Lake City, UT
How would chocolate mimosa tree do in Salt Lake City
How would the chocolate Mimosa Tree do here in Salt Lake City, zone 5.
view the full question and answer

Salt Lake City, UT
Sources for seed of Utah native Asclepias labriformis
Hi there, I am looking for seeds of the plant "Asclepias labriformis" which is native to Utah. Can you help me to find seeds from this plant?
view the full question and answer

Salt Lake City, UT
Non-native Jasmine trachelospermum jasminoides in Utah
Bought (4) Star Jasmine trachelospermum jasminoides at Costco. Want to use them in Salt Lake City, UT, brutal winters, on a fence in a retail center parking lot surrounded by trees. Will the leaves st...
view the full question and answer

Salt Lake City, UT
Perennial poppies for Salt Lake City
What are the best poppies, perennial if possible, to plant in Salt Lake City, Utah?
view the full question and answer

Salt Lake City, UT
Boundary plants to control cats
Is there a plant especially ANNOYING to cats that I could plant along my fence line to keep him away from the street beyond? It would have to be hardy enough for hot temps & full sun. Thanks!
view the full question and answer

Salt Lake City, UT
Use of non-native jasmine for wedding in Salt Lake City
I am getting married mid summer in Salt Lake City. I want to incorporate jasmine plants/flowers into my bouquet, centerpieces, etc. Is that feasible living in Salt Lake City? Would they survive long e...
view the full question and answer

Salt Lake City, UT
Getting flowers to grow under non-native globe willow in Salt Lake City
We have a globe willow in our back yard that is about 15 years old and cannot get any flowers to grow under it. Can you recommend what we need to do to treat the soil, and what type of flowers will gr...
view the full question and answer

West Valley City, UT
Non-native lilacs for Salt Lake City, UT
Is the weather in Salt Lake City UT good enough to plant a lilac bush root? If not, how long should I wait?
view the full question and answer

South Jordan, UT
Care for penstemons in South Jordan, UT
I have Firecracker Penstemons and they bloomed beautifully this year. How do I trim them and when? Will they continue to bloom throughout the summer?
view the full question and answer

Tooele, UT
Transplant shock of non-native Bougainvillea
Well I bought two Bougainvilleas, the first one I transplanted is doing great, the second one not so good when I was taking it out of the original pot the root ball stayed in the pot but the plant wit...
view the full question and answer

Lehi, UT
Groundcover for rocky slope
My house has a very steep and very rocky slope. We have no problems with erosion, its just very unnattractive. There is no way to mow it whatsoever, and we live in a planned community so we can't h...
view the full question and answer