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.
Support NPINHelp grow the Native Plant Information Network by giving to the Plant Database Fund or subcribing to Wildflower magazine.
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
Republic, WA
Revegetating a hillside in western Washington state
Removing several downed trees across my dock demolished the native plants growing on the hillside and the contractor pulled out their remains. The area faces east on an open freshwater bay. Close to...
view the full question and answer
Kettle Falls, WA
Encouraging Daisies to Reappear
Having moved into our home in the early spring of the year we hadn't seen any of the flowering plants around the place until we were living here and we were not given any info on care for them. So ...
view the full question and answer
Ione, WA
Plants that animals won't eat from Ione WA
In Ione Washington and need to know what types of plants and flowers I can plant that animals in that area wont eat?
view the full question and answer
Castlegar, BC
Care for non-native Easter Lily (Lilium longiflorum)
How do you care for an Easter Lily once the flowers have fallen off?
view the full question and answer
Coulee City, WA
Native trees for horse pasture in eastern Washington
Hi.
I live in Washington State (eastern)What type of trees can I grow in a pasture for horses?
Best Regards,
view the full question and answer
Spokane, WA
Problems with non-native tomatoes from Spokane WA
I have 2 tomato plants in 1 whiskey barrel, they are in abundance with tomatoes. My problem is when the tomatoes start to ripen, half green & half light red within 1 day the tomatoes are really soft ...
view the full question and answer
Spokane, WA
Albinism in plants.
Greetings, I was wondering what you know of albinism in plants? I know I've found a few articles about it online. I discovered my only albino plant last summer. It was an albino dogbane plant grow...
view the full question and answer
Four Lakes, WA
Problems in non- native weeping willow in Spokane WA
My wife and I have a weeping willow tree that has done well for two years. This year some of the branches are loosing their leaves in late spring in Spokane, WA. I though it was from the wind but ha...
view the full question and answer
Hauser Lake, ID
How to introduce a new columbine?
Hello Mr. Smarty Pants,
I have a new plant in my yard and need to know how to get it named and who do I send the seeds to. It's a white columbine double double like a miniature mum. It must have c...
view the full question and answer
HAUSER LAKE, ID
Plant Identification
I have a plant that shoots seeds out of pods in late summer and grows like crazy. The stem looks like a rhubarb plant. It has multiple leaves, and beautiful flowers that look like orchids. I was wo...
view the full question and answer
Post Falls, ID
Deer resistant plants for area under grand fir (Abies grandis) in Idaho
What can I plant on a slope under Grand Fir trees in North Idaho, zone 4 - anything deer resistant?
view the full question and answer
Hayden, ID
Will deer eat lemon cypress trees from Hayden ID
Do deer eat lemon cypress trees? We do not think so since they are so spiny, but wanted a clarification.
view the full question and answer
East Wenatchee, WA
Dog and kid barrier in East Wenatchee WA
I have about a 8 foot section between my driveway and the neighbor's yard, and their kids and dogs like to run through it! I would like to plant a non-invasive 4-6 foot growing shrub/bush of some s...
view the full question and answer
Vernon, BC
Are blue spruce (Picea pungens) poisonous?
Are blue spruce trees poisonous at all? Thank you.
view the full question and answer
Vernon, BC
Can lantana be grown in British Columbia from Vernon BC
Can I grow lantana in Vernon B.C. Canada?
view the full question and answer
Vernon, BC
Alternatives to non-native heather (Calluna vulgaris)
I live in Vernon, BC, Canada. I plan to put a heather plant in my garden, but my space is limited. I know that it will grow approx. 2 ft. high and that it likes well drained and acidic soil, but how...
view the full question and answer
Leavenworth, WA
Indoor non-native palm tree turning yellow from Leavenworth WA
Why are my indoor palm plant leaves turning yellow. It's about 4 feet bought at local Home Depot store, and it was beautiful when I brought it home. It gets plenty of light. I have only had it for ...
view the full question and answer
Colfax, WA
Plant identification
Bought a plant don't know what it is or how to care for it. It looks like it's dying. Description: light to dark green, long, skinny, rounded trunk, surrounded and topped with grass like blades(top ...
view the full question and answer
Cle Elum, WA
Recommended distance between blueberry plants
How far apart do I need to plant blueberry bushes?
view the full question and answer
Glacier, WA
Plant identification
We are trying to identify a plant that looks a lot like elephant ear, but has round leaves not heart shaped. It is growing in a wet area that gets good morning sun. It is not a native. It returns e...
view the full question and answer
Pullman, WA
Native plant lists for eastern Washington and trace element absorption by plants
I'm a graduate student at Washington State University in Pullman. I'm currently working out a method (in my head) of utilizing neutron activation analysis of prehistoric animal bone to figure out h...
view the full question and answer