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

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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

Conway, NH
Identification of a Kerry bush on Cape Cod
I think the "bush" is called a Kerry bush - grows wild on Cape Cod - has little yellow "rose-like" flowers. - Is this the correct name and how can I make it thrive in New Hampshire?
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Lincoln, NH
Fast-growing evergreen shade shrub for Lincoln NH
I need a fast-growing, shade loving evergreen shrub that will give us privacy and grow in and around some White Pines whose branches were pruned to 4 - 6 ft above the ground. The house is in Lincoln ...
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Wakefield, NH
Blue rug juniper native to New Hampshire
Is the blue rug juniper native to New Hampshire? I'm considering it for ground cover near lake in zip 03872.
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Raymond, ME
Wildflowers and grasses for a septic field in Maine
Mr. Smarty Pants: I want to know the length of root systems for native Maine wildflowers that will be planted over a septic system drain field in Maine. Also any grasses you can think of. This area ...
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South Paris, ME
Appropriate mulch for strawberries in Maine
Can mulch (like cedar mulch- kinds used in flower gardens) be used between rows of strawberries? Can you also suggest how far apart lupine species need to be so that they wont interbreed? Thank ...
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South Paris, ME
Crossbreedding of Lupinus polyphyllus and L. perennis
Hello, can Lupinus polyphyllus and L. perennis crossbreed? I have both and want to keep perennis genetically pure, is the only way to do this is to get rid of the polyphyllus?
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Laconia, NH
Eliminating evasive Celastrus orbiculatus (Oriental bittersweet)
I have Oriental Bittersweet growing pervasively in my shrub garden, strangling my shrubs and growing into my beautiful Victorian porch. I can't keep up with it! What can I do?
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Berlin, NH
Failure of highbush blueberry plant to produce in New Hampshire
One of my highbush blueberry plants completely stopped producing. What can I do to revive it?
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Haverhill, NH
Identification of vine growing near river in New Hampshire
I found a small vine growing near a river in NH. It has five point leaflets similar to sumac but much smaller. The flowers were pink with a deep purple/burgundy on the inside. The flowers are in clus...
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Saco, ME
Wildflowers for leach field in Maine
I am looking for a wildflower mix that would suitable to plant over a leach field. What plants should I look to avoid?
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Portland, ME
Plant identification
I found gorgeous berries on a tree or large bush (about 10 feet tall) and clipped a little cluster the size of my hand. There are 6 or more, starting the size of a blueberry in lime green and growing ...
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Portland, ME
Low maintenance native plants for sloping lawn in Maine
Hello, we live in Maine and have clay-ey soil with a lot of sun. I suspect the soil is acidic as well. We would like to replace at least part of our small front lawn with native ground cover or gras...
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Old Orchard Beach, ME
Container plants for deck in Maine
I live on the ocean in Maine. Fourth floor deck. I want to plant containers and boxes with annuals that can withstand a lot of wind. We get mostly sun but some shade as well. Of course, there is the s...
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Northwood, NH
Shrub or Vine for NH Slope
I'm looking for a native plant/shrub/vine that can be used to control erosion on a relatively steep slope in New Hampshire. Do you know of any?
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Concord, NH
Fast growing native trees for firewood in New Hampshire
Can you tell me what FAST growing tree is best for a planned crop? We plan to generate new tree crops every year. We want to use this wood for burning in indoor wood stoves and maybe in an outdoor woo...
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Concord, NH
Bird attracting plants in Northeast U.S.
What plants will attract birds in zone 6 (Northeast) in the spring and early summer?
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Etna , NH
Invasive horsetail in Etna NH
I seem to have an increasingly "healthy" supply of Equisetum in ALL of my many gardens over the years .. it is not easy to get all the rhizomes (what is?) is it possible to control it some other way...
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Durham, NH
Compare Natives to Lawn for Carbon Footprint Benefits in Durham, New Hampshire
Are there carbon sequestration rate tables for turf (lawn) and bushes, shrubs, trees? I want to compare the carbon footprint benefit of lawn versus the same area put into native plantings.
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Warner, NH
Plant with red berries that grows near the Warner River
We live next to a river, the Warner River, and every year these plants with red berries appear next to the river. we have search for name to no avail: the leaf is unique with one large spade shaped ...
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Lebanon, NH
How does Graptopetalum filiferum produce seeds?
Hi I have a Graptopetalum filiferum. I found a seed on top of one of the plants and it resembles something like a cantelope melon seed-about 1/3" long, orange. Do these succulents produce seeds i...
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Lebanon, NH
Question about non-native false aralia (Schefflera elegantissima)
Hi. I have a False Aralia-8 stalks. Have had for a while and recently it has begun (and for the first time) dropping leaves. The stalks are getting pretty barren. I know the genreal care for the...
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