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
Grenville sur la rouge, QC
Transplanting Trillium in Quebec.
Dear Mr. Smarty Plants,
I live in the Laurentiens of Quebec where they are putting a HWY in my back yard. I have a lot of white trillium that I am wanting to transplant before they start the excava...
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Montreal, QC
Niagara and Concord grape crop failure
Hi, I have been growing niagara grapes and concord grapes for 3 years now and this year I found myself without any fruits. The plant itself if full of leaves and is healthy. I was wondering why this w...
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montreal, QC
Wildlife Habitat Restoration in Quebec, Canada
Hi there.
What are the best trees and shrubs for wildlife restoration in Quebec? thanks!
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Ottawa, ON
Groundcover Under Maple Tree in Ottawa That Takes Foot Traffic
Hi, I am looking for a groundcover to put under a large maple tree that will be alright for kids to run about on and will be happy in the Ottawa climate. Your other answers to similar questions have b...
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Ottawa, ON
Care of Jade plant
Hi there,
I have a question and really appreciate your time helping me regarding my plant.
I bought a Jade plant; 35 yr. old ; very thick stems and healthy at the time of purchase from a very si...
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Ottawa, ON
Lilac bush roots dangerous to house foundations
Are lilac bushes dangerous to the foundation of a house? There is a lovely white-blooming lilac that grows against the house outside my bedroom window. My ex-husband said that the roots would destro...
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Aylmer, QC
Transplanting sumacs in Ontario
I live in Aylmer Quebec. I have 10 baby sumac in my back yard and want to transplant them at my cottage in southern Ontario on Lake Simcoe. When can I do this and how?
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Aylmer, QC
Transplanting wild sumac
About a month ago I dug up five sumac from my backyard in Aylmer Quebec. I potted them. They now look dead. I wanted to transplant them at my cottage in Barrie Ontario. Can I still transplant them...
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Aylmer, QC
Gardening advice for Quebec
I live in Aylmer Quebec
1. I bought some lily bulbs at a Christmas bazaar. When can I plant them and what do I put in the hole with the bulbs?
2. I bought a little potted cedar at COSTCO for a Ch...
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Bedford, QC
Transplanting time for Smoketree in Quebec
I would like to transplant my smoke tree. It is two years old. When would be the best time of the year to transplant. I live in Zone 4.
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Peru, NY
Moving houseplants from New York to Florida
We are relocating to Florida from New York and would like to bring our houseplants with us. Are there any laws forbidding indoor plant transport into Florida???
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Saranac Lake, NY
What does the name montana mean in a species name?
What does the name montana mean in a species name?
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Austin, TX
Source for Escarpment Black Cherry trees in Austin
I live in Central Texas and I am looking for a tree farm or nursery that has Escarpment Black Cherry trees. They seem to be quite hard to find. Are you aware of any local nurseries that might carry t...
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Colchester, VT
Plants to stabilize a bank in VT
I am looking for suggestion on what plants might best be suited for aiding in the stabilization of a very steep bank above Lake Champlain.
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Philadelphia, NY
Willow woes in Philadelphia, NY
I have a 2 yr old willow; it is August and it looks like the tree has gone dormant, is this normal?
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Hyde Park, VT
Resource for information on phytoremediation
Hello,
I've been searching for a resource that will tell me which contaminants certain plants are able to absorb (in terms of phytoremediation).
Thanks so much - I do hope to hear from you so...
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Carthage, NY
Care of non-native Easter lily, Lilium longiflorum
I have a white lily that is in a pot and has already bloomed four flowers. will it bloom again? Can I replant this outside right now or what should I do with it?
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Schroon Lake , NY
Mulching Spring Bulbs in Upstate NY
Just planted tulip bulbs for Spring. The Parks Department then put 4 inches of mulch on top. Will the tulips be able to get through and bloom come Spring? Is mulch a good winterizer for them? Indoor c...
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Orleans, VT
Plants to control hillside erosion in Vermont
Hi, I am trying to do an eagle project that involves putting vegetation onto a hill to prevent erosion. I live in Vermont. What kinds of plants would hold together a hillside and could be planted in ...
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Old Forge, NY
Sources of cold hardy, native wildflowers in upstate New York
We are looking for the best wildflower varieties with some challenging requirements. First, we need cold hardy varieties. We are in USDA area 5 in upstate NY. Second, our lot is by a lake bordered b...
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Brookfield, VT
Resources for information on native plants of Ecuador
Hi, I'm going to Ecuador this spring to work on a gardening project in the rainforest of Ecuador. I'm interested in native plants of Ecuador, especially flowering plants - do you know of a good res...
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