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
Belle Mead, NJ
Planting spot for sycamore in Belle Mead NJ
At school we all got a tree. It was a Buttonwood tree, which I know is REALLY big, but my grandma wants to plant it near other trees. Where should I put it? My dad won't let me plant it in the middle...
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Branchburg, NJ
A non-native Japanese Maple for Branchburg NJ
I am landscaping around my house and am looking for a tree that wont eventually grow too large. I thought maybe a bloodgood Japanese maple. Any suggestions would help
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Branchburg, NJ
Edibility of non-native garlic sprouts from Brancburg, NJ
I have regular garlic in my refrigerator. It had sprouts growing out of it so I put it in a cup of water. Now that the stems are large enough to put in food, my question is.. Is that part of the garl...
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Princeton, NJ
Plants native to Central New Jersey
What trees are native to Central New Jersey? Also, can you give me a website or information on plant life and tree life in Central New Jersey?
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Princeton, NJ
Non-native Boulevard Cypress Pom Pom trees in Princeton NJ
I just had some landscaping done near my front door and front yard. I have two Boulevard Cypress B&B (4-5') Pom Pom. The pom poms are turning brown. What should I have been doing? I am watering them ...
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Plainsboro, NJ
Plant identification
It is a small, thin vine growing in the grass in the shadier parts of the lawn. Every 3-4 inches it has two thin stems about three inches long sprouting from almost exactly the same place on the vine...
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Dayton, NJ
Low cost, low maintenance, water tolerants native plants for New Jersey
I am planning a bed around my deck which will include shrubs and flowers. I am looking for plants that require a lot of water due to the wet soil conditions and poor drainage in my yard. Do you have...
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Whitehouse Stationq, NJ
Native trees for privacy screen in New Jersey
Looking for a tree (preferably an evergreen) for a privacy hedge in Whitehouse Station, NJ. Would like a very fast growing tree that is deer resistant. Also the privacy hedge will be planted along a...
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Middlesex , NJ
Identity of fragrant oak-like leaves used at funeral
In the early 1950's I attended my grandmother's funeral in the Southern West Virginia area. At the gravesite, the funeral home had provided what looked like dried oak leaves, (red brown and gold col...
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Whitehouse Station, NJ
Aggressive native Inland Sea Oats in Whitehouse Station NJ
Can you direct me to a source of help managing a very aggressive grass, Chasmanthium latifolia, Woodland Oats or Indian Sea Oats. It is behaving like a very noxious plant and I am concerned as I am h...
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Lawrenceville, NJ
Native New Jersey plants to remove iron water from Lawrenceville NJ
Are there any native New Jersey plants that can remove iron water
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Edison, NJ
Plant Identification
I have a plant that looks like a lamb ear leaf but with a carnation flower on top. What is it?
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Edison, NJ
Why plants grow in very hot or very cold areas from Edison NJ
Why can some plants grow where very cold or very hot?
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Edison, NJ
What is blooming in NJ in Late November?
I am a beekeeper in Edison, NJ. My bees are still bringing pollen even this late in the season (Thanksgiving). What plants or trees are still blooming? The color of the pollen is a pale yellow.
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Millington, NJ
Fast-growing medium-sized tree for New Jersey
I'm looking for trees to put on a slight slope that will do well in rocky clay soil. I 'm in N.J. zone 6. The spot is full sun and would like a fast grower 50 ft high maximum. I'm replacing white p...
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Robbinsville, NJ
Should black-eyed susan (Rudbeckia hirta) plants be cut back
I have black-eyed susan plants that were beautiful last year and flowered for a long time. Do they need to be cut back and if so, how much?
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Trenton, NJ
Springbeauty in New Jersey and Dog Allergies
Is Claytonia virginica in New Jersey and could my dog be allergic to it?
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Trenton, NJ
Differences in Plant Growth
How do plants grow differently?
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Yardley, PA
Screening trees for PA
We are looking to plant some privacy trees in back of our home. Since our neighbor is directly behind us but we don't want to plant something distasteful to our neighbor. Do you have a recommendation...
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Berkeley Heights, NJ
Planting for wildlife in Union County, New Jersey.
I would like to get rid of my front lawn, which is small, and replace with wildflowers or something that bees, birds, butterflies would like. Live in Union County, New Jersey, which is central-north....
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Scotch Plains, NJ
Loss of bloom stalk on Yucca filamentosa from Scotch Plains NJ
We have 3 Yucca filamentosa L. planted together, in NJ. A friend of ours was helping to remove the weeds, little did she know and removed the blooming stalk from the plants. By the time I saw, it was ...
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