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
Newark, DE
Process of transpiration in plants
I'm in 6th grade and I have a science project to do and the question is, Do living plants give off moisture. The first part of my project is to explain how living plants give off moisture. I've chec...
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Newark, DE
Ground cover for under a maple tree in DE
In my front yard in Newark, Delaware, I have a HUGE maple tree that shades the whole yard and most of its roots are visible and make the yard very "bumpy." Consequently, grass does not grow well the...
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Newark, DE
How to eradicate chameleon plant (Houttuynia cordata)
How do I get rid of a invasive ground covering plant called Camelion without hurting the ground so I can plant something else?
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Newark, DE
Source for non-native Coleus Canina
We are trying to find Coleus Canina (Scaredy Cat Coleus)? to no avail. We purchased this plant in 2006 and it works. The Vt company no longer carries it. Can you help me. Thank you.
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Elkton, MD
Source for purchase of non-native Tradescantia zebrina
Is there a nursery near me that carries Wandering Jew plants?
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Elkton , MD
Transplanting Hollies in winter
I want to transplant, relocate holly trees in January. Is that ok, and what is the best holly for landscaping?
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North East, MD
Non-blooming blue-eyed grass in Northeast Maryland
I purchased blue eyed grass(sisyrinchium angustifolium)It was in bloom when I planted it, but has never bloomed since. It looks healthy and gets full sun, but for at least 3 years or more, it has neve...
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West Grove, PA
Is Bushy Knotweed carcinogenic from West Grove PA
Is the invasive Bushy Knotweed / PORA3 / Polygonum ramosissimum toxic to the extent that the spores are carcinogenic?
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Wilmington, DE
Shrub Recommendation for Chain Link Fence in DE
What shrub would you recommend for covering a chain link fence and providing a screen between mine & my neighbors yard? They have kids, so it would have to be non-toxic. I'd like flowers/berries for ...
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Wilmington, DE
Monardas in section Cheilyctis not visited by hummingbirds.
This is a correction. In your plant database, Monarda punctata is said to attract hummingbirds, but all peer reviewed research suggests it, and other members of Monarda in section Cheily...
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Wilmington, DE
Host plants to monarch butterflies in Starr County, TX
I plant native larval and nectar plants that support the life cycle of the monarch butterfly here in the east; but, where can I find a list of native plants for my friends in the Tamaulipan Biotic P...
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Wilmington, DE
Is mulberry tree inhibiting growth of plants under it in Wilmington DE?
I have a large mulberry tree in my yard and the plants around it are not flowering or growing, some are now dead. Could the mulberry tree be toxic to other plants?
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Wilmingfton, DE
Shade tree for cemetery in Wilmington DE
We are looking for a shade tree for a cemetery in Delaware. The tree will be planted only a few feet from some existing gravesites. What trees would you recommend that will not interfere with the ...
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Thornton, PA
Identity of fern-like plant in woodland garden
what is the fern-like, hairy fleshy-stemmed, 12"-18" ht plant in my woodland garden
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West Chester, PA
Ground cover for a dry slope in PA
My side yard is a slope with rocky (a lot of small serpentine rocks) soil under white and black pine trees. I can grow lots of weeds :-) but would like to plant a low (0-3in) evergreen ground cover th...
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West Chester, PA
Need grasses to stabilize a moderately steep slope in Pennsylvania
Hello. We have a moderately steep slope in a shady area that is in need of some help. The grass that is in place there seems to be thriving - nice and green, with good growth. However, kids running...
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West Chester, PA
Ground cover under Spruces from West Chester PA
Trying to get a native groundcover (or any grass/wildflower/fern) planting established under a small stand of spruces. Established stand (30+ years old), so lots of needles on ground. Just about tot...
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Glen Mills, PA
Damaged leaves on bottlebrush buckeye from Glen Mills PA
My recently planted bottlebrush buckeye plants' leaves are looking damaged but it doesn't look like insect or fungus damage. They look battered by wind but I don't understand why that would happen...
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Alloway, NJ
Digging up and transplanting wild plants in Alloway NJ
I saw some wild growing black eyed susans in a passing field so I dug some up this weekend and planted them in my garden now they look like they are dying. Do you think they will come back next year ?...
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Alloway, NJ
Dealing with aphids on milkweed plants in Alloway, NJ.
I planted milk weed for the Monarch butterfly. Every year it gets orange aphids that seem to suck out the juices and eventually kill the plant sooner than I like.
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Downingtown, PA
Low Ground Cover for Steep, Shaded PA Site
I am located in Downingtown, PA, right on the border between Zone 6 and 7. Please provide a recommendation of a native ground cover for the following conditions: steep slope (greater than 45%), full s...
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