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
Syracuse, NY
Non-native tropicals for Syracuse, NY
I live in upstate New York but am a fanatic about tropical plants, palms and banana trees. They're obviously all in pots that I take indoors, and I lose them from time to time. (Had a coconut palm th...
view the full question and answer
Syracuse, NY
Will chlorinated pool water affect the soil in a vegetable garden?
For the first time I'm going to plant a vegetable garden, and I have an area cleared. My swimming pool cover came off over the winter, and the pool water is a dark green to look at, but looks clear w...
view the full question and answer
Syracuse, NY
Care of Passiflora incarnata or Passiflora coccinea
Hi- I have two passionflowers, one red, one purple. I live in upstate NY. They grow very well up onto trellises, however, they have stopped producing flowers. Both are planted in pots (fairly large)...
view the full question and answer
Syracuse, NY
Need water absorbing plants in Syracuse, NY
I'm Looking for water absorbing plants and shrubs -not so much trees. My rain barrels and downspouts are still creating too much run off. I want to line a walkway and keep rainwater run-off from drai...
view the full question and answer
Syracuse, NY
Can Carolina jessamine be grown in Syracuse NY?
Hi--Can Carolina Jessamine be grown in Syracuse, New York?
view the full question and answer
Syracuse, NY
Why will my blazing stars not bloom in Syracuse New York?
I have two purple blazing star plants on the west side of my house, about 4 feet apart. They have bloomed the past two summers. This year, one is ready to bloom, but the other has no stalks that wil...
view the full question and answer
Syracuse, NY
Shrubs and small trees for a slope in NY
We are looking for a living wall made of shrubs / small trees - no more than 25' for the top of a steep creek bed. We are looking for the best erosion preventing types.
view the full question and answer
East Syracuse, NY
Plants for a steep slope in New York
We just installed a swimming pool in our back yard, which is at the top of a south facing slope. After the pool was installed the slope is now 3 ft higher and very steep (unmowable). I'd guess steepe...
view the full question and answer
Camillus, NY
Fragrant native plant to plant on rock wall in New York
HELLO THERE, I LIVE IN CENTRAL NY. I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD SUGGEST A PLANT FOR THIS ROCK WALL ON THE SIDE OF MY HOME. IT IS A NATURAL ROCK WALL, SO BEAUTIFUL!! THE ROCK IS FLAT, ACTUALLY THE AREA...
view the full question and answer
Manlius, NY
Problems with pin oak in Manlius, NY
I bought a pin oak when it was ~5 ft tall. It has lived in clay/rock for the last 6 years--healthy, but didn't grow much (no surprise). This spring we planted 3 small boxwoods a few feet from its t...
view the full question and answer
Brewerton, NY
Should Solanum eleagnifolium, silverleaf nightshade, be removed from yard
I live in Upstate NY. I'm quite sure, after checking many sites/pictures, that I have a couple specimens of Silver Leaf Night Shade (Solanum elaeagnifolium) growing in the "wild" portion of my side...
view the full question and answer
Jordan, NY
Planting shrubs and flowers under pine trees in New York
We just started to plant flowers and the whole back side of our yard is pine trees. I was wondering what types of flowers can be planted under them, and what kind of plants or shrubs can be planted un...
view the full question and answer
Tully, NY
Groundcover to reduce erosion for shady area in New York
We live on a lake with gravelly and clay soils, lots of wind and little sun. I am looking for a native ground cover that will help reduce erosion over some of the steep slopes facing south (under shad...
view the full question and answer
Cleveland, NY
Proper time of year to plant evergreens in New York
Dear Smarty Plants,
Is it too late to plant evergreen Thuja, blue spruce and firs in Cleveland, New York?
Vicki
view the full question and answer
Oneida, NY
Wildflower preparation for winter
I live in Onieda New York and I would like to know what do I do with my wild flowers before winter so they look great next year?
view the full question and answer
Cortland, NY
Evergreen groundcover under pine tree in NY
Hello! I live in upstate NY. I'm trying to find an evergreen ground cover to plant under a pine tree. I believe it's a white spruce (but I'm not postive). I've read conflicting information reg...
view the full question and answer
Port Ontario, NY
Erosion control after loss of large trees
Our steep 40' river bank (NY near eastern shore of Lake Ontario - zone 4) has recently lost two 50' oaks, leaving enormous holes in the bank itself where they tore out. What should we do immediately...
view the full question and answer
Red Creek, NY
Bark splitting in old tulip tree in Red Creek, NY.
Hello,
We have a tulip tree that has some bark splitting I guess I would call it. The tree is older and very tall. On the north side of it starting at the bottom of the trunk to about 8-9 feet up i...
view the full question and answer
Oswego, NY
Eliminating smartweed from pasture in Oswego NY
How do I get rid of smartweed in my pasture?
view the full question and answer
Oswego, NY
Getting rid of non-native lesser celandine in Oswego NY
Help! We have lesser celandine on approx. an acre of our property right on Lake Ontario, it's in my gardens and in our yard, and in the woods, I have dug it out of my gardens, but I'm not able to g...
view the full question and answer
madison, NY
Plants to hold a slope in NY
We recently built a house (on a hillside) and now are having some drainage issues on a fairly steep slope (a small creek is forming in the swale the excavator made "deal" with the drainage). Yester...
view the full question and answer