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
Owings, MD
Where can I find Ilex verticillata in Maryland?
Do you have any suggestions where I might purchase a winterberry holly, ilex verticillata (with bright orange berries in the winter)? They are on our Maryland State highway on Route 3 (301) heading t...
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Aquasco, MD
Planting wildflowers on company property from Aquasco MD
Our company wants to plant wildflowers on our property. How do I know how much seed, what type of seeds, how to care for, how to plant, basically everything? Finally, we hope to find use some deer-r...
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Davidsonville, MD
Getting rid of non-native, invasive English Ivy from Davidsonville MD
Just moved and need to rid the well established Ivy planted on the steep slope area around the back and side of the house as it is taking over the bushes on the top and trees in forested area at botto...
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Annapolis, MD
Source for Penstemon calycocus
Do you know where I can obtain Penstemon calycocus? I live in Annapolis. I am willing to look at mail order sources.
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Annapolis, MD
Non-native crape myrtle resistance to deer from Annapolis MD
Is Crape Myrtle tree resistant to deers? Thank you.
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Annapolis, MD
Shrubs for Shade in Annapolis MD
Can you please recommend dense shade tolerant shrubs for Annapolis, Maryland.
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Annapolis, MD
Rotating a non-native cypress in its hole in Annapolis, MD
I have a follow up question to a Cypress transplant question from December 28, 2008. We trimmed our 5 1/2 foot Dwarf Hinoki Cypress back too far, and now the side facing the street has some bare spot...
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Annapolis, MD
Shrub with red two-globed berries
I am looking for the name of a red berry with 2 globes attached to each other on a plant with small soft oval shaped leaves.I live in Maryland and they are maturing now. These bushes are in the park ...
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Annapolis, MD
Magnolia and non-native weeping willow competing in Annapolis
We planted a sweetbay magnolia next to a Weeping Willow in our yard and did not anticipate the willow would grow so quickly and into the magnolia. We have had the magnolia now for 3 years, and it is c...
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Annapolis, MD
Starting Yarrow (Achillea) and Daucus from Seed
I need to deadhead my cottage yarrow. I assume it has gone to seed. What do I do to plant it as seed? If I can do it, can I do it now or do I need to wait until spring. If I need to wait until spring,...
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Annapolis, MD
Hybrid Leyland Cypress leaning in Annapolis MC
We have a large, 9-year old Leyland Cypress that has tipped over. It is still green and growing but leaning slightly off center. It's about 20' tall. Should we stake it? If so, we'd like to do ...
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Bowie, MD
Native plants to prevent erosion in Maryland
Please can you recommend native plants for a north-facing slope, under pine trees? I live in Maryland near the border between the Coastal Plain and Piedmont Plateau, where we have cold to mild Winter...
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Charlotte Hall, MD
Want to identify thorny vines growing in Charlotte Hall, MD
I have vines with thorns growing in my wood, vining around the trees and killing them. It grows and vines go up trees of any height all the way to the top. It has green pointy leaves. If it doesn't...
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Plymouth, MD
Failure to bloom of non-native lilac in Plymouth MD
My five year old lilacs are not blooming, WHY?
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Mechanicsville, MD
Digging wild buttercup from roadside in Mechanicsville MD
Mr. Smarty Plants, is it illegal to dig out wild buttercup in Maryland? I see them along the dirt road or just in the ditch. Since buttercup considered weed, I'm wondering what the law say about this...
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Accokeek, MD
Need help with stabilizing a partial shaded slope in Prince George's County, MD.
I have a partial shade sloped area about 40 ft. x 100ft; that is at the top of a natural drainage. Slope is maybe 10%. There is a thin layer of topsoil on top of a heavier clay layer (it was pasture...
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New Carrollton, MD
Plantings for a slope from New Carrollton MD
My house (Maryland, near DC) sits at the bottom of a south facing slope. The soil is very heavy clay. The grade is about 1:20 for about 100 feet (with a steeper part at the top). Part of the hill is i...
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Hyattsville, MD
Smarty Plants on potted plants
How do you know when it is time to transfer a potted plant to a bigger pot? Everytime I do this my plant dies.
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Alexandria, VA
Medicinal uses of Orange jewelweed (Impatiens capensis)
What is the best way to extract the juice from the jewelweed plant? And, what can you do with it after that? I know it is considered a remedy for poison ivy and various other skin irritations. So then...
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Alexandria, VA
Seeds of mayflower
Although I now live in Virginia, I grew up in eastern South Dakota. Several years ago while visiting SD I was walking in the pasture and noticed that many of the wild mayflowers (pasqueflowers) had ...
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Alexandria, VA
Small native trees for northern Virginia
Mr. Smarty Plants, I am looking for a native alternative to a Japanese Red Maple in northern Virginia. I would like a small tree that I can put in my front garden that will not pose a security risk my...
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