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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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Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

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Questions From Near You

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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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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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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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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Port Tobacco, MD
Plants for erosion control in southern Maryland
Would you recommend a plant that would act as erosion control for woodlands in Southern Maryland? The soil has a high clay content with a mature hardwoods population.The current erosion is significant...
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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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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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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
Landscaping suggestions for small yard in Alexandria, VA
Hi Mr. Smarty Plants, My husband and I are preparing to till up most of our back yard and redo it. I'd like to use native plants, but am open to cultivars of them (as in, a column-shaped Ilex glabra...
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Alexandria, VA
Is Ilex glabra Shamrock a female cultivar
I have an ilex glabra "shamrock". Is it a FEMALE cultivar? I have only found information that the "compacta" and the "nigra" are females. I have a male ilex glabra and was hoping to have berrie...
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Alexandria, VA
Plants to control hillside erosion in Virginia.
Good Morning, Mr Smarty Plants, I need your advice and guidance. I live in a condo complex in Virginia and we have a hill/slope that is eroding. It also has two very nice tall trees that partially sh...
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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
Locating source for Iva frutescens
Do you know where I can purchase the plant Iva Frutescens, sometimes called the Miracle Bush or Jesuit's bark? Do you know if this bush attracts Monarch Butterflies?
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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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alexandria, VA
Shrub for barrier fence in Alexandria, Virginia
Hi. we need plants to act as a barrier fence, 15 feet tall, partial shade. We are considering a holly or virginia magnolia. What can you suggest? thank you, Nikita
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Woodbridge, VA
Identification of Skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) in Virginia
Hi, I am very curious about a bulb growing wild plant in our back yard. We have recently moved to the Woodbridge, VA area. There is a stream running trough our property. The plant looks almost like la...
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Woodbridge, VA
Propagation of hostas
I have many different types of hostas in my yard. This year they bloomed abundantly and now have large pods where the blooms were which are full of seeds. My questions: 1. If I plant these pods, o...
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Woodbridge, VA
Mystery fast-growing plant with the honeysuckle
Mr. Smarty Plants, We have a section of honeysuckle, then a section of this 4 foot, bright, hairy green leafed, thorn bush that seems to be blooming/growing faster than the honeysuckle. Then a sectio...
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Woodbridge, VA
Fast-growing "climbing" tree.
I live in Northern Virginia. My children would love for me to plant a "climbing" tree - short trunk, nice spread of limbs. Can you recommend a tree that could grow to meet this requirement in abou...
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Woodbridge, VA
What to plant in northern Virginia
We have recently purchased 10 acres in Northern Virginia, and would like to plant native wildflowers on 4 of the acres. The soil has a high clay content and is currently covered in a mixture of grasse...
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Woodbridge , VA
Topical treatment for poison ivy rash
I would like to know a topical treatment for the poison ivy rash
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