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
Port Royal, PA
Division of impatiens grown in a pot
I have an impatient and it is growing out of the pot. I was wondering if it were possible to divide it somehow and have two medium size plants.
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Landisburg, PA
Lycopodium digitatum for Christmas wreaths
Dear Mr. Smarty Plants,
That's it! The plant "Lycopodium Digitatum" posted on your website on Dec. 20, 2008 in response to my question about the proper name of "Crow's Feet" is indeed the pla...
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Landisburg, PA
Plant called crows foot/feet used to make wreaths at Christmas
In Pennsylvania there was a green ground hugging vine I knew as "crow's feet/foot" we used in the 1950s at Christmas time for wreaths and window and door borders. It looked like a cluster of bird'...
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Landisburg, PA
Ground cover for a bank in PA
I live in Landisburg, PA, (zone 6). I need to find some ground cover for a primarily full sun bank that is roughly 10-12' down over the embankment and up to 100' long. This area wraps around our po...
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McVeytown, PA
Native wildflower garden for Pennsylvania
Hello, I am interested in making a garden, and I would like to use only or mostly native wildflowers in it. Do you have any good suggestions for wildflowers that I can transplant from places where the...
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Carlisle, PA
Plant to cover retaining wall in Carlisle PA
I have a block retaining wall in my back yard. I need to find a quick growing plant that will grow through late summer into fall and cover the wall with limited sunlight.
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Carlisle, PA
Evergreen ground cover for PA
I live outside of Harrisburg, PA. We are looking for a perennial ground cover that is long blooming and evergreen. It would be planted under some trees that would give them the whole range of sun (f...
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Mechanicsburg, PA
Non-vascular moss between flagstones in Mechanicsburg PA
We would like to plant moss between our flagstone. However, the moss will have full sun all day. Can you recommend a moss for Central Pennsylvania near Harrisburg?
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State College, PA
Plant identification
Hello. There is a plant growing next to my 4 o'clocks that I didn't plant which is almost the same height as them, but has different leaves and it grows wider. It has these huge light green upside d...
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State College, PA
My newly planted Redbuds are not doing well.
I ordered and received 2 Red Bud trees from one of the popular ordering houses. They explained that they were dormant and not dead, and gave us instructions on how to plant them, which we followed. Th...
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Sunbury, PA
Flowers for September wedding in Sunbury PA
I am trying to grow my own flowers for a wedding in September. Can you please advise as to what i can grow to bloom? i live in northeast Pennsylvania. Wedding is in D.C.
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Aspers, PA
Need a recommendation for a fast growing shade tree near Gettysburg PA
I am looking to plant a fast growing shade tree with non-invasive roots. I live in south central Pennsylvania just north of Gettysburg PA.
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Lewisburg, PA
White fuzz on Christmas tree from Lewisburg PA
Our Canaan fir Christmas tree is now coated with white fuzz after being up for 4 weeks. The fuzz looks like spider webs, but it is also in clumps around the needles. When you rub your finger on it, ...
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Chambersburg, PA
Non-native Royal Empress tree with only green leaves from Chambersburg PA
I have 3 Royal Empress trees in my yard that are between 2-4 yrs old and have never been any color other then big Green leaves. Do you know when they will turn Purple?
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Edgewood, PA
Wildflowers native to Pennsylvania
Please provide the names of a few wildflowers that are native to Pennsylvania.
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Edgewood, PA
Arisaema triphyllum and Phlox stolonifera native to Pennsylvania
I asked and you answered my question about PA wildflowers. I have two more questions: is jack-in-the-pulpit a native PA wildflower? and is creeping white phlox a native PA wildflower?
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Edgewood, PA
Laws concerning picking wildflowers in Pennsylvania
What is the law (in Pennsylvania or Federal law) that makes it illegal to pick wildflowers and/or other native plants?
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Dover, PA
Lantana in hanging basket not blooming in Dover PA
We have a lantana Bandana trailing gold in a hanging planter in full sun. It hardly blooms. Any suggestions?
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East Berlin, PA
Safe to plant Wisteria frutescens near a foundation?
I am interested in planting a Wisteria frutescens 'Nivea'. It will be next to a house foundation wall. Could you tell me what type of root system it has? Would it be a root that would dama...
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Gettysburg, PA
Chemical composition of native plants for birds
I am looking for specific information on the biochemistry/nutrition of native plants as they relate to bird nutrition. ie. protein,fat,carbohydrate,vitamin etc found in northeast woody natives for a ...
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Gettysburg, PA
Native violets under maples from Gettysburg PA
Just for your info (no need to post or reply), I saw an old post of a question of something to grow under maples. In central PA, native violets grow very well under several species of maples in lawns...
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