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
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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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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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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Blandburg, PA
Propagation of Kalmia latifolia
How easy is it to propagate Kalmia latifolia from seed?
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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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Altoona, PA
White flowers to plant in front of evergreen tree screen in Altoona PA
I have planted about 30 evergreen trees (as a screen). I would like to plant a row of low maintenance whitish flowering bushes or low maintenance large flowering plants in front of this row. Any sug...
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Clearfield , PA
Mystery perennial in Clearfield, PA
I have a perennial growing in my flower garden. I didn't plant extra seeds and don't know what it is..it has palm like leaves and long thin stem. It grows tall, maybe about 10 inches from the ground...
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Clearfield, PA
Edible fruits and plants in Pennsylvania
Can you give me a list of edible berries and plants that someone might find if they were hiking through the forest of Pennsylvania?
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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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Saxton, PA
Penalty for picking Kalmia latifolia in Pennsylvania
What if any is the penalty for picking the Mountain Laurel wild flower in Pennsylvania when it is in bloom?
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Weedville, PA
Early spring wildflowers of Pennsylvania
What native wildflower is the first to bloom in Weedville, Pa? (Jay township, Elk county)
I am working on a research paper for my Environmental Problems class, and this would be very helpful. Thank y...
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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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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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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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Williamsport, PA
Edible plants in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania
Hi again! Thanks for answering my one question. I have another though. Do you know of any edible plants with no nasty side effects ( like stomach aches or being nauseous) that grow in Lycoming County ...
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Williamsport, PA
Edibility of Washington Hawthorn berries from Williamsport PA
Please tell me if Washington Hawthorn berries and leaves are edible and if so, how to prepare them. Thank you!
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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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Montgomery, PA
Failure of Gerbera daisies in hanging basket
I had perennial Gerbera daisies in a hanging basket, the flowers died,I was not sure whether to remove just the flower or to go from the flower to the stem at the plants main stem? There is nothing re...
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St. Marys, , PA
Are hollies toxic?
Can I use holly from my landscaping to decorate food at Christmas?
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