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
Wallace, SC
Purchase of herbs from Wildflower Center
Can I purchase herbs from the Wildflower Center?
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Bennettsville, SC
Yaupon sprouts from Bennettsville SC
I have Yaupons in a flower bed and they have too many
shoots to pull up, can I spray them with roundup and not kill the bush and what strength should I use?
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West End, NC
Plants for a Zen garden in North Carolina
I am looking for plants that would be suitable for a ZEN style garden in North Carolina
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Fairview, NC
Slope Erosion control for Fairview NC
Please recommend plants to help with soil erosion on a slope. The soil is red clay and area gets full sun. The slope is approximately 12' x 12'. I live in Fairview, NC
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Waxhaw, NC
Propagation of native American beautyberry in North Carolina
I have found a beauty berry bush growing wild in the woods. It is huge! I broke off a couple of branches (1/4 " in diameter) and wonder if it will root if I just stick it in good moist soil. I alr...
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Waxhaw, NC
Erosion control blankets for controlling slope in North Carolina
We live in NC (red clay dirt). We recently/in the process of installing a pool. They contractor has completely unearthed our entire yard - and part of our property is on a substantial hill. Is there...
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Waxhaw, NC
Small evergreen shrubs for horse barn in North Carolina
I want to plant some low growing evergreen shrubs in pots in my paddock around my barn. The horses can occasionally be in this are but not for an extended time. I am in NC. Any suggestions?
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Waxhaw, NC
Are Eastern White Pine suitable for Waxhaw NC
Pinus strobus ( White Pine )-
I wish to plant four of these evergreens along our property lines as a screen. Our county is selling one foot plants in a container. Our soil is clay. Are these t...
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Waxhaw, NC
Saving frozen yuccas from North Carolina
I live in NC and have 2 potted yucca plants on my deck. Every year I have brought them in for the winter. This year, someone told us that we could leave them out all winter. They began to die in the c...
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Seagrove, NC
Correction to question involving acid vs. alkaline soil
In a question about blueberries you said most blueberry web sites are in states with deciduous trees including pines. Not sure about your part of the world but here in NC the pine trees keep the need...
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Seagrove, NC
Further information on soil pH for growing blueberries
Thank you for your reponse to my question / comment. You were exactly right about soil pH. Here is what Clemson University Extension has to say about growing blueberries in North and South Carolina....
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Fayetteville, NC
Comparison of native and non-native bulbs from Fayetteville NC
I am just a gardener seeking natives. As I could not find Crinum americanum bulbs/plants specifically, I checked further online. Here's an excerpt of what I found from the Louisiana Native Plant Soci...
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Matthews, NC
Small native evergreen shrubs for North Carolina
I live in zone 7 and need miniature shrub to go in flower bed situated in full sun. I love gardenias but afraid the intensity of the sun might be too much.
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mt.pleasant, NC
Need help growing plants in red dirt in Mount Pleasant, NC.
I live in N.C. and I have had the hardest time getting plants to grow;I have red dirt at my house. Can you suggest a few colorful plants that would do real well in red dirt? Thank You So Very Much!!!!...
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Concord, NC
Care for non-native Plumeria from Concord NC
I have had my plumeria plant for the past 5 to 7 years. It is a pot plant and I live in North Carolina, I take the pot inside in he winter time. The leaves fall off, in the spring after the last fro...
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Concord, NC
Evergreen vine for screen
We have pretty much "dead" red-tipped photinia bushes and old pine trees that have seen better days, on a steep hillside. We need to remove and replace with a more natural setting, with some terraci...
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Concord, NC
Steep slope from Charlotte NC
I live near Charlotte, NC and I have a very steep sloped area from the edge of our front yard down to the road. It's a huge eyesore mainly because it is red clay dirt and has nothing growing on it. W...
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Charlotte, NC
Identification of rose campion
My friend shared a plant with me and I cannot identify it. She said that it was Rose Campriow? or something like this. It has very small pink/purplish blooms with grey green foliage. It is a perenn...
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Charlotte, NC
Non-native citronella mosquito plant wintering inside in Charlotte NC
Can I bring the citronella mosquito plant in the house over the winter, or should it be planted outside. I live in Charlotte, NC.
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Charlotte, NC
Plants for a lakeside bank in NC
Our association is looking to plant a huge sloped area that runs down to Lake Wylie. We want to plant something that is good for erosion and that does not grow too tall so that we keep our view of th...
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Charlotte, NC
Plants native to Caribbean from Charlotte NC
Do you know of any shade tolerant plants native to the Caribbean that may be available to buy at a local nursery? I know this is a tough question to answer on many levels.. essentially, if I wanted t...
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