Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Ask Mr. Smarty 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.

Support NPINHelp grow the Native Plant Information Network by giving to the Plant Database Fund or subcribing to Wildflower magazine.

Subscribe online now
Mr. Smarty Plants would give Wildflower magazine two thumbs up...if he had two thumbs.
Share

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.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

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!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

Questions From Near You

Eugenia, ON
Eliminating muskrats from a cottage garden in Ontario
We have perennial gardens at our cottage and for the first time this year the muskrats have come and leveled everything..shasta daisies, coneflowers, day lilies, phlox, etc. Any suggestions as to how...
view the full question and answer

Wasaga Beach,., ON
Identification of plants from India
Where can I find identification of a plant that is from India. It climbs up trees and has beautiful small orchid type flowers.
view the full question and answer

Southampton, ON
Non-native gardenias in Southampton Ontario
I purchased 3 gardenias this year for the garden. Now I'm told that I can't leave them out all year round here in mid/western Ontario. Is this true, and if so, how do I keep them over the winter i...
view the full question and answer

Bond Head, ON
Mystery tree in Ontario
I found a tree (similar to an apple tree in blossom) in a shaded area by a stream on our property. I have never seen anything like it. It is again, like an apple branch with the blossoms, however, t...
view the full question and answer

Bradford, ON, ON
Buffalograss (Bouteloua dactyloides) for Ontario, Canada
Is there a grower/distributor of Buffalo Grass in Canada? I want to seed it soon. Thanks
view the full question and answer

Woodbridge, ON
Weak stems on asters and ironweed from Woodbridge ON
My question is in regards to plants flopping over. My smooth asters and ironweeds never seem to have strong stems. Is because the soil is too fertile or maybe too shallow?
view the full question and answer

Kitchener, ON
What caused bump after walk in woods from Ontario
I recently went for a walk in the woods near a stream. When I got to the river my leg had a little bump. It wasn't itching. I got home, it swelled even bigger. Can you tell me what plant I bumped int...
view the full question and answer

Coburg, ON
Plant identification
Please help us identify a woodland plant whose fruiting stem looks very similar to a corncob stuck into the ground, pointy end up. It sticks up about 4-5" above the ground. The largish pale yellow fr...
view the full question and answer

Rama, ON
Negative and positive effects of invasive dandelions from Rama Ontario
How do Dandelions have a negative impact of being a invasive and a Positive impact of being a invasive species ?
view the full question and answer

Stouffville, ON
Information about pink milkwort (Polygala incarnata)
Why is the pink Milkwort (Polygala incarnata) and what is it's niche?
view the full question and answer

Cambridge , ON
Leaf motion in still air in ON
What causes a tree or plant to dance when the other plants around it are still and no wind???
view the full question and answer

Markham, ON
Planting location of non-native Japanese maple in Toronto
Hi Mr. Smarty, I am in the region of Toronto, Canada. I just bought from nursery a "Red Select" Janpanese Maple, about 2' tall, still in its 1' pot. I intended to plant it in my front yard ...
view the full question and answer

Toronto, ON
Non-native Merremia tuberosa
Respected Sir, I have been trying to find the scientific name and a sapling of a plant which had "flowers that look like rose flowers but are brown in color and have a paper like...
view the full question and answer

Toronto, ON
Plant with no leaves, flexible and stores water
Do you now a plant that has no leaves but stores a lot of water and is very flexible? Maybe a type of vine? Thank you!
view the full question and answer

Toronto, ON
Who ate the Jack-in-the-Pulpit in Ontario?
Something has dug up my clump of Jack-in-the-pulpit at my parents' cottage in the Haliburtons (Ontario, Canada). Leaves, berries and roots are gone. We know we have a black bear who likes our compo...
view the full question and answer

Toronto, ON
Plant identification
I came back from vacation to find a wild herb growing in my back yard. It looks similar to dill, cilantro, or fennel; which makes me think it's in the umbrelliferae family, but it's not a large plan...
view the full question and answer

Toronto, ON
Native Habitat Lists from Toronto ON
Dear Mr. Smarty Pants. I see that you provide Native Habitat information on the plant detail sheets. Would I be able to find a full list of habitat types anywhere on this website? Thanks,
view the full question and answer

Toronto, ON
Water use rate calculations from Toronto ON
Can the high medium and low water use categories be quantified into a rate, say volume of water required by square foot of planted area? How are the water use categories established?
view the full question and answer

Toronto, ON
Deer resistant plants for Toronto, Ontario
What are the native trees and shrubs that are resistant to deer browsing and rubbing?
view the full question and answer

Toronto, ON
Controlling mildew on Gaillarida sp.
Any suggestions for controlling mildew on blanket flower? It's spreading throughout my garden.
view the full question and answer

Toronto, ON
Smarty Plants on seed harvesting
I am interested in learning more about harvesting native seeds. I manage a number of sites where restoration projects will involve planting, and we would like to use native seed stocks. Could you te...
view the full question and answer