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.

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

Beaufort, SC
Non-native bougainvillea in Beaufort SC
Bougainvillea-Can I grow these in Beaufort SC?
view the full question and answer

Bluffton, SC
Is India Hawthorne a deer-resistant plant?
Is India Hawthorne a deer resistant plant in Beaufort County South Carolina?
view the full question and answer

Bluffton, SC
Flowering, deer resistant plants for South Carolina
Can you tell me which flowering plants are deer resistant and will grow in South Carolina?
view the full question and answer

Ridgeland, SC
Transplanting native azaleas in South Carolina
When is the best time to transplant azaleas in South Carolina Low Country?
view the full question and answer

Adams Run, SC
Foundation Plants for South Carolina
What native plants are suitable as foundation plantings? My soil is heavy clayey loam with red clay subsoil. I live in Charleston County.
view the full question and answer

Savanna, GA
Native cherry trees for Georgia
Is it possible to grow any type of cherry in Georgia, USA?
view the full question and answer

savannah, GA
Plant identification in Georgia.
Help I bought a bush at the flea market and I was told it would have white star flowers and it was a hydrangea. The leaves look like cannabis but not furry. The leaves grow from stalks Help what did...
view the full question and answer

Savannah, GA
Absence of grass around a willow tree in Georgia
In the past three years my Willow tree has grown from a stick to a lovely tree. Unfortunately, the grass under and around the tree is gone. Nothing left but dirt. Is there a remedy?
view the full question and answer

Savannah, GA
Grasses for erosion control in sand on coastal Georgia
I've been tasked with identifying native grass varieties or mixes (Coastal Georgia) that can be used for erosion control on sandy slopes created from dredged river sediment and that receive lots of s...
view the full question and answer

Savannah, GA
Pruning Wax Myrtle trees & bushes
When is the best time of year to prune Wax Myrtle trees & bushes.
view the full question and answer

Guyton, GA
Smarty Plants on science projects
Hello, i am a 6th grade student at a middle school in GA. I am doing a science project and my question is, "Does music affect plant growth?" Is there a plant that would work best for me to experiment...
view the full question and answer

Guyton, GA
Identity of a plant in SE Georgia
Identity of a plant- This plant is growing wild in SE GA, but I have never seen it before until this year. The plant has a stolon "root" system it forms an upright stem and a cluster of flowers begi...
view the full question and answer

Smoaks, SC
Problems with yellow lantana in Smoaks SC
My yellow lantanas are about five years old - big and beautiful, but beginning last year, the blooms are small and part of the tiny petals are brown or black. Can you tell me what I can do about this ...
view the full question and answer

Charleston, SC
Fruit or nut trees for land in North Carolina
Mr. Smarty Plants I have 70 acres of land in Claremont, NC and am looking for low maintenance trees, plants, vegetables, etc., anything I can grow so that this land doesn't sit unused. I am especial...
view the full question and answer

CHARLESTON, SC
Are crepe myrtles (Lagerstroemia sp.) toxic to horses?
Are crepe myrtle trees toxic to horses ?
view the full question and answer

Charleston, SC
Chile Pequin growing well in Charleston SC
Not really a question. I have successfully grown from seed Chile Pequins I picked up in Texas here in Charleston Sc. They are so hardy they come back from their stalks each year and sprout from seeds ...
view the full question and answer

Charleston, SC
Shade-loving native plants for South Carolina
I am looking to incorporate a native plants section in my backyard. Shade seems to be a limiting factor in some parts, especially where I would look to create a natural hedge bordering my neighbor's...
view the full question and answer

Charleston, SC
Plants for a new duck pond that are duck proof
Sir. I live in Charleston SC. I dug a pond for ducks in my backyard. I want to plant grass and anything else that will grow around the pond that the ducks won't want to eat up. What should I buy to p...
view the full question and answer

Charleston , SC
Locating Rhododendron calendulaceum
Trying to locate Rhododendron calendulaceum
view the full question and answer

Charleston, SC
Short, Shady Plants for South Carolina
I have a shady part of my mother's garden that doesn't drain very well. Do you have any suggestions as to what type of flowers or plants (preferably native to S.C.) that aren't red that might grow ...
view the full question and answer

Charleston, SC
Grass for Charleston SC
Hey Mr. Smarty Plants. I live in Charleston, SC and am having trouble with my grass. What is the best wear resistant grass to plant in my area and when is the best time to plant it?
view the full question and answer