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
Statesville, NC
Evergreen groundcover for full sun in North Carolina
I have an area that is in full sun and I need to know the best low growing evergreen that possibly flowers to help cover where a ditch/water drainage pipe is below the planting area.
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Statesville, NC
Plant identification
I have a plant that came up in a flower pot.I wonder if you could hep me.The plant has six leaves to a stem and the leaves close up at night
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Harmony, NC
Possible source for seeds of American beautyberry and Eastern sweetshrub
I have a nursery growing native plants in North Carolina. I would like to find a source to purchase seed for the white berried American beauty berry and Calycanthus floridus athens, can you suggest a ...
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Harmony, NC
Seed for Kosteletzkya virginica, salt marsh mallow
I have a nursery in North Carolina. We are looking for a reliable seed source for kosteletzkya virginica salt marsh mallow. We are www.campbellfamilynursery.com
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Harmony, NC
Looking for seeds for Styrax americanus.
I am looking for a source I can purchase Styrax americanus seed, preferably wholesale but if not a retail source. Can you suggest a place. thank you
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Harmony, NC
Source for seeds of Aniscanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii
I am Kevin Campbell of Campbell Family Nursery. I wish to try some of your native flame acanthus or wrights desert honeysuckle. Aniscanthus quadrifilus wrightii Ii believe. Do you know of a seed sourc...
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Mooresville, NC
Plants for wet soils in North Carolina
I'm looking for evergreen plants (shrubs or ground cover)that will tolerate wet conditions for the zone 8 area of North Carolina. The local garden centers here do not stock these types of plants, eve...
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Mooresville, NC
Native water plants for bio-retention pond in North Carolina
I am looking for North Carolina native plants that can take part shade and very wet conditions (bioretention pond environment). Any suggestions?
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Denver, NC
Pruning a non-native Hinoki cypress from Denver NC
Hi! Our painters have asked that we trim the Golden Hinoki Cypress back from the house. The tree is about 20' tall, beautiful and healthy. Since it is July and therefore, HOT! I'm wondering how t...
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Corneilius, NC
Need a ground cover to stop erosion on a slope next to a pond.
I have a large natural pond. One side has a steep slope. I need a attractive,low/no maintenance, evergreen? plant to stop the erosion into the pond. Cornelius/charlotte nc
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Salisbury, NC
Identification of non-native Nothoscordum borbonicum in Louisiana
There were some small white flowers that grow everywhere in Shreveport and probably elsewhere. Mother called them Crows Feet. I see them if I am home in the Springtime, smell them too. Is Crow's foot...
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Huntersville, NC
Getting rid of poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac
How can I rid my yard of poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac? I have tried roundup, poison ivy roundup and even a clorox solution and nothing seems to kill it, I keep seeing it come up. Any help ...
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Iron Station, NC
Mulching vegetables with straw
I have a small garden with 4 different veggies, tomatoes, hot peppers, squash & cucumbers. which plants is it OK to put straw under? which plants will straw hurt the stalks or other possibilities? tha...
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North Wilkesboro, NC
Plant identification
On our farm we found a plant that we had never seen before. It has long stems coming from center ground level and is about 3 feet tall, looks like a fern from far off. The leaves (length of finger) ...
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Lincolnton, NC
Source of Calycanthus floridus in Lincolnton NC
I have been trying to find a Calycanthus Floridus, I want to plant them around the house, but have had no luck. I live in Lincolnton, NC do you know of any place I can find them?
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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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Lexington, NC
Dying non-native red tip photinias in Lexington NC
Large Red Tip bushes, what can I do to keep them alive? I have a few and they are dying. What can I do to save them?
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Lexington, NC
Hibiscus to grow in partial shade in North Carolina
What variety of hibiscus can I plant in Lexington, NC? Are there any variaties that tolerate partial shade?
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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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