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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 is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

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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

Asheville, NC
Ground cover that won't hide snakes from Asheville NC
I have an unusual situation: several bare areas in an otherwise wooded area, which receive partial sun, and are not near water -- it rains here frequently, but the soil can become quite dry at times. ...
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Asheville, NC
Erosion Control for a NC Clay Slope
Hi, We have a large slope on the road edge of our property that has been gradually eroding with spring rains (NC red clay). We would really like to plant something for erosion control but the bank is...
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Ash Ville, NC
Seeking information on Crateeva asiatica, non-native herbal medicine
Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, I had a look at your website in hope of finding information about the plant Crateeva asiatica. Could you kindly help me to locate the information for the same?
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Asheville, NC
Are leaves of banana trees poisonous?
are the leaves of banana trees poisonous? the tree will be in a preschool classroom How do i care for the tree?
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Asheville, NC
Native wildflowers for an Asheville, NC garden.
I live in Asheville. I just bought a small home for the first time with a .22 acre yard. It's extremely sunny on the east side and gets good sun most of the day. Like most WNC area yards it's on a s...
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Asheville, NC
Native grass and/or wildflower seed mix for erosion control in North Carolina
I'm looking for a native grass and/or wildflower seed mix to control erosion on a new mountain road in a pine forest (red clay dirt). The soil is dry and partly shaded, depending on the hour of the d...
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Asheville, NC
Vines for arbor in North Carolina
Please identify vines that can be used for an arbor that fronts my garage and a portion of the house. Living in Zone 6, the arbor faces southwest. My interest is that the vine be non-invasive because...
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Asheville, NC
Schedule for planting perennial wildflowers from Asheville NC
When is the best time to plant perennial wildflowers?
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Asheville, NC
Economical, low maintenance plants for erosion control on a bank
Please advise of all species suitable for preventing bank erosion, specifically those that will cover a southern exposure 400 foot long, 15 foot high bank in western North Carolina that grows rapidly ...
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Asheville, NC
Are Carolina Cherry Laurel seeds poisonous from Asheville NC
I have a Carolina cherry laurel in my back yard that is dropping berries into my vegetable garden beds. May be a silly question, but will the berries poison the plants (and me) when I eat them?
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Arden, NC
Accompanying plant for non-native dianthus in Arden NC
Hi,I have dianthus and need a small plant-full sun to go with it down both sides of our driveway-thanks
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Marshall, NC
Plant identfication
I found a shrub I like because of the black fruit that birds like to eat but I don't know what it is. It looks similar to a blackhaw but the edges of the leaves are smooth not jagged. The fruit is a...
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Etowah, NC
Identification of flower that looks like Callirhoe in NC
Have a flower similar to callirhoe, but the blossum is fuchia, not purple and the foliage is light sage in color and fuzzy. It is very invasive. What is it? If you have an email address, I can send...
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Hendersonville, NC
Need to stabilize a south facing slope in Henderson, NC
Hi, I have a south facing slope that is heavy clay with rock under it. It gets a lot of sun. I have planted a few bushes and some ground cover, but with all the snow and rain we had this past winter, ...
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Hendersonville, NC
Retention pond from Hendersonville NC
We have a retention pond that has recently been cleaned and we would like to plant perennial native plant and grass seeds that will enhance the appearance and contribute to the natural process of filt...
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HENDERSONVILLE, NC
Plant identification
There is a sweet pea like vine that grows along the road in NC. IT is pink and looks much like a sweet pea. What is it?
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Hendersonville, NC
How many Bamboo species are native to North Carolina? one
I would like to know how many bamboo plants are native to North Carolina?
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Blue Ridge, NC
Wildflower Seed Collection Along Public Road in Blue Ridge, North Carolina
I live in North Carolina and would like to plant native wildflowers on a steep bank in my yard. I live on a rural dirt road and most of the plants I want grow wild on the side of the road. Can I leg...
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East Flat Rock, NC
Eliminating English Ivy in East Flat Rock NC
In the woods behind our house our neighbor has an invasion of English Ivy. It creeps over and through the fence into our yard, and we want to fight back! I have read the other articles about cutting...
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Pisgah Forest, NC
Use of native non-vascular plants from Pisgah Forest NC
Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, Some of the smartest native plants around to use as horticultural choices don't require any chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides; tolerate extreme weather including ...
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Waynesville, NC
Chemical Weed Control in Lady Ferns in North Carolina
Lady Fern (Athyrium filix femina): What herbicide may I use for weeds in a new bed of Lady fern.
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