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
Pickerington, OH
Trimming iris leaves in Pickerington OH
I recently trimmed the stems and leaves of my iris plants in late May - I realize now this was a bit early. The leaves are still about 3-4" out of the ground. I would like to half them and move som...
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Canal Winchester, OH
Growing Plumeria in Ohio
Can I grow plumeria in Ohio? We were in Hawaii this past week and I brought two plants home to try to grow. Thanks a bunch.
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Reynoldsburg, OH
Can Texas bluebonnets grow in Reynoldsburg Ohio?
I am a transplanted Texan now living in Central Ohio. I am tired of having to accept only pictures of the bluebonnets growing along the highways in Texas now and want to know if the weather is suitab...
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Lockbourne, OH
Will a cut back yucca grow back in Lockbourne OH?
I live in Ohio and recently I cut back all my plants to prepare for winter. I am wondering if my Yuccas will grow back. I cut them to ground level so only a little bit of the leaf is showing. I was...
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Columbus, OH
Shrubs for privacy in wet area in Ohio
I am looking for flowering shrubs for Ohio that reach 8-10 feet and can handle wet feet. I am trying to avoid building a wall for privacy and would like to use flowering shrubs instead.
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Columbus, OH
Plant identification
I have a random flower growing out of my rabbit's grave and I can not identify it. Nothing like it grows around us and I didn't plant anything there. The petals are white. There are five of them. Th...
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Columbus, OH
Native plants for flowers in rocky area in Ohio
We have just built 4 raised beds on a slope in our backyard on Scioto River. The site is an old quarry so rocky soil below our raised beds & gets full sun majority of day from about 11am-7pm summer ti...
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Columbus, OH
Deadheadidng of gaillardia
How do I maintain gaillardias? Specially, do I deadhead them?
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Lancaster, OH
Bringing Non-native Cannas out of Winter Storage
Mr. Smarty Plants - Is it possible to force canna tubers? Would placing them on a heating pad help? I am in Ohio -
zone 5.
Thank you
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Lancaster, OH
Propagation of Baptisia from Lancaster OH
My Baptisia has gone to seed. When can I plant these seeds? Do they need strat? (zone 5)
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Grove City, OH
Plants to compliment pine trees in Ohio
We just moved into a new home, the backyard has a above ground island with 5 pine trees (fairly young ones, not big) between the trees are some piney looking shrubs, there is a lot of open space on th...
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Granville, OH
Native Plants for Shaded North Slope in Ohio
I have a shaded north hillside which needs erosion control plants. Mostly moss and very thin grass grows there now. Please help!
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Westerville, OH
Care of Northern honeysuckle bush
I have a honeysuckle bush, I have had it for about year to two years. I would like to know if I should cut the brown parts off. There are some vines that do not look good, but some of the branches ha...
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Westerville, OH
Tree to replace non-native Japanese maple in Westerville, OH
I am wanting to plant a Japanese maple in an area of my yard that probably gets too much sun for this plant. I am trying to figure out what kind of plant I could plant instead to get an Asian feel I a...
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Geneva, OH
Plants for a wet area in Ohio
I have a lot of water in my front yard are there any kind of plants that I can plant to drink up some of the water? I live in North East Ohio
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Hilliard, OH
Poison ivy in Hilliard OH?
I found a plant with five jagged leaves growing close to the ground in the trees of Ohio. Is this poison ivy or a similar plant?
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Hilliard, OH
Eliminating suckers from roots of Moraine locust in Hilliard, OH
We removed a large Moraine Locust tree and also the stump. Now little trees from the roots are coming up. How do we get rid of these so something else can be planted?
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Dublin, OH
Black bugs on Autumn Joy sedum in Dublin OH
How to get rid of tiny black bugs on Autumn Joy sedum?
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Powell,, OH
Horse-friendly plants for Powell OH
I am looking for horse friendly plants, i.e., shrubs, trees, bushes, etc. that can be planted in wet area in Ohio. Thank you in advance for your assistance.
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Oak Hill, OH
Replacing firs with smaller plants
I want to pull out old fir bushes and plant smaller plants in their place. What could I buy that would take little care in my area?
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Jacksonville, OH
Plant identification
I bought a double knock-out rose bush and planted it in my yard. A year later a weed-like plant started growing beside it. It has very thorny leaves, stems and stalk. Little purple flowers are grow...
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