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.
Support NPINHelp grow the Native Plant Information Network by giving to the Plant Database Fund or subcribing to Wildflower magazine.
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
Mountain Rest, SC
Lupines for attracting deer in South Carolina
I live in SC and was watching a TV show called "Making it Grow" and they did a segment on Lupine. The lady on the show said that the plant attracted whitetail deer and I was wondering if that was t...
view the full question and answer
Seneca, SC
Plants to trail down wall in South Carolina
Good day,
I am putting in a stacked mortarless concrete block retaining wall which will rise to the forest floor along a cut bank - about 4 feet high. Each course steps back about one inch from th...
view the full question and answer
Seneca, SC
Will non-native hostas do well in South Carolina from Seneca SC
I am moving to SC from CT and want to bring some of the hostas I grow in CT. If I plant them in the shade in SC, will they do well down there?
view the full question and answer
Seneca, SC
Wildflowers blooming in upstate South Carolina from Seneca SC
When do most wildflowers bloom in upstate South Carolina?
view the full question and answer
Pendleton, SC
Landscaping with water garden from Pendleton SC
Searching for native plants in SC. Your results miss some plants listed on your site. I noticed this reading the Mr. Smarty Plants response to "Edible Plants for North GA" We aren't far apart.
...
view the full question and answer
Liberty, SC
Identity of plant in South Carolina with tiny purple flowers
I found a plant while walking my dogs. I live in South Carolina. The plant gets maybe a foot tall, has a square stem and the top of plant is a candelabra with timy purple flowers in it. What is this...
view the full question and answer
Brevard, NC
Groundcover for Slope in NC under Black Walnut
Please advise on some plants for a difficult to mow 30% slope, near Asheville, NC. We have partial sun, plenty of good rich topsoil, and plenty of rain. The key issue is that it is under and near the ...
view the full question and answer
Brevard, NC
Plant identification
I have a plant my Dad had found years ago. Last of April a stem with bulb shaped bottom. May 6-stem opened and folded back exposing spotted inside of leaf. Bottom had yellow pollen? and green stem 2+ ...
view the full question and answer
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 ...
view the full question and answer
Hartwell, GA
Identity of plant that resembles rosemary in Georgia
Hi, I am an herbalist, but have been unable to identify this plant and it's driving me nuts since I cannot find any information on it.
I live in NE Ga and have a plant that grows here that looks li...
view the full question and answer
Anderson, SC
Deer-resistant plants for Anderson SC
I usually plant pansies in the fall & impatiens in the spring under a large oak tree which gets afternoon sun. My impatiens were beautiful early on, but then were annihilated by something. I think i...
view the full question and answer
Anderson, SC
Is Lycopodium digitatum native to South Carolina?
Is Lycopodium digitatum native to SC; do you know if it's available in SC nurseries?
view the full question and answer
Piedmont, SC
Winter plants for windowbox in Piedmont SC
What kind of outdoor window box spruss can grow in upstate South Carolina in the winter months?
view the full question and answer
Williamston, SC
Planning a park along a railroad track in Williamston, SC
We have a railroad track in Williamston, and we are cleaning up the park. Removing trees, planting flowers,shrubs. The track is on high ground and the Fire Dept. has burnt off the weeds. What kind of...
view the full question and answer
Williamston, SC
Identification of a white beebalm
I have a photo of what looks like Bee Balm but it is white in color. What is the name of this wildflower?
view the full question and answer
Bryson City, NC
Smoky Mountains Shaded Slope Plant Suggestions
We live in a very shady spot in Great Smoky Mountains in Western North Carolina. We would like to plant vegetation on a sloped area behind our cottage to stop erosion after building an addition. Our h...
view the full question and answer
GREENVILLE, SC
Plant identfication
While visiting a lake near Dallas, Texas this past summer, I found a flower floating in the lake. It was small, only about an inch or so across, had three petals, was a deep magenta shade, and had th...
view the full question and answer
Greenville, SC
Number of plant species existing in South Carolina
Where can I find the number of known or estimated number of plant species existing in South Carolina?
I have tried several search engines, but perhaps I am not wording my query properly.
Thank you f...
view the full question and answer
Greenville, SC
Will Mexican Buckeye Survive in SC?
I have grown a Mexican Buckeye indoors from seed in Greenville, SC. Will it survive the colder climates here if transplanted out of doors? Thanks for your advice!
view the full question and answer
Greenville, SC
Planting grass seed in Greenville SC
What type of grass seed is best to use in a sunny/ shady area where some grass is already growing? And how is the best way to prep the area for seed and fertilizer or what should I do before and after...
view the full question and answer
Greenville, SC
Attracting birds in Greenville, SC
Hi,
I live in Northeastern South Carolina near the mountains and I am making a shade garden in my back yard. I also want to attract birds to my yard. There are 100 ft tall and even some 125 ft tal...
view the full question and answer