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
Jeffersonville, IN
Flowering shrub for Jeffersonville, IN
I live in Southern Indiana and am wanting to change some of my landscaping. I have 2 fairly large double pink (?) knock out bushes and another lighter shade of pink knock out bush. I am looking for ...
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Fairdale, KY
Comment on Doug Shermans photography
This is actually not a question. I just wanted to comment on Doug Sherman's photographs. I am working on a native garden presentation and his pictures are amazing. I love the way he captures the f...
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Greenville, IN
Will an ivy vine growing up my maple kill it?
I have a ground cover ivy vine that has grown up my big maple tree. I would like to know if this will kill the tree if left, or will I kill the tree if I take it off? What should I do with it?
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Charlestown, IN
Identification of worm feeding on chockecheery
I am looking to find out what sort of worm looking insect, is commonly found on chokecherry trees. It has a turquoise appearance with yellow fingerlike projections on the back. It suctions onto the ...
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Crestwood, KY
Why do some plants resprout in Spring from Crestwood KY
I am a 5th grade student at Crestwood Elementary School; and one of my classmates came up with an excellent question that I can not answer. Here it is: Why do some plants (like bulbs) resprout in ...
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Crestwood, KY
Stabilizing a steep slope in KY
We are building a new home and have a very steep hill behind the home. Our highlift operator just cleared it off - I would say about 15 to 20 feet in height and at least 150 feet in length. What wou...
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LaGrange, KY
Wintering over an Angel Trumpet in Kentucky
I have an Angel Trumpet on my deck in LaGrange,Ky -Can I plant it out in the yard now or do I have to take it in the house for the winter- It is 5 feet tall and I have no room in the house! Help!-Than...
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Radcliff, KY
Identification of plant from wildflower mix in Radcliff KY
I bought a wildflower mixture from local store; after planting, there is a 2 ft bush or plant with flowers that are yellow, and small like those on a cantaloupe, leaves that look like a watermelon, bu...
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Leavenworth, IN
Plants for clay soil in Leavenworth IN
I live in south central Indiana; the soil is very bad clay, either hard as a rock or mud. I have made several raised beds but am still having problems with plants rotting. What types of plants work he...
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Ekron, KY
Identity of vine growing in Kentucky.
I have a vine I can't identify. The leaf is heart shaped and the vine is fuzzy. The blooms is just now starting to bloom. They are small red and some white in it. The bloom sort of remind you of a c...
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Eminence, KY
Identity of plant in Kentucky with fuzzy grayish-green leaves
I would like to know about a plant that I do not know what it is.
I had this plant just come up in my flowerbed, that looked like a tobacco plant but the leaves looked like a lambs ear plant. It was ...
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Austin, IN
Wildflowers for an Indiana septic drain field
We just had to have a septic system replaced due to our state highway consuming some of our front yard along with our original septic. Since this has happened, our lateral lines now lie in our back ya...
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bardstown, KY
Deer resistant vines for Kentucky
Is there a vine I can grow on my garden fence to deter deer?
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Webster, KY
Landscaping large area in Webster KY
We just bought a house that we fell in love with. The land around it . . . well it has GREAT potential but is seriously lacking at the moment. Trying to get the farm up and running leaves very litt...
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Oriole, IN
Plants for a pond edge in IN
Hello, I live in Southern Indiana. I care very much about reinforcing native plants for my region & not planting anything invasive.
I had a pond built last year & need some suggestions for native ...
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Hodgenville, KY
Problems with non-native petunias from Hodgeville, KY
Planting petunias again in a house border bed.. It has been a tradition for 30+ years to plant the small upright petunias in this particular bed. It started as a Mothers Day gift to my Grandmother, ...
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Springfield, KY
Plants for pool area in Kentucky
We live in central Kentucky and have a backyard pool that desperately needs some landscaping. I would like plants that don't drop a lot of leaves or "trash". I'd like a list of great poolside pl...
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Lawrenceburg, KY
Getting rid of Adams needle (Yucca filamentosa)
My friend is changing her flower beds around and is wanting to eliminate an Adam's needle that has been there for several years. She has already dug it up and now is trying to get rid of all the new...
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Hardinsburg , KY
Identity of red flower that looks like a blue bell
Looking for the name of a flower that grows in Breckinridge county Kentucky. It's looks similar to the blue bell but blood red in color. Any help is appreciated.
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Vevay, IN
Native plants for under a pine tree in Vevay IN
At our office we have a very nice garden however, in the front we have a large pine tree. We cannot get anything to take root & live there. Do you have any suggestions for a native shrub or perennia...
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White Mills, KY
Non-blooming toad lily in Kentucky
I have had a toad lily for three years and it has never bloomed. What do I need to do?
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