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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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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

Trussville, AL
Questions about lilies from Trussville AL
How can I tell what kind of lily I have? Or better yet,what is the difference between Asiatic lily and a daylily? I also noticed someone asked about Cahaba lily. Just want to let you know I grow Caha...
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Trussville, AL
Plant identification of conifer-like low plant in Alabama
When walking in woods of Alabama we found a plant that grows along the ground. looks like a conifer about 2 or 3 inches tall, has a trailing vine under the leaves and pops up little sprigs of greener...
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Birmigham, AL
Plant identification
Dear Mr Smarty Pants.I hope you can help to save my sanity! I am a true believer in using native plantings, having a yard that is 99% native. I hope that fact provides me a little extra credit towar...
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Birmingham, AL
Cutting back salvia greggii in Birmingham, AL
When is a good time to cut back salvia gregii and how much can you cut it back. We will probably still have frost. Will it grow in sun and shade?
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Birmingham, AL
Flowering Deer Resistant Ground Cover for Dry Rocky Soil: Alabama
My question has been partially answered in the FAQ but I live in Birmingham where the soil is clay and rocky so it's a little different. I want to plant on a rocky slope (small rocks like the size of...
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Birmingham, AL
Front Door Vine in Alabama
I live in Birmingham, AL in a large-scale, white brick, French-style home. I would like to have a vine over my front door. I don't want an invasive vine (seed pods that create new vines or attaches t...
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Birmingham, AL
Grass for sunny or shady slope in Birmingham AL
What kind of grass grows well in the shade or sun on a sloping landscape?
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Birmingham, AL
Planting for steep slope in Alabama
I am looking for a plant for a steep slope down to a creek in our backyard in Birmingham Alabama It will get some morning sun but will be in the shade in the afternoon. I was thinking of wildflowers...
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Birmingham, AL
Passiflora incarnata 'Alba' cultivar or hybrid from Birmingham AL
Is Passiflora incarnata 'Alba' a cultivar or a hybrid?
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Birmingham, AL
Transplant shock in American beautyberry in Birmingham AL
We created a new garden area in our yard that gets full sun in the afternoon. I had a Beautyberry Bush that had seriously outgrown the area where we originally planted it (also full sun), so I transp...
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Birmingham, AL
Evergreen groundcover for full sun in Alabama
Mr. Smartyplants, can you suggest a native, evergreen, full-sun groundcover that might thrive in zone 8a? We hope to find a mass planting that would look good beside Heuchera villosa 'autumn bride,...
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Birmingham, AL
What are the Native Dianthus?
What species of Dianthus is native to North America?
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Birmingham, AL
Native plants for southwest side of house in Birmingham, AL
I would like to know what I can plant on the southwest side of my house where there is a brick foundation and is really hot in the summer. I've tried irises and day lilies-not good. Suggestions?
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Birmingham, AL
Problem with Quercus texana (Nuttall oak) in Alabama
I have a 3" diameter Nuttall Oak that the builder planted when building the house. Last summer I noticed that several spots on the trunk were oozing sap (vertical approximately 1.5" long by 0.5" wi...
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Birmingham, AL
Plants for curb appeal from Birmingham AL
My front yard is on a down hill slope. Can you recommend some plants that would be good for creating curb appeal that will be planted up against the house? We need some that are short around 2 feet ...
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Birmingham, AL
Habitats of pitcher plants
Where do pitcher plants live?
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Birmingham, AL
Plants for a property line in Birmingham, AL
I am looking for a plant to help establish a property line. Our neighbor's landscaping/mowing company has a large turnover, and the new employees always get confused about where the property line is...
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Birmingham, AL
Savannah Holly True to Seed?
I read your information on Savannah holly. Does this mean that none of the berries will produce a Savannah holly (Ilex x attenuata) but will either be Ilex cassine or Ilex opaca seeds? Thanks so much...
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Homewood, AL
Will suckering of coralberry be a problem in Homewood AL?
I am considering planting Symphoricarpos orbiculatus in the yard of the home I just purchased. I am interested in attracting wildlife to my yard and covering over a stump with a 3' diameter. My onl...
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Jefferson county, AL
Will sprouts under pecan trees become producing trees in Jefferson Co., AL?
Do pecan trees that sprout up underneath existing pecans trees ever amount to anything such as producing and bearing pecans?
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Riverside, AL
Planting wildflowers and ryegrass in RIverside AL
Love the name, enjoyed a visit last spring. We repaired a retaining wall about 300 ft. and want to plant wildflowers on a strip 5 ft wide. Slope gentle to 1 in 3.5. Hauled in topsoil for fill. Can ...
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