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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!

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Questions From Near You

Hendersonville, TN
Is the fruit of Bradford Pears toxic to dogs?
I need to know if the little Berries on the Bradford Pear trees are toxic to dogs? My labrador loves eating them. Thank you,
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Old Hickory, TN
Insect pests in Gaillardia aristata in Tennessee
Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, I have a couple of 'Oranges and Lemons' blanketflower plants in a butterfly and hummingbird native flower garden that is the foundation planting of my house. They bloom prol...
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Madison, TN
Need help identifying shrub with large thorns in Tennessee.
A shrub?with very large thorns. Main stock of plant woody with a gray and white splotchy bark at base. Branches are green and shiney and have very large heavy thorns spaced several inches apart on...
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Gallatin, TN
Smarty Plants on Echinacea paradoxa
What kind of habitat (soil, sun, water etc) does Echinacea paradoxa like to live in?
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Gallatin, TN
Native plants for roadside in Gallatin TN
What native plant would you suggest that we try to establish on 100 feet of road frontage which gets full afternoon sun? The soil is mostly clay, and it's on a rather sleep hill about 10 feet high. ...
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Gallatin, TN
Identification of shrub with red berries in Tennessee
Hello, I've got a shrub in my backyard; it has leaves off in groups of 3 and it has multiple reddish berries in groups by the dozens. I'm not sure what plant it is. The shrub is stick-like and appr...
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White House, TN
Recipe for cherry jelly from wild black cherry tree in Tennessee
I think that we have a wild black cherry tree on our farm. I understand that the fruit is edible. Do you have a recipe for jelly or any other food product using this fruit?
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Nashville, TN
Source of black cherries for Tennessee
I need to know where black cherries grow in TN. I need a source of black cherries in TN. Do they grow easily and can the trees be bought?
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Nashville, TN
List of native plants for landscaping in Nashville, TN
Can you provide a list of plants that I can landscape with in Nashville, Tennessee?
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Nashville, TN
Eradiacation of johnsongrass along roadways
What does latest research show on eradication of Johnsongrass along roadways?
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Nashville, TN
Native plants for bioswale in Tennessee
What native plants do you recommend for a bioswale in Tennessee?
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Nashville, TN
Plants for a Narrow Fence Line in TN
I have a very specific and difficult planting question. I have a narrow strip (about 2 feet at the widest) between my back privacy fence and a wire fence that marks the edge of my property. It is dire...
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Nashville, TN
Identification of thorny tree with lemon-like fruit
What would be a small lemon like fruit that grows on a bush with large thorns? The fruit is about the size of a golf ball, kind of fuzzy yellow skin like a lemon and smells like a cross between an or...
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Nashville, TN
Difference beteen two non-native photinias from Nashville TN
What is the difference between red tip phontinias and fireball phontinias. I read that fireballs are also called red tips but I thought that red tips grow to like 12 ft. and the tag on the fireball I...
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Nashville, TN
Groundcovers for Shade Under a Sweetgum
I have 3 large sweetgum trees that produce so much shade each summer, and grass, even grass meant for shade, won't grow here. It's become a barren desert! I have English ivy but it only seems to gro...
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Nashville, TN
Distance from existing oak trees to place paving
We are designing an expansion for an existing veterinary office and the desired side for expansion will require addition to the parking and drive aisle to the back side of the property. My question i...
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Nashville, TN
Saving non-native sempervivum from accidental weed killer application from Nashville TN
How to save a 'Live Forever' plant that had weed killer put on it by mistake.
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Nashville, TN
Need plants to control erosion on a hillside in Nashville, TN.
Recently, a rogue contractor scraped all the sod off of my Tennessee hillside. Now the clay soil is exposed and washing away quickly. The hill slope is approximately 30 degrees. In the spring I'd ...
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Nashville, TN
Arisaema triphyllum as an insect eater
Is the Jack in the Pulpit an insect eater?
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Nashville, TN
What happens when plant shoot apex is removed from Nashville TN
What happens to the plant when a shoot apex is removed?
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Nashville, TN
Native vine for privacy fence in Tennessee
I am looking for a vine for privacy that grows in width not up; thru a standard 4' chain link fence. Colorfull. Can you help?
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