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
Columbia, TN
Propagation of Cahaba lily from Columbia TN
My cahaba lilies have so many seed pods. I would like to use the seeds properly to grow more lilies. Can anyone tell me the best way to go about it? Thank you
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Columbia, TN
Small tree for yard in Columbia TN
I have a somewhat small yard but the construction workers put a water and sewer drain in the middle of my yard. The sewer main is located on the far side of my property my width of yard is 60 feet wid...
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Culleoka, TN
Juniper-apple rust galls
I have Red Cedar trees in my yard. I have just noticed something that looks like a reddish brown squid-like bloom about the size of a small orange. Is this normal or is it a fungus?
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Spring Hill, TN
Source for dwarf red mulberry from Spring Hill TN
Hello: Where can I buy a dwarf red mulberry tree in the USA? Thanks
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Lewisburg, TN
Plant identification
I have a 50 ft tree in my front forest apartment in Lewisburg, TN garden, that is blooming white cluster flowers. They are slightly fragrant. I thought Carolina silverbell but they have NO yellow stam...
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Franklin, TN
Annuals victims of allelopathy under a hackberry tree in Franklin TN
In our new home's back yard we have a 30' hackberry tree that's less than 20' from our house, on the NW side. I planted your typical shade annuals, impatiens, etc., in the mulch bed under the tre...
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Franklin, TN
Tree near a patio in Tennessee
What type of tree would you plant near a patio (new home and yard) that gets afternoon sun? Thanks
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Franklin, TN
Bluebonnets and wildflowers for Nashville TN
I have several packets individually of both bluebonnets and of wildflowers, and want to plant them on 2 hills that we have around our home. We live near Nashville, and aren't even sure if the bluebo...
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Centerville, TN
Plant identification
My daughter is working on a wildflower collection for her Biology class, we have found a flower, that, for appearances sake, is identified in books as Selfheal. This flower is taller than pictures we...
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Bon Aqua , TN
Need Plant Identification from Bon Aqua, Tennessee?
By a creek, I found a plant that I have never seen in my life. It has a tall stalk and has leaves like a weed or grass, and the flower looks like a pine tree. The plant looks like a mix of a grass, a...
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Lawrenceburg, TN
Plants around swimming pool
What kind of plants can I plant around my swimming pool and will not be harmed by the chemicals of the pool?
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Brentwood, TN
Native wildflowers and grasses for sunny field in Nashville, TN
I want to plant wildflowers in a sunny field (old pasture land) in Nashville, Tennessee. I plan on killing the existing weeds and tall grasses with roundup this fall and planting native grasses (wha...
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kingston springs, TN
Mystery Iris-like plant in Tennessee
What is this flower? It came up and bloomed for about five days then died. It was a beautiful white trumpet shaped flower. It had one stem with four flowers. It came up like an Iris but we nver plante...
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Giles County, TN
Plant identification of vine in Tennessee
I have this vine that grows in my backyard and on the vine there are green balls about half the size of a hedge apple and inside balls are a bunch of seeds. The deer love to eat these. Do you know wha...
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Antioch, TN
Identification of vine with 4-petaled purple flower
Does anybody know what vine has a purple four petaled flower with small bulb in middle??
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Antioch, TN
Identity of white flowers, 6 petals and 5 yellow stamens
Have white flower with 6 petals and 5 yellow stamen in middle . Looks like yellow stamen star cluster. Could be Gladious or Star of bethleham but Star has 6 yellow stamen in middle right? Can you id...
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Minor Hill, TN
Identification of a vine in Tennessee
I have a beautiful vine with clusters approximately 70 feet
All the way up a tree in a heavily wooded area. It seems to be evergreen or semi- evergreen. Can you help identify?
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Murfreesboro, TN
Propagating Magnolia grandiflora from Murfreesboro TN
There are several Magnolia grandiflora (Southern magnolia) that have been planted in my neighborhood in middle Tennessee by a landscaping company, and now that they all appear to be producing seeds, ...
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Nashville , TN
Identity of a fern-like plant in Nashville TN.
There is a fern like plant that is growing in partial sun in my front yard. It closes and opens with the sun.
Its leaves are lacy and long; so far no flowers.
I have pictures but not for this format...
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Nashville, TN
Petals not developing on blackeyed susans from Nashville TN
I have an established "patch" of black eyes susans. This year, the leaves are beautiful, the centers black..but the petals are practically non existent. They didn't seem to develop correctly. Any...
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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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