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
Tylertown, MS
Fertilizing oaks to produce acorns
Will fertilizing oak trees help with acorn production?
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Hattiesburg, MS
Pruning Citrus Suckers
Mr. Smarty Plants, you are the only person that has "not" insisted that the little balls on Satsuma and lemon trees were clumps of bugs. They are surely what you described in the answer to my previo...
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Hattiesburg, MS
Source of Dalea greggii seeds
I want to purchase Gregg Dalea seeds. Where can I order them?
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Hattiesburg, MS
Need landscape suggestions for area exposed after last flood on Black Creek in Forrest County. MS
We live on the Black Creek in Mississippi. After the last flood, we now have a steep sandy slope which is unmowable, and incredibly weedy. We want to remove the unsightly weeds- kill if necessary, and...
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Hattiesburg, MS
Fuzzy Citrus Fruit on Satsuma and Lemon Trees
A man asked you about fuzzy little small fruit-like balls that looked like tiny lemons. I have huge numbers of these on both my mature Satsuma and lemon tree this year. I get 100's of really great f...
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Hattiesburg, MS
Plants for red clay in Hattiesburg, MS
Looking for plants and flowers to plant in red clay?
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Brooklyn, MS
Restoring a slope in the Mississippi sandhill region
We are building on 5 acres (leaving 60% as is, natural). Only building a small (900-1200 sq ft house) & clearing 1 acre of the valley for a pond. There is a steep slope (where we had to put field dra...
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Laurel, MS
Problems with water oaks from Laurel MS
The leaves on my mature water oak trees have been falling since the leaves matured. My area has had an abundance of rain this year, 11 inches above normal. All the trees in my area are doing the same....
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Laurel, MS
Propagation of century plants from "pups"
I have two small century plants...about 10 inches tall...they are "pups" from an older one. one of them has three or four very small roots and the other looks like it was pulled up out of the ground...
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Picayune, MS
Identification of plant with light orange fruit
Trying to identify a small, light orange, oval shaped fruit,light yellow/beige inside, many seeds, vine w/briars, behind an outbuilding in McNeill, MS. tks
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Covington, LA
Possibility of saving hurricane-damaged Umbrella Magnolia
Our beautiful umbrella magnolia Magnoliaceae Magnolia tripetala was toppled during Hurricane Katrina. We have lifted it back in place, however it looks very distressed. I have the following questions:...
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Covington, LA
Barrier Shrubs for North Carolina
Need a spiny barrier shrub that will grow in North Carolina shady rain forest (4,000 feet elevation) to deter trespassers wading down a creek from climbing on a private nature path that we constructed...
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Covington, LA
Native grasses for wildlife in Katrina recovery area of Louisiana
I live in La in an area decimated by Katrina and want to establish 11 acres of wildlife friendly native short grasses. It is partly designated wetlands because it floods, but also has long periods wi...
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Tickfaw, LA
Identification of a tree at David Crockett Cabin Museum in Tennessee
I was in Lawrenceburg TN and stopped by the David Crockett Cabin Museum. There was a tree and it dropped lemon sized balls on the ground. What kind of tree is it?
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Mandeville, LA
Black Walnut tree in LA
I was just given a black walnut tree and am trying to determine where to place it. I’ve read on your site that “Certain plants will not grow under Black Walnut trees because of the juglones that the ...
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Jackson, MS
Southern Live Oak Authority for Jackson MS
Who are the foremost authorities on Southern Live Oaks? May need expert testimony to oppose cutting of 50 year-old live oaks in boulevard of Riverside Drive in Jackson, MS
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Jackson, MS
Cold hardiness zones for plants from Jackson MS
How to search the plant database by cold-hardiness zone?
Is it possible to do combination search by zone (not just state?)
With the information provided with plant, I do not see the zone listed.
Ma...
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Jackson, MS
Year-round wildflower display in Mississippi
I live in central Mississippi and I'm interested in transforming a 2,000 sq. ft. turf area of my yard into a showy wildflower exhibit that will bloom from now(July) until winter and even possibly thr...
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Gulfport, MS
Non-native invasive Chocolate Mimosa in Gulfport MS
Another Mimosa Question: I have a newly planted chocolate mimosa; it has a single, 7 ft spindly trunk with approximately a 3 ft canopy. I'm afraid that its girth will not withstand much in terms of...
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Gulfport, MS
Can non-native guavas be successfully moved from Gulfport MS?
Can guavas be moved successfully from one established planted location to another? My mother is having to relocate due to MDOT and we would like to move her established guavas.
Thank you,
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Gulfport, MS
Ivy a suitable ground cover in Live Oaks from Gulfport MS
Will Ivy be a safe and suitable ground cover for old growth Live Oak trees in coastal Mississippi?
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