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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!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

Questions From Near You

Pittsfield, IL
Wildflowers planted in Pittsfield, IL to bloom the first of October
If I plant my wildflower seeds now in Illinois, is it possible they will bloom in three months (by the very beginning of October)?
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Plainville, IL
Dictionary of botanical names
I am looking for an online resource that will tell me what the botanical names mean, for example, Cornus florida. Why is it named that? Surely somewhere there is information that explains the meanin...
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Quincy, IL
Nutlet on rudbekia plants from Quincy IL
On rudbeckia plants, what is a nutlet?
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Quincy, IL
Spraying paint on White Pine tree trunks
Is there a paint that is safe to spray on a tree trunk without damaging/killing the tree? We have White Pines that have ~16" spacing without limbs & would like to 'camouflage' the bare space. If pa...
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Quincy, IL
Plant Suggestions for a Partly Sunny Steep Bank in Illinois
I am looking to plant something on a steep clay bank on our Illinois property. It is on the edge of our dirt road with trees above the bank and is partly sunny. What would work best for that type of a...
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Troy, MO
Is Clethra alnifolia toxic to dogs?
Is Clethra alnifolia toxic to dogs?
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Monroe City, MO
Plant identification
I have discovered a vine growing in my boysenberry patch, perhaps spread by birds, but I can't find it in any books. It has 5 smooth leaves with burgundy, pinkish racemes, much like snap dragon flow...
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Wright City, MO
Native wildflowers for Missouri
I live in the midwest, Wright City, Missouri. I have good dirt, not clay or sand. I love wildflowers. What kind of wildflowers can I grow here successfully?
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Foristell, MO
Plants safe for donkeys in Foristell MO
I am looking for a plant that can grow next to a farm fence, preferably the length of the fence approx 75 ft. in a long row, one that miniature donkeys can safely eat, if they so choose. I like your ...
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Foristell, MO
Sappy dew killing plants under oaks in Missouri
There is a sappy dew killing my perennials.I have several large oaks in my yard. I had different kinds of shade perennials around each base of the trees. But as years have gone by, the different varie...
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O'Fallon, MO
Earliest spring wildflowers from O'Fallon Mo.
Which spring wildflower blooms first around the St. Louis area?
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O Fallon, MO
The effect of plant growth regulators (PGRs) on tall grass species
I have a question about some established native grass areas that we have on our golf course in eastern Missouri. For the past eight or nine years we have been working hard to transition these areas f...
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Ipava, IL
Plants for erosion control in IL
Steep 40ft slope in rural Illinois with Sandy soil. Recently several trees slid down this slope due to wet conditions. We need any inexpensive plants to hold the hillside in check before erosion creep...
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St Louis, MO
Toxicity of barren strawberries
Are barren strawberries toxic? .
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St. Charles, MO
Looking for pink star grass (Rhodohypoxis milloides)
I am looking for a wildflower/plant called Pink Star Grass (common name). I am not sure what the proper name is. Can you help me with this? I would like information on it, and also would like to pu...
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St. Charles, MO
Yellowing foliage on a lemon cypress from St. Charles MO
I recently received a lemon cypress tree as a gift. After about a month we transplanted it outside and the foliage turned from a light green to a yellow color. Is this normal? The tree doesn't app...
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St. Charles, MO
Repairing Previous Silver Maple Pruning Damage
I cut a limb off my silver maple wrong and now the trunk is developing a hole. What is the best treatment?
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Saint Charles, MO
Promoting bloom in Chocolate Summer Mimosa
Please help! I purchased a Chocolate Summer Mimosa from one of our local nurseries. It was a brand new plant to them and they don't really know much about them. I planted it just 3 years ago as an...
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Alton, IL
Trees and other plants for privacy along lake shoreline
We are purchasing a new home that has a 2 acre lake. We would like to add some plants/trees for privacy around the shore line. Can you suggest something that would fill in nicely and is strong enoug...
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Florissant, MO
Shelf life of hawthorn leaves in Florissant, MO
I have a bag of hawthorn leaves that were harvested in 2007. Do you know if they're still effective? How long is the shelf life of hawthorn leaves? Thank you for your assistance.
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Florissant, MO
Germination of Passiflora incarnata seeds
I wish to purchase the Passionflower incarnata plants. I have found seeds, but they say they are very hard to start. I lost my very large vine and wish to replace it.
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