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
Lake Charles, LA
Plants for southwest Louisiana courtyard
Hi,
I live in southwest Louisiana,very close to Texas. I would like to remove the grass in my townhome backyard (east sun exposure) and create a courtyard by adding pavers. However I am planning on...
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Lake Charles, LA
Need mowable ground cover for shady area under trees in Lake Charles, LA.
I live in Southwest Louisiana. I have a large portion of my back yard that is very shady because I have large trees in the yard. The area dries up fairly quickly after a heavy rain, so it isn't extre...
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Lake Charles, LA
Why is Water Hyacinth an invasive plant and Pickerel Weed isn't in Metarie, LA?
Water Hyacinth. Would you please tell me why the Eichhornia crassipes (non-native) vs. Pickerelweed (native) is invasive vs. non-invasive? What are easy identifiers for these aquatic plants? Th...
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Basile, LA
Colorful flowering plants in shade of live oak in Louisiana
What colorful flowering plants can be grown near the shady base of live oak trees in the Deep South?
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Vidor, TX
Viability and storage of bluebonnet seeds past "use by" date
I have several packets of Bluebonnet seeds and wildflower seeds which have "packed for 2006 use by 3/07". My questions: 1) will these seeds be good for the 2007 growing season?; 2) how should I ...
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Port Arthur, TX
Seeding the opposite bank of a canal in Texas
We have a canal in our backyard. I thought it would be lovely to have flowers growing on the opposite bank. I could get to it to toss seeds, but not plant anything in the dirt because the ground slop...
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Nederland, TX
Differences between Ratibida columnifera and Ratibida peduncularis
How do you tell the difference between Ratibida columnifera and Ratibida peduncularis. On NPIN columnifera has red and penduncularis is solid yellow, but I have seen pictures listed as columnifera tha...
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Nederland, TX
Difference between Oxalis debilis and Oxalis violacea
There are two species of pink oxalis reported to grow here in Jefferson County, Oxalis debilis (introduced) and O. violacea (native). How can I positively identify which one I have growing in my yard?
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Nederland, TX
The Designation of Annual and Perennial Plants
Sometimes when researching a plant I will find it listed as both annual and perennial. I understand that some plants will be perennial in a warm climate and die in a colder zone, but it is still a per...
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Nederland , TX
How to distinguish white-flowered Baptisias?
How can I tell the difference between Baptisia alba and Baptisia alba var. macrophylla
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Nederland, TX
Native Texas Plants for a Terrarium
I have a 55-gallon aquarium that I would like to make into a terrarium. Are there any Texas native plants that would do well in the limited artificial light of the tank? The plants should be of varyin...
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Nederland, TX
Replacement of black willows killed by Hurricane in Nederland, TX
Hurricane Ike wiped out all the native black willow trips in Texas Ornithological Birding Sanctuary in Sabine Pass and 5 miles down the road at Sea Rim Park. We had hoped that after 1 1/2 years, they ...
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Nederland , TX
How to distinguish Malvaviscus arboreus from M. a. var. drummondii?
I have a Turk's Cap plant. How do I tell if it is Malvaviscus arboreus or Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii?
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Kirbyville, TX
Plant identification
My nephew bought an old farmhouse in Southeast Texas. There is a plant there that has glossy leaves similar to a lemon leaf. I cannot tell from the pic if it is a shrub or a vine. It is blooming now, ...
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Kirbyville, TX
Fast-growing trees for privacy in East Texas
Fast growing tree seeds for my area to create a tree grove for privacy.
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Beaumont, TX
Companion Plants for Texas Mountain Laurel
I am building a garden from scratch and need help. I want to plant a Texas mountain laurel on each front section of my house in front of a window, and I also want to use Thumbelina Leigh English laven...
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Beaumont, TX
Smarty Plants on Katy Ruellia
What can you tell me about Katy Ruellia? I need something with color that will take the hot southeast Texas summers and the cold/wet winters that stays decent and will flower.
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Beaumont, TX
Is Rudbeckia hirta annual, biennial... or what?
The desciption for Rudbeckia hirta says it is biennial and blooms the second year then further down the page it says it is an annual, which is it? Will I see blooms the first or second year?
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Beaumont, TX
Smarty Plants on pollinators
I am researching threatened pollinators in Texas and elsewhere - bees, butterflies, hummingbirds. I would like your input on the subject.
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Beaumont, TX
Plant identification called Touch-Me-Not, Impatiens sp.
Dear Mr. Smarty Plants:
My grandmother used to have a bed of plants that would come up every year that she called "Touch Me Nots". The flower was about 1 1/2" across, orangey with flat green leav...
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Beaumont, TX
Identification of a plant that appears to be a pink Merremia.
I recently discovered a plant growing locally that was not blooming, but based on the leaves and seed pods I thought it might be Merremia quinquefolia. This week I was able to catch it blooming and th...
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