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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

blue springs, MO
General Wildflower Reference
Can you recommend a good general reference book on wildflowers that is not limited by being either regional or a field guide? (I already have Wildflowers Across America.) I am looking for a work whi...
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Blue Springs, MO
Blooms as far as the eye can see
Why are some wildflowers capable of putting on spectacular sweeps of blooms "for as far as the eye can see" such as Indian paintbrush at Vail Pass in Colorado, or bluebonnets in the Texas hill count...
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Blue Springs, MO
Checklist of native plants
I have recently submitted my membership. I would like to know if there is a complete list of wildflowers, that one may check off as they are seen, such as the birders check off their lifetime list.
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Lathrop, MO
Native plants for clay soil in Lathrop MO
My family just moved to the north Kansas City, MO area and would like to know what native species, both perennial and tree, will do best in the clay soil. It has already proven problematic as we have ...
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Lone Jack, MO
Removal of poison ivy by goat in Lone Jack MO
Easy organic removal of poison ivy?? I bought a goat, but you can borrow a neighbors. Always get 2 as they get lonely. They love to eat poison ivy, pull up vine roots and all, and leave the grass.
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Cameron, MO
Identification of pink flower near Austin
My mother found a flower early this spring at Chrystal Falls park just outside of Austin. It was between red and salmon pink in color, tubular in shape and about 4 inches long. It smells very bad, a...
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Independence, MO
Are variegated ginger plants poisonous to cats?
Is a variegated ginger plant poisonous to cats?
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Kingsville, MO
Are there production timing guides for native plant production?
We need growers timetable guide for native plants from seed to salable size. Any already published guides out there?
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Lees Summit, MO
Patio materials under a native oak trees in Missouri
Is it safe to build a pavestone patio (with gravel sub base, Geo tech 101 fabric and sand bed..around two 50+ year old native oak trees? I know concrete would compact and cause damage to the surface ...
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Pleasant Hill, MO
Erosion control near creek in Kansas City, MO
I'm looking for something to plant to help stop erosion on my property. The spot I have in mind is on a slight natural grade heading toward the creek at the back of my property. Any ideas on what t...
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Pleasant Hill, MO
Groundcover for erosion control in Missouri
Can you suggest a ground cover to stop erosion on a slight slope in my backyard? I live in Missouri - the soil is very poor in this area and has lots of rock underneath the soil. The yard drains int...
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Pleasant Hill, MO
Deadheading flowers on hybrid Black Knight butterfly bush
I have two Black Knight Butterfly bushes in my landscape. Should I deadhead the flowers on this bush? Also, should I prune this back, if so, when, how much? I live near Kansas City, Missouri.
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Lake Winnebago, MO
Pollination of blackberries in Lake Winnebago, MO
Not sure if blackberries are native, but my daughter got a start of one at a plant exchange at the nature center. Do we need more than one for it to pollinate correctly? We have strawberries growing i...
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Lake Winnebago, MO
Non-native Hyacinth Bean vine dying
I live in Missouri and have tried to grow hyacinth bean. Mine drop leaves (after some yellow appears on on them)and the vine turns yellow, then withers to brown. Other places near me grow them beautif...
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Kansas City, MO
Deterring geese from a wildflower garden
I've moved into a home with a large pond beyond the grass yard. I intend to plant a sunflower house with lots of other plants as part of the structure, such as flowering vines, clover, mint and thyme...
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Kansas City, MO
Tree for a Missouri yard
Our front yard tree died. We have landscaping that needs shade. We are in Zone 5, looking for a fast/medium growing shade tree that does not produce anything that falls into the grass and will allow t...
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Kansas City, MO
Plants for dog-safe privacy hedge in Missouri
I live in Missouri and would like to put a "living fence" around my yard for some privacy. Ideally, I want something that is going to grow fast so that I don't have to wait years and years for my ...
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Kansas City, MO
Groundcover for shady slope in clay soil
I need to stop erosion on a very shady, sloping side of my house. It is cly soil. We drive our rider mower over it to get to the grassy area in our yard. What perennial ground over might work? Thank...
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Kansas City, MO
Native Plants for a Shaded Patio Container in Missouri
What kind of native plants would grow well in a pot on a fully shaded patio? I live in Kansas City, Missouri. The patio faces north and doesn't get any direct sunlight, but it gets lots of indirect...
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Kansas City, MO
Are freshwater sponges poisonous if eaten by a dog?
Are freshwater sponges, native to Missouri, poisonous if eaten by a dog?
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kansas city, MO
Identification of plants seen at Disneyworld
I was hoping for the answer to a certain plant that i have been trying figure out the name of and where i might be able to purchase this particular plant. I have seen it in the Bahamas, Hawaii, and re...
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