Native Plants
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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
Broaddus, TX
Native plants for birds and butterflies
We have a home on Lake Sam Rayburn and in the process of putting in some plants and shrubs around our new home. I would like them to be native to the area and attract birds, butterflies and hummingbir...
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Broaddus, TX
Lace Bugs on Lantana
All my lantana bushes are suffering from severe lace bug infestation. The lace bugs have been seen via microscope as well exoskeletons and poop. The buds are destroyed and I have no flowers for hummin...
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Hemphill, TX
Groundcovers for steep slope in East Texas
I HAVE A LAKE LOT IN EAST TEXAS ON TOLEDO BEND RESERVOIR IN HEMPHILL TEXAS. THE LAKE LOT IS BEAUTIFUL BUT VERY STEEP. IN SOME SPOTS IT IS ENTIRELY TOO STEEP TO MOW. IT WAS COMPLETELY GROWN UP WHEN WE ...
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Hemphill, TX
Identification of tiny blue flower blooming in February
There is a very small four petal flower that appears near the end of Winter. (This year they appeared in late Feb).
These little flowers are a "Light Blueish" hue. They are around a quarter inch ac...
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Hemphill, , TX
When to plant bermudagrass in East Texas
When to plant Bermuda grass in East TX, Center, Nacodoches, Lufkin and Center area?
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Pineland, TX
Identify red-flowering vine in E. Texas
Beside a well on an old homestead in Deep East Texas, there is a delicate vine. The leaves are heart shaped with points all the way around. The flower is a bright red trumpet shaped. I saw an angel ...
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Nacogdoches, TX
When will bluebonnets bloom in Texas this year from Nacogdoches, TX
When can we expect to see bluebonnets blooming in Texas this year?
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Nacogdoches, TX
Eliminating weeds from seeded wildflower stands
We live in Eastern Central Texas in a small community on Texas Highway 7.
Last fall, we went to the Wildseed Flower Farm near Fredricksburg and purchased
a bag of mixed wildflower seeds and planted...
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Nacogdoches, TX
Native groundcover for sun in East Texas
I am hoping you can advise me on a native, flowering, fast growing groundcover that would thrive in full sun, with some shady areas under a couple camellia trees. I live in Nacogdoches and have sandy...
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Nacogdoches, TX
Plant identification
My neighbor has a few trees in his pasture that his horses love to eat the fruit off of. The fruit looks like a lemon but smaller and has lots of seeds inside of it. The trees have very long thorns on...
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Gary, TX
East Texas grasses for holding soils
Hi Mr. Smarty Plants,
I have a question about the East Texas area: Specifically, which natvie grasses can be planted to hold the soil/new roads through the winter?
Here is the situation: (Against...
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LUFKIN, TX
Brownish-gold worm-looking things on loblolly pines
We have a large loblolly pine that each spring drops thousands of brownish-gold "worm" looking things (about 1/2 to 1" long). Do they have a name and what is their purpose?
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Lufkin, TX
Winter wildflower blooming in East Texas in the winter
Is there a wildflower that will grow/bloom in east texas during the winter that can be tilled into garden in springtime. We put rye and red clover but were interested in getting some color/variety to ...
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Lufkin, TX
Yaupon in bonsai failing to thrive in Lufkin TX
Hi,I have a yaupon that I've turned into a bonsai. It's been producing new vegetation until about a month ago. Then all of a sudden the branches started drooping and the leaf tips started turning bl...
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Lufkin, TX
Plant identification
I have an area of some plants growing wild in woods behind my house. It will creep onto adjoining plants and has a delicate lavender colored flower that is curled up similar to a sweetpea, has a very ...
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Lufkin, TX
Hydrangea with Pest and Sun Issues
My hydrangea is in trouble. Something is eating holes in the leaves which then turn brown on the edges (the holes and the tips of the leaves are also burned). It looks like someone burned them with ...
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Lufkin, TX
Scorched leaves on Red Maple from Lufkin TX
I have a Red Maple that we planted in Lufkin, TX about a month ago and fertilized about 2 weeks ago. We water the tree often. The leaves have become scorched looking on the outside of about 1/3 of t...
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Lufkin, TX
Plant Identification
I have encountered a plant (two growing side by side) in our wooded back yard. It came up on its own, is about two feet tall, has leaves resembling that of an Angel's trumpet, about 4-5" long, jagge...
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Lufkin, TX
Native roses and other flowering shrubs for Lufkin, Texas
I would like to know some native blooming shrubs, and roses for my area. I have found that all of the old native plants have a greater success rate. I would like to find a white shrub rose for plant...
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Lufkin, TX
Are berries of coral honeysuckle edible from Lufkin TX
Are the berries of coral honeysuckle edible?
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Jasper, TX
Carolina allspice (Calycanthus floridus) in Jasper TX
Carolina allspice (calycanthus floridus) grows in my yard in East Texas. It is native to the eastern U.S., but I notice there is a variety whose distribution extends through Louisiana. Since I live in...
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