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
Rock Port, MO
Shrubs to block dust from dirt road
I live on a dirt road in Northwest Missouri. Could you recommend a fast growing, low maintenance shrub/bush that will form a barrier to block the dust from the dirt road?
Thank you
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Maryville, MO
Salvia that needs dividing in Maryville MO
I have some May Night salvia that is 3 years old. Last summer it split in the middle and spent a lot of the summer laid open. I'm wondering if it needs to be split or pruned in some way?
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Plattsmouth, NE
Native trailing plant for Nebraska
I live in the tall grass prairie area of Eastern Nebraska and am working on some prairie restoration and native plantings. I have just put in a limestone retaining wall and would like to find a nativ...
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Wathena, KS
Raspberries in KS
A friend told me that when he planted golden raspberries next to red and black-raspberries that the golden raspberries did not produce any fruit. He was told that when planted near each other, the go...
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ST. Joseph, MO
What is gelatinous plant in a Missouri lake
Q what is gel like plant floating in lake looks like a bag filled with green living plant and is see thru and has red. when touched feels like piece of fat but seems to be living in water. Missouri
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Oakland, IA
School Rain Garden in Iowa
Could you recommend plants for a rain garden to be installed on a middle school campus in the Council Bluffs Iowa area????
Many thanks!
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Omaha, NE
Eliminating invasive, non-native chameleon plant from Omaha NE
I have been attempting to eradicate the chameleon plant in my gardens for 3 years. I have sprayed Round Up and covered with newspaper then mulch and it is coming back again this year! I am wondering...
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omaha, NE
Various landscape problems in Omaha, NE.
Thank you for your time, sorry i cant sort this out because my issue seems to fit many but also none of the issues I've read about. Some patches of grass in my lawn have yellow spots and dying and/or...
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Omaha, NE
Reason for die-back of native Mahonia repens
I have several mahonia repens plants planted on my property. This is the third spring for them and I have noticed that they look like they might be dying out. The leaves have turned brown and are cu...
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Omaha, NE
Native holly (ilex) for Austin area
Hi--my brother and his family live in Austin, TX--their german shepard "Holly" just died (she was 13)--I was throwing around the idea of sending them a holly plant of some sort to have in honor of H...
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Beatrice, NE
Where to buy a non-native globe willow from Beatrice NE
Where can one buy a globe willow tree?
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Lincoln , NE
Hybrid of Campsis radicans to attract hummingbirds
Hello :)
I am not new to gardening...just new with new varieties of plants/flowers. I tried to do my "homework" first before contacting you...so I do appreciate your time.
Anyhoo, I'm developin...
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Lincoln, NE
Identification of Sagittaria-like plant with purple flowers
I have collected a wetland plant that I can't seem to identify. Its an emergent plant collected along with a species of sagittaria. Very similar in leaf structure to an sagittaria or alisima, but i...
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Lincoln, NE
Scale on non-native Loropetalum in Lincoln, NE
Hi,I have found lots of scale insects on my Loropetalum (esp the young leaves) and ended up spraying some white oil to get rid of them. Unfortunately, I might have overdone it and the young shoots are...
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Lincoln, NE
Sources of Rosa acicularis for research
I am a professor at the University of Nebraska and would like to obtain some Rosa acicularis plants to do research with. Can you tell me how to purchase them.
Thanks.
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Lincoln, NE
Non-invasive plants for hummingbird and butterfly garden
Hello :)
I've been building a huge Hummingbird and Butterfly garden. Up until now I've only had the Milkweeds and Dill for host plants for the Monarch and Black Swallowtail Butterflies. I'd love t...
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Maysville, MO
Are buckbrush (coralberry) berries poisonous?
Are the berries on buckbrush (Symphoricarpos orbiculatus) poisonous to humans?
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Bennington, NE
How do plants living in various climates differ?
Do plants that live in different climates have different tecture or are they just totally different?
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bennington, NE
Thickness of liquid when growing plants
Q: Does the thickness of liquid matter when growing plants?
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Bennington, NE
The most important part of growing plants.
In your opinion what is the most important part of growing plants.
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Bennington, NE
Difference in natural soil and potting soil.
If you buy store bought soil is it different than soil from the ground?
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