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 is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
Questions From Near You
Van, TX
Identity of mystery plant in non-native commercial forage mix
Dear Smart One,
I use a commercially prepared, fortified, chopped forage based on a mix of orchard and Timothy grasses. The bags are shipped in from out of State. However, I have been finding short s...
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Van, TX
Need information about broadcasting wildflower seeds in a pasture 70 miles east of Dallas, TX.
We recently moved to upper east TX - 70 miles East of Dallas. I would like to broadcast wildflowers in our pasture. I'm assuming I'll need to wait until next fall, but not sure about that. Can you t...
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Van, TX
Contacts for finding wildflowers in Texas
Do you have a website or phone number for updates to find blooming wildflowers?
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Van, TX
Need suggestions for a privacy screen besides Murray Cypress.
Mr. Smarty Plants,
I live in NE TX, about an hour east of Dallas on I-20. I hear interstate traffic behind my house, and have a busy street on its left side, and a school adjoining in back. I thi...
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Edom, TX
Erosion under a Live Oak in Edom TX
We have a large Live Oak tree in the front yard that I wouldn't part with for the world. The soil is almost solid sand underneath the tree, and in deep shade. It is on a slight slope and eroding wi...
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Lindale, TX
How to eliminate Sawgrass from a small lake in Lindale, TX?
We live on a small acre lake (about 65 acres) and the majority of the lake is surrounded by what the locals are calling saw grass. From the description on the website, I believe they are correct. The...
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Lindale, TX
Care for non-native Centipede grass
My lawn is Centipede. I have created a new lawn area. Can and when should I seed/overseed my lawn? I have Rye in the new area.
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Lindale, TX
Is Sedum recommended for a greenroof project in Houston
Would you recommend using Sedum for a green roof project in Houston, Texas? Will the humidity effect the sedum? If sedum would be a poor choice, what would you recommend for Houston?
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Chandler, TX
Injury while pulling weeds in Chandler TX
I stabbed my self this last weekend when pulling roots from a bed so i'm not sure what it was. At the time it was a sharp pain so I pulled off my glove to look at it,barely scratched the skin so on I...
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Murchison, TX
Plant identification
I have found what resembles a gooseberry growing from what appears to be a grapevine trellising on a fence beside a lake in East Texas. The stems are smooth and slender, nad as I stated before vine up...
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Edgewood, TX
Plants for privacy screen in Edgewood TX
Can you recommend a large fast growing tree, shrub, etc. that can give me some privacy from my neighbor across the street that likes to use his binoculars? I live in East Texas on about 10 acres.
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Quitman, TX
Butterfly gardening in Quitman, TX
We want to establish a butterfly garden in our back yard. What plants should we establish to attract the butterfly for food and host planting?
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Tyler, TX
Worms in wild plums
Wild Plums... They are just starting to get ripe here in East Texas. Picked a few today and they all had dark spots on them. When I cut them open there were tiny worms inside. Does this mean they a...
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Tyler, TX
Flower friends for roses in Tyler Texas
I have planted some double red Knockout roses and am looking for plants to go with them to add blue, white, pink and yellow hues. I am interested in planting something that will act as a ground cover ...
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tyler, TX
Cause of chlorosis on dogwood
Help!! I have been gone for three days, when I came home and looked out my back door I discovered that one of my huge dogwoods was turning yellow. We have had more than our share of rain this year and...
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Tyler, TX
Native plants that will grow under alleopathic black walnut
I have a large, beautiful black walnut tree in my yard and have trouble growing the annuals, begonia, impatients, etc., that I have always grown. They don't do well in the ground and I have resorted...
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Tyler, TX
Which Aristolochia species are toxic to pipevine swallowtail larvae
In a May 30, 2008 question regarding the toxicity of certain Aristolochia species to pipevine swallowtail larvae, I had heard the same from at a talk from the curator of the Cockrell Butterfly Center ...
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Tyler, TX
Identification of a wild vine in East Texas
Trying to identify a wild vine that grow 15-20 feet up our trees. The leaves are dark, glossy green about 2-3" long. The edges are smooth and elongated. Each leaf is placed to the right and then the ...
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Tyler, TX
Plant identification
There's a wildflower growing on my patio its leaves
look like the leaves of a lute leaf sage, it has a flower stalk with yellow flowers. The stalk is about a one foot high. What is the name of it?
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Tyler, TX
Plant identification
There is a wildflower growing in my pasture.
It is low growing, triangle leaves, flowers are blue, five petals with what looks like a white flower in the middle.
Gods blessings to all there.
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Tyler, TX
Ground cover for shady site in Tyler TX
I live in Tyler Texas and have a lot of shade and sandy soil. No grass will grow and I was wondering if I should look at ground cover instead? If so, what grows in shade and sand? I have tried sever...
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