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.
Support NPINHelp grow the Native Plant Information Network by giving to the Plant Database Fund or subcribing to Wildflower magazine.
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
Simonton, TX
Wild plum tree failing to bloom from Simonton TX
I have a wild plum tree that has been in the ground for 3 or 4 years and it has not ever flowered. Why? I don't know what kind it is. I dug it up from a friends yard. Her wild plum trees have flowere...
view the full question and answer
Fulshear, TX
Is Texas Mountain Laurel Honey Toxic in Fulshear, TX?
Toxicity of Texas Mountain Laurel HONEY
I know the seeds and leaves of the Tx Mountain Laurel are toxic. But, is honey that comes from the Mountain Laurel toxic too? I heard that it is, but can'...
view the full question and answer
Fulshear, TX
Best time to plant non-native Crape Myrtle in Fulshear TX
When are the best times to plant Crape Myrtles? My husband and I have just moved to Fulshear, TX (just slightly west of Houston) and being summer, I didn't think this was the best planting period. ...
view the full question and answer
East Bernard, TX
Flowers for sandy soil and sun in Wharton Co., TX
I live in Wharton County. I am looking for flowers to plant in beds that have sandy soil and are well drained. The area receives sun all day until 5-6 in the afternoon. I would like to have flowers t...
view the full question and answer
Katy, TX
Care of Live Oaks
We have Two Young Live Oaks in the front of Our home. We had them treated for insects, ect. Now what can we do to make them Full Green and Happy Happy Happy again.Thank You
view the full question and answer
Katy, TX
Planting Live oak trees in Katy, TX.
We are building a house in a neighborhood where the HOA requires two live oaks in the front yard. Our lot is pie shaped leaving a very small front yard once you take into acct the driveway and sidewal...
view the full question and answer
katy, TX
need recommendation for small evergreen shrub in Katy, TX
recommendation regarding small to mediun evergreen palnt in full sun in 2feet by8 feet area.
view the full question and answer
Katy, TX
Chlorotic disease in scrub oak from Katy TX
Please tell me how to treat my scrub oak as it has chlorotic disease. Parts of the tree are fine and others have yellow leaves. It has not been injured in any way.
view the full question and answer
Katy, TX
Growths on Shumard Red Oak leaves from Katy TX
Our beautiful Shumard Red Oak has developed lots of light green grape like growths on the leaves. Please inform us what this could be and how we should treat it?
view the full question and answer
Katy, TX
Looking for tree to absorb sound from neighbor's pool
Our neighbors have put in a new pool with a harmonic pitch sound which resonates in my home. We have tried rubber mats and foam on the fence. Nothing is working. My pool guy suggested trees as the ...
view the full question and answer
Katy, TX
Status of Texas Olive tree in Katy, TX
I have a Texas Olive tree and it has very few leaves. Is this normal?
view the full question and answer
Katy, TX
Small trees for property edge in Katy TX
By deed restriction, I must have five trees on the side of my small suburban lot just west of Houston, TX. Due to the lot layout, the trunks are only about 8-10 feet from the house, with the trees abo...
view the full question and answer
KATY, TX
ID for Caribbean mystery plants.
I AM TRYING TO FIND THE COMMON NAME FOR TWO FLOWERS I TOOK PICTURES OF ON A CARIBBEAN CRUISE. I TOOK ONE IN HONDURAS AND ONE IN GRAND CAYMAN. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHERE I CAN GO TO TO GET HELP IN ID...
view the full question and answer
Katy, TX
Pruning Live Oak trees to limit height.
I notice many of my neighbors here in Katy (Fort Bend county) would have landscapers cut the lower limbs/branches of the live oak trees in their front yards, and the trees naturally keep getting talle...
view the full question and answer
Katy, TX
Live oak bark splitting in Katy TX
We have a 7 yr old live oak that looks like its bark is splitting open in branches and top leaves look wilted. If that sounds like oak wilt, do we need to have the tree removed? We live in a subdivisi...
view the full question and answer
Katy, TX
Sequence of Seeding Wildflowers and Grasses in Texas
In the How To article on meadow gardening, it recommends that a good chunk of your garden (50%-80%) should be native grasses. The kind mentioned in that article are typically warm season grasses. In...
view the full question and answer
Katy, TX
Live Christmas tree in Katy, TX
My husband is really bent towards having a live "Christmas tree" in the front yard. I hate to use anything non-native so I am looking for a native Texas juniper shrub or a small tree that can be tri...
view the full question and answer
Katy, TX
When does Bouteloua dactyloides (Buffalograss) go to seed in southern US?
When does Bouteloua dactyloides go to seed in the southern United States, mainly Texas?
view the full question and answer
Katy (Houston), TX
Southern Woodferns in TX
I have recently bought some 3 gallon southern woodferns, and have planted them in the shade in a low spot with clay soil. It seems to be a good location for the ferns, but a week or two after transpla...
view the full question and answer
Katy, TX
Ticks on native grasses in Katy, TX.
Are there native grasses that are less susceptible to tick infestation than others?
view the full question and answer
Katy, TX
Determining whether a wisteria is native in Katy TX
If a wisteria is blooming after the leaves are out (there are a couple of blooms right now, in July), is it a sure sign that this is a native Texas wisteria?
view the full question and answer