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
Bruceville, TX
Native trees to replace dying Arizona ash (Fraxinus velutina)
I have two 25-30 year old Arizona Ash trees in my front yard, which I think are dying. They are the only shade my house gets, and I am dreading losing them. (They are massive and beautiful) What are m...
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Moody, TX
Bald cypress with chlorosis in Texas
I have a 6' tall Bald Cypress planted 2 years ago which just this year appears to be suffering from chlorosis. The tree was bought from a chain store. It receives some drainage water from my washin...
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Moody, TX
Identification of strange dark green blobs
In my back yard I have a type of plant with no roots only around in the summer and when it rains. It looks like a person took a piece lettuce and put way too much water into it and wadded it up. It ...
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Moody , TX
Differences between smooth bark and rough bark Arizona cypress
What is the difference between smooth bark Arizona Cypress and rough bark Arizona Cypress in terms of tree growth, form, foliage, etc.? Will one grow better than the other in the Waco area?
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Troy, TX
Planting and growing bluebonnets
I am looking for bluebonnet seed planting suggestions.
when? How? I found a source for seed. I want to plant about 2500 sq foot area.
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Hewitt, TX
Elimination of nutgrass
Nutgrass has taken over my vegetable and perennial garden to the point that I can not see my plants or granite sand paths. The two major areas are about 600 square feet in total. What can I do to co...
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Hewitt, TX
Low evergreen drought-resistant shrubs for area in partial shade
I promised my mom to help her with some new plants for her house, so here goes. She lives near Waco on Blackland clay soil. The problem area is right in front of the house. It only receives a few hour...
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Hewitt, TX
When is the appropriate time to prune pecan trees in Hewitt?
Labor Day Weekend my husband decided to trim all the low branches on a big pecan tree in our back yard which I thought should had been done at the first of the year, our temprature is in the mid 90's...
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Chilton , TX
Identification of trees in Georgetown and Austin area from Chilton TX
I recently visited Georgetown,Texas and the Austin, Texas area. There were many multi-trunk trees in yards and in landscaping at the hotel we stayed at. What kind of trees are these multi-trunk tr...
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McGregor, TX
Esperanza turning brown in McGregor TX
Why are my Esperanza turning brown?
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Lott, TX
Live oak trees and possible drought stress in Lott, TX.
One of our Live Oak trees is losing leaves in only a portion of it. I have researched Oak Wilt and I am not sure that is what it has. We have trees that are hundreds of years old and was wondering i...
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Lott, TX
Problems with non-native Indian hawthorns in Lott TX
My Indian Hawthornes have developed brown leaves. I planted them about four years ago and until now they have done very well. I bought some 3 in 1 garden spray for fungus, but I don't know if that ...
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Temple, TX
Annual for poor drainage area in Temple TX
What annual would you recommend for a bed with poor drainage for summer color ?
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Temple, TX
Texas wildflowers that have fragrance from Temple TX
Do you have a list of Texas wildflowers that put out a fragrance?
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Temple, TX
Nativity of Lantana camara and Strelitzia reginae
I was wondering why Lantana Camara is not in the Wildflower's database. Multiple sources say it is native to the U.S. and North America.
I was also wondering if Strelitzia reginae (Bird-of-Paradise...
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Temple, TX
transplanting Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum capillus-veneris)
Behind our house is a huge grotto with a spring flowing through it that runs into a creek. Because of the constant flow of water, there are many of the Maidenhair Ferns (Adiantum capillus-veneris). I ...
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Temple, TX
Identification of landscape plants at malls in Waco and Temple
Dear Mr. Smarty,
I am trying to identify a plant used in landscaping for several shopping centers within the Waco-Temple areas. It looks to be large mounding grass, but flowers June-July with shaft...
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Temple, TX
Removing insects from seeds
I collect and plant native seed for Blackland
Prairie restoration. Have recently collected a good bit of purple prairie clover. Now small beetles are hatching out of it in pretty good numbers. What ...
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Temple, TX
Endangered/threatened status for Hexalectris spicata in Texas
I was wondering about the status of Crested Coralroot Orchid (Hexalectris spicata) in Texas. Over the years I have located several clumps of them growing on a ranch in southern Bell county. The mos...
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Temple, TX
Problems with Strawberry Hedgehog cactus from Temple TX
I had purchased a Strawberry hedgehog Cactus (echinocereus stramineus) a few years ago from the Wildflower Center's annual plant sale and planted it then. It has now started to brown from bottom to t...
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Temple, TX
Flowering perennials beneath Ashe juniper.
Dear Sir: What type of flowering perennial plants will grow underneath Mountain Cedar and its pine needles? Thanks.
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