Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members 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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Smarty Plants Question Topics
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
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| Replacement for shade grass in El Paso TX April 05, 2013 We currently have a Honey Mesquite tree with thinning bermuda grass underneath in our front yard. I suspect that the filtered shade is killing the bermuda. I was thinking of planting Buffalo Grass, or... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Nimblewill grass for a shady area in Dallas April 04, 2013 i have a very shady backyard and reading some of your post I think Muhlenbergia schreberi (nimblewill) will survive. Two questions: Is it drought resistant? Where can I buy the seeds? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plants to grow in shady sand in Florida March 31, 2013 We live in central Florida (directly between Orlando and Tampa). Our yard is mostly sand for soil and difficult parts in shade almost all day from large trees. What ground cover (grass) and hedges can... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Deer resistant, shade tolerant foundation plants for Kerrville TX March 30, 2013 I'm looking for foundation plants for shade that are deer resistant. Tall as well as medium height. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Deer resistant, shade tolerant trees for part shade in Highland MD March 29, 2013 Deer resistant privacy trees for partial shady area in Highland, MD. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Evergreen, deer resistant privacy screen for Villanova PA March 29, 2013 Looking for something that is deer resistant and ideally evergreen to block a shed and fence that my neighbor recently installed. Live in Eastern PA. Not the best drainage and also shade for most of... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| South Austin Groundcovers for Oak Shade March 29, 2013 Hi! I live in S. Austin now but used to work at the Wildflower Center! My backyard is shady with several oak mots. Do you have any suggestions as to what if any ground cover will grow in all that sha... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plants to grow in shady area near a pecan tree in Maryland March 26, 2013 I live on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. I have planted only natives in my front lawn. My backyard, which sports a pecan tree, fir, fig tree, and others I can't identify is dirt, just dirt. I have... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Tolerance of plants in area of Amarillo TX March 24, 2013 I want to know tolerance in the Amarillo area for Diospyros texana, Berberis trifoliata, and Capsicum annuum where it gets colder, is dry, and intensely hot in summer. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| How to stabilize a slope under Red Oaks? March 19, 2013 A portion our front "yard" (20x40 feet) is a limestone hillside shaded by 3 large spanish oaks. The small amount of grass holding onto the hillside is now gone from the drought, and the hill has er... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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