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.
Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
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.
Search Smarty Plants
| topic | question | |
| Pruning Texas madrone trees from Utopia TX August 19, 2012 I have a number of large Texas Madrone trees on my ranch in Utopia Texas. A few of them have dead limbs and I was wondering whether I should cut off the dead limbs or just leave the tree alone. I wa... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Time for trimming oaks from Boerne TX July 03, 2012 I want to trim a native red oak but am scared to touch it because I dont want to lose it. It is the primary source of shade in our back yard. Also I want to trim the live oaks and am surrounded with O... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Young oak damaged by falling tree from San Diego TX June 27, 2012 My neighbor's Palo Blanco tree was struck by lightning and fell over our fence and on to a young oak tree in our yard. We waited a few days to see if the neighbor would offer help, but he never did,... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Making Ruellia nudiflora thicker in pot from Tucson AZ June 25, 2012 Can Ruellia Nudiflora be propagated in the same pot as the parent plant? Can it be cut back to stimulate a denser plant? I have plants in several pots and would like to 'thicken' the plant. Tha... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Controlling oak suckers in Austin June 24, 2012 We have 2 live oak trees that are sprouting shoots all around the surrounding area. We would like to plant some grass and would like to remedy this first. We have mowed the shoots and still they jus... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Trimming oaks and elms from New Braunfels TX June 20, 2012 I would like to trim my live oaks and elm trees at the same time, if possible. I think they are American Elms. When is the best time to do this and avoid oak wilt and Dutch elm disease? Should all c... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Decorative Trees for Scenic Bench in Fairhope IL June 10, 2012 I am looking for a recommendation for a pair of small trees (does not grow taller than 18-20 feet) that can provide shade on either side of a stone bench. The site is in full sun, western exposure an... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Poverty plant overgrown in Austin June 06, 2012 We have a poverty plant that is too big for its space in our yard. We like it and want to keep it. Can it be transplanted easily? What about pruning it. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Failure to bloom of Esperanza from Austin June 06, 2012 I have an Esperanza plant. I've had this plant for over 5 years. Its in a large pot. The plant has NEVER bloomed. I fertilize maybe once a month and dont seem to be over watering, only when I notice ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Pruning a rough-leaf dogwood in spring May 04, 2012 Is it OK to trim a rough leaf dogwood now? Should I spray after trimming? Thanks View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Trimming of penstemon after bloooming from Austin April 30, 2012 I planted a penstemon in my backyard last fall and it's doing great. Once the flowers have bloomed, do I cut the stalk back? It is about 2 ft tall and doesn't appear to be doing anything. I belie... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Seeds of agave attenuata from San Diego CA April 16, 2012 After the agave attenuata bloom dried up there are seeds like thing hanging on the foxtail; do I leave it until it dies or do I chop that down. Are those seeds for propagation. The leaves of the plan... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Red oaks that didn't drop leaves in Austin April 04, 2012 I have a number of Red Oaks on land that did not drop leaves this past fall. Now these same trees seem to be dead? It seems there's some type of mold/fungus on the trees. Some trees have small patche... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Flowers for days on end in California March 30, 2012 What are some plants or flowers that I can grow "all-year" in California? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Is a yucca going to have a stalk from Sylvania OH March 15, 2012 Hi, I was wondering if the stalk on a yucca plant grows back every year after it is cut off? How to tell if it is going to have a stalk because some of my yucca's do not have one? Thank you for your ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| pruning crape myrtle (ugh, non-native) March 05, 2012 We would like to plant a Dynamite Crape myrtle in front of our front window. They grow 20' to 30'. Can I trim it each year to about 15' to 20'? Should we plant it approximately 5 feet from the ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Pruning Agarita in the Winter February 18, 2012 I recently came upon a small grouping of agarita plants that had been somewhat choked by cedar. Having removed the cedar I noticed there were quite a lot of dead branches within the shrubs. Would Fe... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Trimming of Flame acanthus from Bastrop TX February 17, 2012 My flame acanthus never lost leaves off the bottom tier of branches this winter. With the brief warm weather and rain we've had, the top and middle tier of branches have all re-leafed. It is very l... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Roots in foundation of home in Audubon NJ February 17, 2012 I live in an old house (almost 90 years old), and within the past year I have noticed in one area the concrete basement floor breaking. Today I finally made time to investigate. In these old houses ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Removal of non-native invasive Ligustrum japonica from Austin February 14, 2012 I bought a house that I am slowly turning into a native garden, but as a teacher, I have a really small budget. One entire border of my backyard (30 feet) was planted with evil Ligustrum japonica. I l... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| When to prune Texas Coral Honeysuckle in Iredell, TX? January 31, 2012 When can I prune Texas coral honeysuckle? It needs to be pruned so that it will fill out. Also, how much do I prune it? Thank you, View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Care for indoor ivy from Carollton TX January 26, 2012 I have an indoor ivy that is on a pole. The pole is breaking, and I need to separate the ivy from the pole with the least amount of trauma to the plant. How should I do this? Thanks! View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Controlling oak suckers in Austin January 26, 2012 I live in Austin TX and have one particular native Oak tree in my back yard with a large bed around it. I don't plan on planting anything else in the bed since it is already nicely landscaped along ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Questions about care and pruning of Mexican Plum and Mountain Laurel in Austin, TX. January 24, 2012 I have a couple of questions regarding tree care and pruning. I have a Mexican Plum (Prunus mexicana), about 10 years old or so. I would like to prune it. Is it ok to prune now in late wi... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Cutting back of non-native Salvia Elegans in Portland OR December 31, 2011 I did not trim back my pineapple sage in the fall. It is now winter and the plants are bare sticks. Should I cut them back or leave them alone? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| topic | question | |