Native Plants
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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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| Plant ID and pruning in Portage IN April 09, 2009 I'm looking for information on trimming a bush about 6 feet in diameter with orange horns in bloom and its name. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Pruning a mock orange in Charleston WV March 30, 2009 How far back and when do I prune a "Mock Orange" in order to get it to bloom? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Stubs of Texas Star Hibiscus in Abilene, TX March 26, 2009 We have cut back our outdoor Texas Star Hibiscus for 4 years and now have a large number of old stubs that the new growth must navigate around. Will it kill the plant if we dig up the old stubs? At so... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| When and how to prune lavender (Lavandula sp.) March 20, 2009 Dear Mr. Smarty Plants I have a Goodwin Creek Lavender plant that I planted last year. It did very well but my question is about pruining. It seems that there is some growth coming up now that it... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Cutting back achillea in New York March 18, 2009 Last summer I planted three gorgeous hearty achillea with flat, yellow tops, about 3 feet high or more each, in my sunny garden. But after they were done flowering, I left those very pretty brown stem... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Controlling size of red yucca in Austin March 13, 2009 I have planted red yucca in my backyard, which produces many flowering stalks for the past few years. These red yucca are becoming too large for the area that are planted in. What recommendations do... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Trimming a rock rose in Richardson TX March 11, 2009 I have a Rock Rose (Pavonia lasiopetala)in my garden. I cannot find any information on how to trim or whether I should trim this plant. If so when? Mine is pretty much growing all over the place and... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Removal of Carolina Jasmine in San Antonio March 02, 2009 We are attempting to permanently remove large old-growth Carolina Yellow Jasmine, Gelsemium sempervirens bushes from our property. The bushes are cut down. Any suggestions for stump/root removal (mec... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Trimming back Texas Star hibiscus in Granbury TX February 26, 2009 Can I trim back my Texas Star Hibuscus? And when do I do that? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Trimming a bur oak in Llano, TX February 06, 2009 We have a beautiful, large Burr Oak next to our house. This tree has many large lateral branches. I have trimmed dead branches, but no other trimming. It grows a lot of "suckers" during growing sea... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Maintenance of Bicolor Sage in Austin February 05, 2009 I had quite a bit of Bicolor Sage planted when my yard was landscaped. I am now wondering on the proper plant maintenance. Do I prune back and if so, how much and when do I prune? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Storm damage to native sweet bay magnolias in Kentucky February 04, 2009 Can you please share information on storm damage to sweet bay magnolias; if the top is broken off can the tree maintain its natural shape or will the sides begin to grow more than the top; i.e., growt... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Trimming of dead foliage on trunks of yucca in California December 21, 2008 There is a Yucca plant in the back yard. I want to know how to get the old foliage that has died off of the trunks, it looks kind of ragged. The foliage is about three feet from the green. Can you ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Hedge of native Purple Sage in Austin November 20, 2008 Hi, I would like to plant a dense hedge of Purple Sage that will hopefully grow from 6-8 ' tall and about 4' wide. I purchased the Silverado Sage Leucophyllum frutescens 'Berstar Dwarf' variety.... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Hurricane damage to pecan tree November 12, 2008 The recent hurricane twisted the top out of our pecan tree, leaving a couple still attached but down on the ground. Could we cut all of the damage off and just leave the trunk? Would there be a chan... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Winter pruning for yucca in Michigan November 10, 2008 I live in SE Michigan and have an outdoor yucca plant that has grown quite large. My father tells me that I can literally cut it down to the ground in the fall and that it will grow back the followin... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Trimming native Yucca filamentosa for winter in Illinois October 18, 2008 I live in northern IL and I have approximately 5 yucca plants, Adams needle, my question is do I need to trim them down for winter for best growth the next year? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Pruning of Burning Bush in Missouri October 15, 2008 I live in MO and am pretty sure I have burning bushes on either side of my deck. My question is that they are huge and overgrown but I feel if I cut them lower and shape the sides up I will be left w... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Pruning for native oak in Houston October 06, 2008 I have an oak tree, and I was wondering if I prune from the top down, would it get fuller at the bottom? Or can you tell me how to prune it? I have been pruning from the bottom up and it is growing ta... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Preservation of a Lantana Tree in New York October 05, 2008 I have a Lantana Tree that grew beautiful over the summer, now Winter is coming and I don't know what to do with this tree, I live in Monroe, New York. Could you please help me out. Thank you. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Freeze-back of Hamelia patens in winter in Texas October 03, 2008 Will the hamelia patens freeze back in the winter ? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Pruning native Senna lindheimeriana September 28, 2008 I asked a question about pruning a Texas Senna tree. The Texas Senna I have is either a S. wislizenii or a S.lindheimeriana. It is a beautiful tree that I purchased at a Texas Native Plant nursery. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Survival of native yaupon in The Woodlands, TX after hurricane September 25, 2008 One of my large native yaupons trees (8ft) fell away from a group during the hurricane. I have uprighted and tied it off for stability. Now the leaves are all brown and falling. Is the tree dead or... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Leaves dropping on native Texas Mountain Laurel in San Antonio September 20, 2008 Please help. We have a beautiful TX Mountain Laurel in our front yard. This year the leaves are dropping like snow in the north. What do you think is wrong with our tree? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Pruning mature cedar elm trees in San Antonio September 14, 2008 When is the right time to prune my several mature cedar elm trees? I'm in San Antonio, and they have never been trimmed in the 55 years we have lived in this home. I have several that are at least 7... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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