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topicquestion
Questions about hollyhocks and yucca
May 25, 2016
I have 2 questions. In Western N.Y. State the hollyhocks grow like weeds but add color with their large stalks. I've sent for seeds and the best I can do in N.W.Travis county is 9 inch plants that die...
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Century Plant woes
May 04, 2016
My century plant was fine two weeks ago. Tonight I seen this. Not sure what is happening. It 9 years old. IMG_4716.JPG
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Growing Native Cactus Indoors in Dallas
December 17, 2015
I have a Chihuahuan fishhook cactus (Sclerocactus uncinatus), a pincushion cactus (Epithelantha micromeris) and a horse crippler (Echinocactus texensis), which I bring in for the winter, since they te...
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Puncture wound from Blue Agave leaf.
October 19, 2015
A blue agave leave went through my glove and into my hand. It's swelled up a bit and hurts. Is this just a passing thing.
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Opuntia drooping in Austin, TX
September 02, 2015
I planted an optunia spp. in March. It has nearly tripled in size. This week, I noticed the entire plant has started to droop. Temperatures have been very high with no rain for weeks. The cactus is...
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White spotting on prickly pear cactus
July 28, 2015
Hello- I have large prickly pear cacti and just noticed large white spotting on some of the leaves. I also see some black bugs and apparently they are the problem.They are about 1/4" long. How can I ...
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Yucca Blossoming in Minneapolis MN
July 07, 2015
I have 4 yr old yucca that sent out a five foot spike with flowers! I live in Minneapolis; is this unusual ?
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Need to have an Agave plant removed in Austin, TX.
July 01, 2015
I was wondering where or who could I have come to my business and buy my century agave plant. As it is growing crazy and we would like it removed.
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Twist-leaf Yucca flowering in Burnet County, TX.
June 16, 2015
I recently moved to Burnet County and our property is full of twist leaf yuccas which are now blooming, but not all are blooming. Why do some twist leaf yuccas bloom and others don't? Are they m...
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Will cochineal insects washed from cactus plants harm adjacent Oleander?
June 11, 2015
Will mealybugs (cochineal insects) power washed off prickly pear cactus harm adjacent oleander plants if the white fluff gets on the oleander? My neighbor asked me to power wash my prickly pears and t...
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Agave attenuata Poisonous?
March 12, 2015
Is Agave attenuata (foxtail agave) poisonous to horses or humans?
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Skin Reaction form Cochineal on Prickly Pear
February 16, 2015
I have severe burning and peeling skin on pads of fingers after touching "white stuff" on a prickly pear. White stuff tuned purple then burned skin even after washing hands. Skin has been cracking a...
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Will Sotol (Dasylirion wheeleri thrive in caliche soil?
December 02, 2014
I live on a high hill in the Hamilton Pool area outside of Austin. I am looking to plant a Dasylirion wheeleri that I grew from seed collected in New Mexico aria East Of Soccoro. I am wondering if the...
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Problems on Prickly Pear Cactus in Illinois
November 19, 2014
I have a fungus on my prickly pear cactus that is not a bug. I tested it and my fingers didn't turn red when I squeezed them. So how do I get rid of this as it is spreading to my other cacti?
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Propagation of Agave suckers
November 18, 2014
I'm trying to transplant Dragon Toes Agave suckers. Is this similar to other agave pup transplants?
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Need help with century plant in Willis, TX
September 21, 2014
Ok so I have two gorgeously monstrous century plants in my yard..I love em BUT I don't know if the have ever bloomed but since I am removing pups as fast as I can during the rainy season I'm assumin...
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Night-Blooming Cereus not Blooming
September 04, 2014
I have a plant called a night-blooming cereus, which during the warm season, is supposed to have blooms that come out at night and close up but don't fall off when morning approaches. But my cereus h...
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Can non-native Epiphyllum (Orchid Cactus) be grown in Round Rock, Texas?
July 01, 2014
Can the Epiphyllum (Orchid Cactus) be grown in the Round Rock Texas area or is this area too hot for it?
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Container plant in difficult sun exposure from Leander TX
June 06, 2014
HELP!!!! I have a large Mexican terracotta pot on my front porch. This awkward area is facing westward, so receives the full dose of Texas sun after about 3 pm onward. Now here's the catch; my fr...
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Unidentified stalk, possibly manfreda, from San Marcos TX
May 23, 2014
I had a very weird stalk pop up in my yard in San Marcos TX this month (May 2014) It bloomed very quickly and appears to be a manfreda but there is no rosette, or leaves of any kind - just the thick o...
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Problem garden strip in Austin
May 22, 2014
Currently I live in the west half of a duplex. There is a small strip of dirt about two feet wide between the wall and the sidewalk in the backyard. It faces west, meaning it only gets sunlight duri...
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Hanging plants for Austin, TX
May 18, 2014
I'm looking for a hanging potted flower suggestion for Austin. Most locations are shaded under a large tree, but some locations may have several hours of afternoon sun. I'd love to see some hummin...
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Propagation of an agave from Dripping Springs TX
April 30, 2014
Hi there, I have a Century Agave in my backyard. It is over 6 feet tall and is now producing the center stalk. I understand that means the plant is going to die. My question is how to harvest the pups...
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Source for DNA sequencing of Opuntia species
March 04, 2014
Hi Mr. Smarty Plants, I am trying to do a Opuntia speciation study, and rather just identifying the species by morphological comparison, I would also like to go a little deeper by comparing the DNA...
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Damage to Yucca rostrata from Nottingham, England
February 26, 2014
Hi, I have a yucca rostrata which has had its head snapped off in high winds (we live in Nottingham, England) we have left the trunk in the ground, will this re grow?? What is the best thing to do wit...
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Debugging and Preserving Dried Cholla Cactus
January 04, 2014
Hi. Recently found an intact skeleton of a cholla cactus. I want to Bring it in our house. Are there any dangers associated with this, like bugs inside the "branches?" how would you suggest I prese...
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Both large and small Century plants putting up stems from Cayucos CA
November 18, 2013
I have a Century Plant that is sending up a stem. I am excited to see it bloom. I noticed that one of the small pups, about 4 inches tall, is also sending up a stem. I have not found a mention of pups...
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Correction of tree name from Bay Point CA
October 16, 2013
The tree should of been Mulberry don't know how it was changed!! Tuesday - October 15, 2013 From: Bay Point, CA Region: California Topic: Non-Natives, Cacti and Succulents, Trees Title: Non-...
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Non-native jade plants and spider plants beneath Mayberry tree in Bay Point CA
October 15, 2013
I have a fruitless Mayberry in my back yard that's about 50/50' can I plant jade and spider plants under it? The tree is very healthy.
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Growth of yucca from seed pods from Saginaw MI
October 05, 2013
How do you grow a yucca plant from the pods? Do I need to dry out the pods first?
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Overwintering Yucca Seedlings in Illinois
October 02, 2013
I have many yucca seedlings I started this year. My question is what do I need to do with them to overwinter here in Northern Illinois and when do I plant them in the ground for best chances of survi...
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Do flowers on century plants grow century plants from Huachuca City AZ
September 06, 2013
The flowers on century plants: can they "grow" century plants?
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Bringing upright a leaning cholla cactus
August 29, 2013
I have a 3 ft. tall Cylindropuntia bigelovii that fell over after recent rains. I righted it and supported it with garden stakes for about a month. I was afraid to pull too hard on the low...
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Shriveling agave from Miami Florida
August 23, 2013
Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, Most upset - My beautiful agave (wish I could have submitted an image) has stared to misbehave. The once first liquid filled leaves, are starting to look more like the skin ...
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Taking down a Century Plant blooming stalk from Fair Oaks Branch TX
August 09, 2013
Our century cactus looks like it's in the final stages of blooming and I read on your site that the original plant dies. Can we go ahead and cut down the tall blooms?
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Killing a century plant from Burton TX
August 08, 2013
How do you kill the century plant, they are taking over?
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Replacements for yuccas from Georgetown TX
August 07, 2013
I have lost some softleaf and variegated yucca to a beetle grub destroying the root system - like the Agave snout beetle does. I have put an insecticidal drench on my remaining plants, but suspect wi...
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Bloom stalk not visibly connected to Century Plant from Johnson City, TX
July 31, 2013
Can anyone tell my why my Century Plant is growing a bloom stalk a couple of feet away from my plant instead of up through the middle? Ive never seen one do that and it strikes me as being rather odd!
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Plants for hanging flower boxes from Austin
July 27, 2013
I have two long flower boxes 17" x 15" x 25 feet long one on the north side of the apt and one on the south made of metal suspended about four feet from the ground. One will get the morning sun and ...
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Controlling agave pups from Galveston, TX
July 26, 2013
I live in Galveston, Tx.I have several large 5ft tall century plants in my yard and the pups are coming up everywhere..how do I control these??? HELP!!
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Soaptree yucca falling over in Mesa AZ
July 24, 2013
My soaptree yucca is about 5 ft tall and has fallen over. Does this plant require staking for I thought not, or is something else going on with it?
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Non-blooming yuccas in Brooklyn CT
July 14, 2013
I have outdoor yucca plants that don't flower - - in full sun. Why?
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Century plant leaves yellowing from Magnolia TX
July 04, 2013
The leaves on my large Agave/Century plant are turning yellow. The bottom leaves, touching the ground are dying. Plant is 5.5" tall, 6" across & approx 10 yrs old. Recently we put red mulch around t...
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How to Control White Fungus on Prickly Pear Cactus?
July 04, 2013
Is there any kind of spray for our prickly pear that will help with the white fungus that has appeared on it?
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Plants for area around salt water pool
June 27, 2013
What are some plants that will grow around my salt water pool where there is some salt water runoff occasionally.
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Ingestion of agave sap from Albuquerque NM
June 11, 2013
My boyfriend was out in the Arizona desert without water for two days and sought moisture through what he thought was a yucca plant but instead we believe was agave. He sucked the moisture off the ins...
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Black rot at center of Agave from Clovis CA
May 12, 2013
We have some beautiful variegated "Green & Cream" Agave plants in our cactus garden. One in particular has done quite well for several years and is the largest, about 18" tall & across, it has neve...
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Container plants for Yakima WA
May 11, 2013
My condo complex has purchased large, pottery pots for around our pool. I need to choose low maintenance plants. hopefully something that takes limited water, etc.
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Removing grassy weeds from cactus garden in Corpus Christi TX
May 07, 2013
How do you get grassy weeds out of a cactus garden? I don't want to use roundup around the cacti? Can you recommend a herbicide that won't harm the cactus?
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Cat eating yucca stalks in England
May 07, 2013
Is it safe for my cat to eat yucca as she is being sick and its hard to stop her
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Are agaves really native from Pacific Palisades CA
April 30, 2013
I just replied re agave issues, and mistakenly asked the source of your information. I see that you clearly noted it, apologies. I would note, however, that the Riverside area is very much a hot,...
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Runaway Agave Americana from Pacific Palisades CA
April 29, 2013
We live near open space on Santa Monica Mountain State Park. Our Association planted non-native, invasive Agave Americanas all over the adjacent slopes, and we are trying to get the exploding pups and...
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Loss of bloom stalk on Yucca filamentosa from Scotch Plains NJ
April 27, 2013
We have 3 Yucca filamentosa L. planted together, in NJ. A friend of ours was helping to remove the weeds, little did she know and removed the blooming stalk from the plants. By the time I saw, it was ...
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Identification of Wood from Frying Pan Ranch Near Amarillo, TX (possibly Cholla)
April 26, 2013
I'm doing research for a museum exhibition and have been told the "holey" piece of wood from The Frying Pan Ranch near Amarillo Texas is "chollya" but I can find no information. Can you help?
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Protecting agave pups in San Antonio
April 23, 2013
I would like to share the soon to happen bloom of two century plants on my property; they are sisters planted at the same time. I am sad to know they will die but will do all that I can to protect the...
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Black bugs on yucca from Aledo TX
April 14, 2013
We have flowering yuccas that have thousands of small black bugs that seem to be hurting the plant. They are not on any other foliage in our beds. What do I use to get rid of them??
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Century plant leaves falling over from San Antonio
April 10, 2013
Have a large century plant about % feet tall. The leaves are falling over. Can you tell me what to do to avoid this.
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Failure to bloom of red yucca from Lago Vista TX
April 09, 2013
I am in Lago Vista - trying to find out why I can't get my red yucca to bloom. The first year they were great and now after two or three years - no measurable spikes have shown up. HELP!
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What to do with agave after it blooms from Phoenix AZ
March 12, 2013
Hello! I have 2 century plants in the process of blooming. How exciting!! I've never really seen it before. Anyway, what do I then do with the dying/dead plant. Simply dig it up and trash it? T...
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Saving frozen yuccas from North Carolina
February 23, 2013
I live in NC and have 2 potted yucca plants on my deck. Every year I have brought them in for the winter. This year, someone told us that we could leave them out all winter. They began to die in the c...
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Thorny shrub for deterring break-ins in southeast Texas
February 05, 2013
Looking for a very, very, thorny three or four foot tall shrub for in front of windows to deter break-ins. Considering Rosa Rugosa rose but it is not native.
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Potential longevity of Century Plant bloom stalk from Marana AZ
January 23, 2013
What is the potential longevity of a Century Plant stalk/bloom? I would like to use it in my yard for ornamentation. Will it last for weeks, months or years or decompose relatively quickly?
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Prickly pear doing poorly on Long Island NY
December 27, 2012
First, thanks for your reply on 11-3-12, re.Can a prickly pear cutting from Harker Heights, TX find happiness in Long Island, NY. The plants were set before a southern window in the attic, temp. ra...
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Starting yucca from seed from Austin
December 24, 2012
I would like to start a soft leaf yucca recurvifolia from seed. Is that possible? Also, I've looked for seed on dried flower stalks, and I'm not sure that what I'm finding is the seed, and I ...
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Preserving century plant bloom stalk from Sedona AZ
December 16, 2012
I have the flower stalk from a century plant which I am using as a Christmas tree. Can you advise me as to what I should do to preserve it for future use? Should it be kept indoors or outdoors. Pro...
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Problems with mature Blue Agave in Kenya
December 09, 2012
I have a mature Agave plant and there is a thin black liquid that looks like oil starting to appear on the leaves. The plant plant seems to be dying (from the bottom up). (The plant is a blue Agave an...
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Can a prickly pear cutting from Harker Heights, TX find happiness in Long Island, NY.
November 03, 2012
Took a cutting of a prickly pear cactus from my daughters garden in Harker Heights, Tx. Her plants are 5'ht.& wt. Set it into a 10" pot with garden mix soil. Early July 2012, brought it home to Long...
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Suitable container plants for Austin
October 23, 2012
Hi, I see some info on native house plants, but not much. I live in an apartment that doesn't get much direct sun (maybe 2 hours a day) -- is there anything for me native-wise (Austin) if I have to h...
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Information about prickly pear cactus for school project
October 19, 2012
Hello my name is Case Danzeiser. I go to a middle school called Clint Small Middle School in Austin, Texas. We are doing a species study on a native Texas plants and animals. I choose to study the pri...
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Smog-eating plants from Ft. Worth TX
September 30, 2012
Looking for a list (40 >) of Native Texas Plants for Fort Worth Urban (Condo) that are Drought tolerant or (drip irr) and Fragrant and long blooming and eat up the city smog. Fort Worth is in a non-at...
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Film growing on prickly pear from Austin
September 28, 2012
We've just xeriscaped our front & back yards. Two of the spineless prickly pear cacti have a beige film growing on the paddles. The film is now moving further up the cactus, and one of the upper pad...
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Winter care of succulents from Bethlehem PA
September 09, 2012
We live in the northeast and we used succulents on our deck this summer because nothing else would survive the intense heat. How can I save these beautiful plants through a cold winter? Thank you.
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Replacements for photinia from San Antonio
August 31, 2012
i just read your response to someone regarding Red Tip shrubs. You just saved me thousands of dollars ! I was getting ready to order over 250 of these to line my 2.5 acre fence line. What shrub would ...
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Need plants to replace cedars on a 40 degree slope in Boerne, TX.
August 28, 2012
My backyard is a roughly 40 degree slope that is covered with cedars. The slope is basically all rock, what can I grow here to replace the cedar which drink too much water. I would still like the area...
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Non-native jade plant from Pauline SC
August 24, 2012
Do jade plants grow in South Carolina; if, so where?
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Plants for big pots by pool in Austin
August 14, 2012
Could you please suggest some plants to put in big pots out by my pool? They will get lots of heat and sun. Thanks.
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Removing faded flowers from plants in Georgetown, DE
July 28, 2012
I bought a chamase rose quartz that was in bloom. now the buds are dead, should i remove them or just leave them on the plant. they wont just fall off. and the tips of the plant has new growth.
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Plant ID of succulent from Flagler Beach FL
July 08, 2012
file:///C:/Users/CircuitCity/Downloads/All%20sizes%20%20%20baby%20plants%20growing%20on%20succulent%20leaves%20%20%20Flickr%20-%20Photo%20Sharing!_files/3901143728_dcf227ea85.jpg I have a succulent t...
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Foundation plants for Albuquerque.
July 01, 2012
Hello, I live in Albuquerque. I am looking for some native/xeric low water usage plants for foundation plants for my home. They will be foundation plants for a two story home that has a large ponde...
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Source for Century Plant in Wilmington NC
June 24, 2012
Where can I buy a Century plant in the Wilmington NC area?
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Plants for 100 gal. pot by pool from Ft. Worth TX
June 23, 2012
What North Texas evergreen — or combination of evergreen plants, bushes or trees — could thrive in a huge, 100-gallon clay pot (immovable!) that is situated in full sun year round in an exposed area n...
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Saving non-native sempervivum from accidental weed killer application from Nashville TN
June 15, 2012
How to save a 'Live Forever' plant that had weed killer put on it by mistake.
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No blooms on Spineless Prickly Pear in Austin
June 07, 2012
I've had a spineless prickly pear planted in the shade for about 3 years. It has done just fine there, but has never bloomed. I recently moved it to a full sun location(I'm in north Austin) and cove...
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Problems with Strawberry Hedgehog cactus from Temple TX
June 03, 2012
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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Repotting non-native Agave ghiesbreghtii from Spring TX
June 03, 2012
I've recently purchased an Agave ghiesbreghtii, and will need to re-pot it soon. I have some cactus soil mix as well as a few rocks to put in the bottom of its new pot. There seem to be roots comi...
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Plants for 16th floor of condo in Panama City Beach, FL
May 30, 2012
My husband and I have a COSI on the west end of Panama City Beach, Fl. I love plants and flowers and live out of state. Our condo is on the 16th floor and directly on the gulf. What type of plants ...
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Pollinator to Arkansas yucca from Arlington TX
May 15, 2012
Thank you Barbara for your answer. However, my Arkansas yuccas bloom every year, but do not set seed. I am asking for the name of the moth that pollinates them, or other native plants that serve as ...
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Pollinating moth of Arkansas Yucca from Arlington TX
May 15, 2012
What is the pollinating moth of the Arkansas yucca. I have Desert willows which is the larval host for white-winged moth, but the yuccas are still not seeding. What other larval hosts plants can I p...
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Why has yucca not bloomed from Sacramento CA
May 03, 2012
I looked for an answer to my question on your list but did not find one. We have had a yucca plant that has never bloomed since we planted it about 8 years ago. I has grown tall (6-7 feet) and we ha...
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Spineless prickly pear from Lago Vista TX
April 30, 2012
We visited Lady Bird Johnson Center yesterday. I was impressed with the spine less prickly pear cactus. Is it a native or a hybrid?
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Preserving the agave bloom for decoration from Sedona AZ
April 28, 2012
I have an agave century plant which is starting to bloom. Is there some way I can preserve the flower as a decoration piece?
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Sunny and shady lawns from Austin
April 28, 2012
My front yard has a large bed surrounded by a mix of St. Augustine and Bermuda grass. Last summers heat killed off about 90% of the St. Augustine, which we would like to replace anyway to conserve re...
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Transporting a plant on airplane from New York City
April 21, 2012
Can I transport via airplane a jade plant from New York City to Colorado in my suitcase?
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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...
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Native plants of Taos and Los Alamos NM from Houston
April 07, 2012
Hi, Mr. Smarty Plants, can you recommend a guidebook for the native plants of the Taos/Los Alamos region? (I'm most interested in forbs.) I'll be headed there in May--is there anything I should es...
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Problems with claret cup cactus in Austin
April 07, 2012
I have a claret cup cactus in a terra-cotta pot that bloomed beautifully a few years ago but hasn't since. This year, it set about a dozen buds and looked poised to bloom like crazy, but two weeks la...
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Sap from agave causing reactions from Edgewater FL
April 06, 2012
Not only was I stuck with the century plant thorns and needle like ends when I was digging up its pups, but I also broke the carrot-like root of a few when I was transplanting and got the white sap on...
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Insects on yucca from Ft. Worth TX
April 05, 2012
I have a plant labeled Yucca Soft Leaf recurvifolia that I planted about 5 years ago,& was beautiful until last summer when it became infested with thousands of fast, tiny, dark insects. I sprayed wit...
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Black fungus on cholla cactus from Austin
March 25, 2012
How to get rid of black fungus on cholla cactus? Cut it off? And treat with what?
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Propagation of non-native Selenicereus Antonyanus from Warwick RI
March 24, 2012
I just purchased a Selenicereus Anthonyanus, Rick Rack Cactus unrooted. I have searched on the web of the proper way to root the plant and have had no luck except it says easy rooting but not how to r...
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