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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Manzanita Not Growing Well July 11, 2016 Dear Mr Smarty Plants, I have a four native Dr. Hurd manzanitas growing in my yard, which I planted three years ago. Three seem quite happy with lots of foliage. The fourth has foliage only on this ye... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Trees for Privacy Screening in Central Texas July 11, 2016 I live in Cedar Park, Texas and have a neighbor who likes to have parties. I need a evergreen tree/hedge that will provide privacy and sound barrier. We have some wax myrtles but they don't work. We ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Shrub for Shady Austin, Texas Backyard July 11, 2016 I am looking for a colorful shrub or bush for my drab backyard in Austin. It won't get much sun and I want something native that detracts bugs if possible. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Drought Resistant Privacy Screen for North Side of Austin Texas House July 10, 2016 We live in the densely populated Mueller development, where there's barely 3 feet from our home to the 6 foot high privacy fence between us and the house next door. Since the houses are 2 stories, we ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
When Should I Prune Texas Sage? July 07, 2016 How and when do you prune Texas sage to encourage thicker foliage? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Shrubs for Privacy Fence in Hawaii July 06, 2016 I live in Hawaii and need to create some privacy along a wall of my house. The septic drain field is 5' away and I am looking for 6'-8' shrubs that have shallow roots. Would something like cordyline f... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Savannah Holly True to Seed? July 03, 2016 I read your information on Savannah holly. Does this mean that none of the berries will produce a Savannah holly (Ilex x attenuata) but will either be Ilex cassine or Ilex opaca seeds? Thanks so much... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Bird Attracting Shrub for NH July 03, 2016 I am trying to attract birds to my newly built home's front yard. I have no foliage out front near our picture window. I live in Londonderry, NH. What bush or shrub can I plant that will attract bird... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Problem with Adding 5 inches of Mulch and Soil Under Juniper July 03, 2016 My landscaper added about 3" of mulch and 2" of dirt under my ashe junipers to create a planting bed. Several have turned gold/yellowish this winter including a female tree. They are still flexible an... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Shade Shrubs for a NJ Slope June 27, 2016 I live in central NJ and have a 15' shaded slope behind my home with a creek on the bottom. The slope erodes a little every year and I want to plant native plants on the slope to stop the erosion. Wha... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Sophora seeds to give away April 13, 2016 When we moved to TX years ago we bought a mountain laurel so we could have the beautiful purple flowers and were disappointed when the flowers every year were white (with a few purple ones here and th... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Red bugs have appeared on my Texas mountain laurel April 10, 2016 What should I do about the red bugs on my mountain laurel? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Need to identify Cherry laurel varietyin Bee Caves, TX March 29, 2016 I recently had cherry laurels installed in my yard for privacy. Unfortunately, the landscaper does not know what type of cherry laurel they are. The tag from the tree says Che-Com which to me might in... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
mixed species privacy hedge in Central Texas March 24, 2016 I need to plant a privacy hedge along a fence line. I am in east Austin, blackland prairie soil. The soil is rich, usually at least moist but not soggy, and I find lots of worms when I dig. The fen... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
When to Prune Desert Willow in Texas? March 18, 2016 I just learned I should have pruned back my desert willows. It's early March in North Texas. Is it too late to prune now? They are not leafing out yet. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Identification of evergreen bush with red berries March 17, 2016 I am a beekeeper and today I took some pictures of a bush about 8 ft. tall in my neighbors yard. My bees are all over the tiny white flowers. It appears to be an evergreen bush because it has foliag... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Lopidea on Texas Mountain Laurel March 10, 2016 How do I get rid of lopidea on mountain laurel? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Location of Elbow Bush and Gregg's Saddlebush at the Wildflower Center March 10, 2016 I have twice looked for Forestiera pubescens (Elbow Plant) and Mortonia greggi (Gregg's Saddlebush) in your gardens and have been unable to find. I have looked on the trails as well. Would you be a... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Growing Texas mountain laurel in a pot March 07, 2016 I have a really good friend who Mom pass away just recently and they were the best of friends. She loved her mother dearly and did tons of stuff together. Recently I posted a picture of a Mountain L... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Should flower stems of Texas mountain laurel be removed after they bloom? March 02, 2016 Should I trim off the old flower stems from this years bloom on a Texas Mountain Laurel? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Pruning Wax Myrtle trees & bushes February 28, 2016 When is the best time of year to prune Wax Myrtle trees & bushes. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Two Holly Cultivars for a Texas Front Landscape? February 22, 2016 We are starting a new with our landscape. All existing 30-year-old plants are going to be removed. We would like a focal point at the front door area and are considering 'Savannah' or 'Nellie R. St... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
How to Control Poison Ivy February 22, 2016 We have lots of Poison Ivy on a site we are clearing it is adjacent to a pond and children are around this area all the time. We are creating hiking paths. I have a lot of experience but I do not wan... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Spacing for Dogwoods and Cotoneasters February 21, 2016 How close should Dogwoods and Cotoneasters be to bricks? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Pruning overgrown Texas sage February 15, 2016 Texas sage bushes have been left to grow like mini trees. Can we have trimmed back to get a 'full' bush? Bottom 2 feet of plant look so dead. Will it sprout again as a bush if trimmed back and do... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Rejuvenating an old Wax myrtle hedge February 15, 2016 I have 8 wax myrtles that were planted about 9 years ago as a screen from our neighbors. They are about 12 feet high. During the past 9 months they are getting thinner and thinner. Two of them hav... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Viburnum Leaf Beetle Damage to Native Viburnums February 02, 2016 Dear Friends, I am an officer of Protectors of Pine Oak Woods, a Staten Island, NY land conservation organization which also involves itself in forest restoration and invasive species control projects... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Maine Coastal Shrub for Choral Composition January 30, 2016 I'm a choral composer writing a piece of music about Maine. What kind of shrubby things hang on to the rocky bluffs, right by the sea? I'm an avid native plant gardener, but I know my own Massachu... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Evergreen privacy screen 8 feet or less January 29, 2016 In needing to plant an evergreen privacy screen, what is the tallest Ceniza variety? I'm having great difficulty finding an evergreen hedge material 8' or less. After having taken a class in pla... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Privacy Hedge Plant for CA January 26, 2016 We recently moved into a new home right on the border of Cherry Valley and Beaumont, Ca. We are at an elevation of 2,900 ft. We are looking for a plant that we can use as a privacy hedge along our bac... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Western Poison Oak Sap Transfer January 26, 2016 My partner is a park ranger and constantly exposed to poison oak. He gets infected sometimes but mostly seems to tolerate it pretty well. I, on the other hand, keep getting reinfected with it, all ove... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Shrub Recommendation for Chain Link Fence in DE January 26, 2016 What shrub would you recommend for covering a chain link fence and providing a screen between mine & my neighbors yard? They have kids, so it would have to be non-toxic. I'd like flowers/berries for ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Shrubs for 2,000 feet Elevation in AZ January 23, 2016 What shrubs can I plant in New River, AZ, 2,000 feet above sea level? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Climbing Roses for the Pacific Northwest January 23, 2016 I'm trying to find out which types of climbing roses may exist in the Pacific Northwest. I live in western Washington, and I have a small yard with several large hedges bordering it. I'm growing hai... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Reducing the Height of a Redbud Tree January 23, 2016 We have a very large, about 15-year old, Redbud tree that is growing so tall it's obstructing our view of the river. How and when can we prune this tree back so it does not hurt the tree. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Pruning a Martha Gonzales rose January 20, 2016 How much should I prune back an established Martha Gonzales Rose to keep healthy? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Can a dog die from eating a holly bush? January 12, 2016 Can a dog die from eating a holly bush? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
What is the bush that has very bright red berries in the fall/winter and no leaves? December 27, 2015 What is the name of the bush that has very bright red berries in the fall/winter and no leaves? I am familiar with amour honeysuckle, and I'm sure that it is not that. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Non-Toxic Hedge for Wisconsin December 17, 2015 What would be a good non-toxic for dogs, privacy hedge about 3-6 feet tall for Wisconsin climate zone 4b? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Shrubs for Birds and Bees in North Texas December 17, 2015 I have a small backyard and would love to grow native plants for North Texas. I don't think I can grow trees, but for sure can do 1-2 crape myrtle-size shrubs. I have some rose of Sharon's going on ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Narrow, Small Tree for Austin, Texas Yard December 17, 2015 I need recommendation on what type of tree to plant between our neighbors and our home. The wall to wall space is 15 feet at best, with a fence in between. Currently we have a young mulberry but are b... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Transplanting Evergreen Sumac December 09, 2015 I would like to transplant evergreen sumac from my back to the front yard. They are about 6-8 foot tall. I live in El Paso, TX and it gets plenty of sunlight. I am wondering 1) Is November in El Paso,... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Decreasing the Height of Smooth Sumac December 09, 2015 I have a 9-10 ft. Smooth Sumac that I purchased from an LJWC plant sale several years ago. It has a main trunk and one branch about halfway up. I have read that these sumacs can be pruned down to almo... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Dividing Hesperaloe December 09, 2015 How and when can I successfully separate a clump of Hesperaloe Parviflora into smaller bunches? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Erosion Control Shrubs and Groundcovers for Steep NY Wooded Slope November 28, 2015 I need to cover a couple of very steep slopes in upstate New York that are partially wooded and near a brook. The slopes are about 130 feet back from the brook. Someone estimated that there is a coupl... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Propagating Bauhinia lunarioides November 28, 2015 For a Master Gardener Intern project I am attempting to propagate the native orchid tree/Anacacho, Bauhinia lunarioides via root, cuttings, and seed. I have scarified the seeds - how long should it ta... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Thorn bushes for a fence in Puerto Rico November 17, 2015 I'm looking for thorn bushes that grow in Puerto Rico. Want to use as fence to keep wild life in. Thanks, at least 5 ft tall so dogs can't get out. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Evergreen shrub for Austin TX shade October 24, 2015 I live in Austin, TX. I'm looking for a 4 season shrub for a partially shaded area that gets about 3 hours of sun towards the evening. It's mostly partially shaded. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Food Allergy to Beautyberry or Persimmon? October 22, 2015 I think I might have a food allergy to Beautyberry or American Persimmon, eaten Saturday at the North Carolina Great Dismal park. These were the only strange foods recently, though I've had persimmo... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Native plants that do not attract any kind of wildlife. October 19, 2015 Hi I live in Bexar County, Texas and I was wondering what would be some good NATIVE plants that could be planted in yards that do not attract any kind of wildlife (so no berries, nuts, fruits, thick c... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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