Native Plants
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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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| Promoting Monarch Habitats in Texas July 11, 2016 My parents have a 6 acre pasture in East, TX with native milkweed in it. What are the best times of year to bush hog to promote more milkweeds & do you know of any grants to help manage land for monar... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Where to find milkweeds and other butterfly favorites March 07, 2016 Our neighborhood in San Antonio is planning a big Arbor Day celebration. One of the events will focus on Monarch Butterflies. We will be releasing some live ones in our park and will have a booth th... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plants for a fairy garden February 16, 2016 Hi Smarty.. I would like to create a fairy garden for my 3 year old daughter this spring in a 4ft x 2ft space. Do you have any suggestions on what native plants would be great for this? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Making a perennial cutting garden friendly to butterflies. February 05, 2016 I would like to start a perennial cutting garden friendly to butterflies Where can I get a list of plants . View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Should Mexican milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) not be used to attract Monarch butterflies? November 20, 2015 Should I remove Asclepias curassavica (Mexican milkweed) in my garden for threat of OE parasitic protozoan threat to Monarch butterflies? Is this threat as widespread as Chronicle implies? I had great... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Growing Green milkweed vine from seed July 29, 2015 I was given some seed for the pearl milkweed vine which I intend to plant, but I can find no information on whether to stratify or scarify them or just plant them. I know some milkweeds require strati... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Butterfly Plants for D.C. Garden July 16, 2015 I have one half of the side of the house face NE and the other half faces NW. The front of the house faces east. The back of the house faces west which is woody with native trees of Rock Creek Park of... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Pollinators for Washington State June 26, 2015 Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, I am removing invasive knotweed in the Pacific Northwest and I would like to provide native plant alternatives that would flower and provide pollen in the late summer/fall f... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Butterfly and Pollinator Plants for Indianapolis Garden June 23, 2015 I live in Indianapolis, IN and would like to have a native garden. I'd be especially interested in plants that help butterflies and bumble bees. There's a fairly dry area on the west side of the hou... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Blue Mist Ageratum Shrub? June 16, 2015 Is there a shrub version of Blue Mistflower Ageratum? I believe we saw some at the Butterfly Center in MacAllen. Would it survive in Georgetown, TX? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Butterfly Bush Alternatives in New Egypt NJ June 14, 2015 I have a Non Native Butterfly Bush near my house. I heard that it could be invasive. What alternative plants could replace this bush as it is a butterfly magnet in late summer. Swallowtales and monarc... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Is Tropical Milkweed Harmful to Monarchs? April 24, 2015 I believe I recently read that the orange flowering Mexican milkweed carries a virus(?) or something that harms monarch butterflies. What are recommendations if I use this plant in my northern CA yar... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| sources of milkweed in Bastrop, Texas April 22, 2015 Where can I buy milkweed in Bastrop County? Can I plant in containers in garden soil? Thanks View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Butterfly and Hummingbird Attracting Plants for CT April 15, 2015 Could you please give me a list of flowers that would attract butterflies and hummingbirds? I live in Darien, Connecticut and would love to make a butterfly garden. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Milkweed species for Central Texas February 11, 2015 What milkweed should I plant in the flood plain behind my house on Brushy Creek. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Milkweed recommendations for Austin, TX October 20, 2014 I live on thin limestone soil in Austin's NW Hills. I'd like to plant some milkweed to help the monarch butterflies in their migration. Which species should I plant, and are those available in our... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plant that attracts butterflies, perhaps? October 06, 2014 What is that one plant/flower in your Center that attracts wildflowers like crazy? It's got a cute name, not a Latin or Scientific name. I have the plant, but don't know how to make it spread. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Best milkweed to plant in Fayette County, TX September 23, 2014 What is the best milkweed to plant in central Texas [Fayette County] in black clay soil? this soil does not drain well. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Butterfly Plants for Chicago September 13, 2014 I live near Chicago, IL and am interested in planting a butterfly garden. Not sure when to start, but I want all native plants that would attract butterflies. Can you please let me know which plants ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plants for hummingbirds and butterflies in Galveston County TX September 09, 2014 I am looking for native plants for a butterfly and hummingbird garden. I plan on putting the hummingbird garden in part shade and would like some Fall blooming plants to attract them during migration.... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Flowers that attract Queen butterflies August 17, 2014 Walking into the cloud of Queen butterflies around my Gregg's Mistflowers is one of the coolest things I've ever experienced, so I started wondering how I could prolong this "visitation". Can you... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Making a pollinator garden August 11, 2014 Hello, I have a ditch right by my house and I want to turn it into a pollinator garden using native plants. My problem is, right now it's so full of weeds that we have to mow those down so soon. For ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Listing of plants matched to specific pollinators July 01, 2014 Could you refer me to a listing of plants matched to specific pollinators? I have completed the conversion of a local nature center garden to a pollinator garden with all natives. We hope to place ed... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Hedge shrubs that attract butterflies & birds in Virginia June 13, 2014 Hi - I need recommendations for north VA hedge shrubs that attract butterflies and birds. Thanks View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Will Canada geese eat Asclepias tuberosa from Cape May Court, NJ May 20, 2014 Will Canada geese eat my butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)? I know this plant is deer resistant. I really want to plant some on sandy bank near pond in my back yard, but I fear the geese will ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
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