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topicquestion
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...
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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...
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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?
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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 .
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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?
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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...
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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...
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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
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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.
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Milkweed species for Central Texas
February 11, 2015
What milkweed should I plant in the flood plain behind my house on Brushy Creek.
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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...
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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.
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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.
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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 ...
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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....
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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...
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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 ...
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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...
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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
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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 ...
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Caterpillars feeding on Phacelia congesta
May 11, 2014
Can you tell me which caterpillars can be found on Phacelia congesta in Bell County?
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Early nectar blooms for Monarch butterflies from Austin
May 04, 2014
Could you tell me any early spring blooming nectar plants that monarchs will nectar from. I'm specifically looking for bloom times in March and early April. I have plenty of May blooms but not ...
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Growth rate of non-native Asclepias curassavica
April 29, 2014
As a volunteer at the National Butterfly center, I wonder how long from starting the seeds until the plant reaches approximately 20 cm tall does it take a tropical milkweed (asclepias curassavica) to ...
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Availability of Heliotropium angiospermum from Austin
April 01, 2014
I have admired the Wildflower Center's Heliotropium angiospermum (Scorpian's Tail) for the great number of butterflies it attracts. I would really love to purchase one on these plants, but don't se...
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Butterfly Garden, non-poisonous to Dogs, in Taylor MI
March 27, 2014
I have a small fenced yard with a patio that my dogs have free access to. I would like to create a butterfly garden and add other plants that are non toxic to my dachshunds. Any suggestions. I am f...
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Natives for wet soil in Cincinnati OH
March 21, 2014
I live in Cincinnati and the soil in my back yard is wet (soggy) all year round. There are moss and grass growing in the yard. The area is shaded in the afternoon but receives sun earlier in the day. ...
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Butterfly garden from Buffalo, NY
February 20, 2014
I'd like to replace the grass in my front yard with a native butterfly garden that will suit the larval and adult stages of butterflies in Western New York. The patch in question faces north and gets...
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Hardy plants for Oklahoma raised garden at Oklahoma school
February 12, 2014
I am planting a raised flower bed with fifth graders. It will have a little shade in the morning and evening possibly. What plants are durable and can withstand OK summer heat. We will be planting ...
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Getting milkweed seeds into seed mixes from Milwaukee WI
February 07, 2014
My husband and I are concerned about the Monarch butterfly migration and have started an effort to get milkweed planted along some bike trails here in Wisconsin. This made me think of Ladybird Johnso...
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Native annuals for pollinators in King County, Washington
February 06, 2014
I live in King County, Washington State, and I have a plot in a community garden. Rather than plant food, I'd like to attract pollinators. I need to use native annuals rather than perennials as the c...
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Plants for Daisy Girl Scout native plants project
December 13, 2013
Hello, I am a daisy Girl Scout leader and we are working on one of our Journeys and Native Plants Patch Program which requires our group of 5-6 year old girls to plant and care for a mini-garden. ...
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Why is butterfly weeds blooming in October?
November 07, 2013
I live in Horseshoe Bay Texas and have native landscape environment. Last year, in early September, I had a plethora of butterfly weed in bloom and a large variety and quantity of butterflies. This ye...
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Winter care of Asclepias tuberosa from Austin
October 31, 2013
We have several asclepias tuberosa (Butterflyweed). Monarch caterpillars have found and denuded them. We are excited about all of the Monarch caterpillars, but unsure of what to do next. What do we...
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A Bounty of Edibles for New Braunfels Texas
October 25, 2013
I was hoping you could suggest a few plants that would serve several purposes. I live in New Braunfels, TX and would like to incorporate as many drought tolerant plants which would support birds, but...
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Native nightshade that is a host to hornworm-hawk's eye moth
October 03, 2013
Is there a native nightshade that serves as a host to tomato hornworm/hawks eye moth? I like the moth and as a gardener do not like the hornworm. I would like to have a patch of not terribly toxic nig...
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Purple Passionflower as a native in Charlottesville VA
September 18, 2013
Is it possible to grow purple passion flower as a perennial in zone 7? I am looking for hummers and butterflies to be attracted by the plant. Thank you.
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Maintenance of milkweed from Austin
September 12, 2013
I help plant and maintain a Monarch Waystation Garden in San Leanna, Texas (South Austin). Should milkweed plants be cut back during the winter? Last year we cut them back a bit late and some died c...
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Effects or insecticide on Monarch butterflies
July 28, 2013
Thank you for fielding questions about plants!! Our nursery just informed us that their milkweed grower was using imidacloprid in their milkweed production. As a follow up to the question already in...
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Replacement for Globe Thistle in Virginia
June 15, 2013
Hi, We are trying to get our garden to be 100% North American Native and are at about 90% native to our region. One of the last plants we have to replace is our Globe Thistle. Do you have a good r...
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Identification of plant with small lilac flowers in Laredo
May 14, 2013
Need help identifying the following: small lilac flowers in a cluster with seed pods, unpleasant scent which can be up to 3 feet tall ..wild flower or weed? am interested if it attracts hummingbirds...
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Food for butterflies in Austin
April 21, 2013
Mr. Smarty Plants, my kids and I are raising Painted Lady butterflies from caterpillars but it's still too cold to release them (oddly cool spring we're having!) If they mate and lay eggs, what loc...
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Amending soil for butterfly garden in Houston
April 01, 2013
My girl scout troop will be planting a butterfly garden at a middle school in Houston. In researching plants to use, we have come across some such as echinacea, rose vervain, galliarda and Texas gay...
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Questions about milkweed seeds
March 28, 2013
Dear folks, I am trying to locate Nan Hampton from Los Fresnos, Texas who asked about Asclepias texana seeds and other Asclepias seeds on Dec. 10, 2008. I would like to know if she found any and has...
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Flowers for monarch butterflies in Bastrop, Gonzales and Travis Counties of Texas
March 05, 2013
Hi Mr./s. Smarty Plants, What are some flowers that grow naturally on a Bastrop, Travis, or Gonzales county riverside that monarch butterflies commonly feed on? Thank you
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Perennial native plant to attract butterflies/hummingbirds
January 24, 2013
Need 3-6 foot perennial native plant to attract butterflies/hummingbirds in Paris Texas...full sun, with sprinkler system
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topicquestion

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