Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

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.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

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.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
<< previous 1 2 3 4 ... 11 next >> 
252 Results:   10 25 50  100 per page


topicquestion
Propagating a white cultivar of Texas Mountain Laurel (Sophora secundiflora
September 09, 2016
I am trying to propagate a white cultivar of the Texas Mountain Laurel. I plan to use bee sticks and pollinate the plant. Are the plants self fruiting or do I need to find another white mountain laure...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Southern Live Oak Authority for Jackson MS
June 23, 2016
Who are the foremost authorities on Southern Live Oaks? May need expert testimony to oppose cutting of 50 year-old live oaks in boulevard of Riverside Drive in Jackson, MS
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Are Tannins in Persimmons the same in Fruit and Leaf?
January 23, 2016
I was wanting to know if tannins in persimmons have the same properties in both the fruit and leaves.
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Bignoniaceae Family Members Fix Nitrogen?
January 23, 2016
Do plants in the Bignoniaceae family, such as Tecoma stans and Chilopsis linearis, fix nitrogen into the soil? I ask because they have a bean-type pod. Just curious.
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

How many seeds in a Balsam Gourd fruit?
January 12, 2016
How many seeds should I expect to find inside the fruit of Ibervillea Londoners?
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Is Poison ivy always rooted in the ground?
November 11, 2015
Does Poison ivy on a tree always start at the ground and climb up the tree or can it start producing its vine and leaves by itself at the top of the tree or middle?
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

What is the difference between indigenous and native?
November 03, 2015
What is the difference between indigenous and native?
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Are Native Cultivars As Beneficial to Wildlife?
September 02, 2015
I am working on adding more native plants to my small acreage. I would like to know if using a selection or cultivar of a native species is as likely to have wildlife benefits as using a randomly prop...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

What does the name montana mean in a species name?
August 21, 2015
What does the name montana mean in a species name?
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Use of the word annual
May 27, 2015
Why is the word 'annual' used to describe plants with one grow season, when in all other cases it's used to describe things that reoccur year after year? i.e. Events, celebration, salary?
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Brownish-gold worm-looking things on loblolly pines
May 08, 2015
We have a large loblolly pine that each spring drops thousands of brownish-gold "worm" looking things (about 1/2 to 1" long). Do they have a name and what is their purpose?
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Is Common Milkweed a Succulent?
March 31, 2015
Is the common milkweed (butterfly plant) classified as a succulent?
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Correct family classification for Allium cernuum
March 19, 2015
What is the correct family classification for Allium cernuum? I have seen the nodding onion as part of the Liliaceae family on the USDA website and my field guides, but it is in the Alliaceae family i...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

What shade trees have non-invasive root systems?
March 03, 2015
What shade trees have a non-invasive root system? I am in zone 7a. Thank you, Mr. Smarty Plants!
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

USDA Hardiness Zones
January 22, 2015
Some natives are listed as ZONE 3 - 7. Would they be ok in zone 9. I thought the zones related to cold hardiness. What does the higher number mean, exactly?
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Information about Erigeron annuus and Erigeron philadelphicus
January 10, 2015
Hi! I am looking for information about the specific leaf area of Erigeron annuus and Erigeron philadelphicus. Do you know of anyone who is working with any these species, who might be able to provide...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Environmental factors that affect lifecycle stages of maidenhair fern.
November 07, 2014
What are the environmental factors that can affect the lifecycle stages of a maidenhair fern, particularly A. trichorleopis? Thank you
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Water Use Versus Soil Moisture
October 14, 2014
In the Native Plant Database, under Growing Conditions what is the difference between water use and soil moisture? Sometimes they seem contradictory.
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Where do snake herb and skeleton-leaf goldeneye get their names?
October 05, 2014
Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, Where does snake herb, and skeleton leaf goldeneye get their names from? Thank you.
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Is a height of 5 to 8 feet forOenothera biennis (Common evening primrose) normal?
August 30, 2014
I have identified a version of Evening Primrose Oenothera biennia L. In my yard, Livonia Michigan. These plants range in height from 5-8+ feet. Is this typical? The references I find indicates 3-5 fe...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Are Chickasaw plums evergreen?
August 13, 2014
Are Chickasaw Plums evergreens? I've been very interested in planting a few but some websites say they are evergreens while others say the opposite. Furthermore, would I have to plant a male and fema...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Is Viburnum rufidulum monoecious or dioecious?
July 28, 2014
Is Viburnum rufidulum monoecious or dioecious? Your database does not address this for most plants.
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

The Designation of Annual and Perennial Plants
July 25, 2014
Sometimes when researching a plant I will find it listed as both annual and perennial. I understand that some plants will be perennial in a warm climate and die in a colder zone, but it is still a per...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Mountain laurel with fasciation
July 24, 2014
My Texas Mountain Laurel bush has developed several "crested branches." What causes this, is it harmful & how do I get rid of them??? Thank you!
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Purple leatherflower with white bloom
July 17, 2014
A couple of years ago at the wildflower center native plant sale I bought a purple leatherflower according to the tag. This is the first year it has bloomed and the blooms are pure white. The shape ma...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

topicquestion

<< previous 1 2 3 4 ... 11 next >> 
252 Results:   10 25 50  100 per page