Native Plants
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.
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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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| Questions about Catalpa bignonioides February 21, 2016 We have a yard that is about 3/4 of an acre, and we have gotten rid of about 3/4 of the lawn and replaced it with native plantings. I am looking for a native tree to replace a tree that we had to rem... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Is Penstemon Poisonous to Dogs? February 21, 2016 Is Penstemon palmeri poisonous to dogs? I couldn't find in ASPA guide. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Flowering Shade Plant for California February 21, 2016 I have a house north facing that has a "flower bed" in front that unfortunately is shaded 100% of the time. There are roses in the bed currently (they came with the house) but they do poorly. We are... 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 |  | |
| 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 |  | |
| 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 |  | |
| Vinca as a groundcover February 11, 2016 Someone told me that Vinca would be a great ground cover for my very large mostly shaded area. How can I establish it and where can I get it? Thanks in advance. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Controlling KR Bluestem February 11, 2016 How can I control KR Bluestem in my 55 acre coastal bermuda hayfield? The field has a Farm Road along one side planted in KR, and now the hayfield is about 25 - 30% KR. Summer burn is fairly dangerous... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Fertilizing Newly Planted Trees February 07, 2016 Back in November, I planted 20 trees on rocky, caliche slopes around my house outside of Utopia, Texas. The trees were 45 gallon Monterrey Oaks and Texas Redbuds. I have also installed a drip irriga... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Replanting a Desert Willow February 07, 2016 My desert willow was damaged badly in a winter storm and had to be taken down. Do I need to remove the old root system below grade when I plant a new desert willow? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Is it illegal to collect wildflower plants from county roads in TX? February 05, 2016 Is it illegal to collect wildflower plants like bluebonnets from county roads in Texas? 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 |  | |
| When will the bluebonnets appear this year? February 04, 2016 When will the bluebonnets appear this year? We have many friends and family who want to visit when they are in bloom. Thanks. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Repairing Damage to Oak Tree Bark February 02, 2016 I have destructive horses who have torn a lot of the bark off of my oak trees. I've moved the horses from that area, but is there something I can put on the places where the bark is missing so the tr... 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 |  | |
| Pruning Leggy Santolina January 30, 2016 We are members of the society and have loved your section offering advice. We have green santolina that is becoming quite leggy. I would like to prune them to get them more compact come spring and sum... 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 |  | |
| Identification of vining plant with red berries in California January 28, 2016 We found a vining plant next to and growing in our stream with gorgeous purple leaves in the fall after frost and a few sporadic clusters of smooth small red berries with little thorns on the vine. We... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| What are the cone shaped evergreens around Pilot Point, TX? January 26, 2016 What are the cone shaped evergreens around Pilot Point, Texas called? They are dark green with spiky leaves and rough bark. I have a row planted as a windscreen and want to transplant a couple from a ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| How Close to Tree Trunks Should Bricks be Placed? January 26, 2016 Do you have guidelines as to how close bricks can be placed to trees, particularly cypress, cedars and live oaks? Contractors habitually plant up to the trunk and I've had trees die from their roots... 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 |  | |
| Low growing annuals for OK shaded slope. January 26, 2016 I have a heavily shaded slope on the north, west, and south side of my home. Can you suggest some low growing annuals (flowering, or not) that would allow me to beautify my property. 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 |  | |
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