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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| Is a yucca going to have a stalk from Sylvania OH March 15, 2012 Hi, I was wondering if the stalk on a yucca plant grows back every year after it is cut off? How to tell if it is going to have a stalk because some of my yucca's do not have one? Thank you for your ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Non-native hylocereus undatus for Austin February 24, 2012 Can we plant Hylocereus (Dragon Fruit) here in Austin, TX? We are going to have a large xeriscape bed and want to know what all we can put in it. We are new to Texas so we have no clue what grows here... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Container plants for Arlington TX February 10, 2012 Mr. Smarty Plants, I just moved to Arlington, TX. I am trying to create a container garden on my apartment balcony. What flowers, herbs, vegetables, and fruit combinations can I put together that wil... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Yucca filamentosa suffering from damp feet in Houston February 09, 2012 Last year, I planted three enormous and gorgeous Yucca Filamentosa in my backyard. Two are thriving but the third started turning yellow then brown from the bottom up after a few weeks of rains. S... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | | |
| Wholesale dry yucca trunks and branches from California January 29, 2012 Where can I buy wholesale dry yucca trunks and branches? I have spent the last hour looking for them and can only find nurseries and decorative branches. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Speeding up growth of Hesperaloe parviflora (red yucca) January 12, 2012 I have germinated Hesperaloe parviflora, Red Yucca, for our Caddo Native plant sale. I have kept in the cool greenhouse for 2 months and they are about 2 inches. A friend put one outside and they froz... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| When should cochineal bugs be on prickly pear cactus? January 05, 2012 I am a fibers artist that would like to harvest the cochineal bugs from the prickly pear cactus. I would like to know what time of year should I expect to find the cochineal bugs around the Austin ar... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Can Joshua Tree yucca be grown in Denham Springs LA December 31, 2011 If planted in a patch of raised and well-drained soil and covered during heavy rains, would it be possible to grow a Joshua Tree yucca in eastern Louisiana? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Need help with yucca palm in New York City, NY. November 10, 2011 I have had my yucca palm plant for almost 10 years. The bark has started to peel off although leaves seem fine. The second smaller separate yucca plant has half its bark and trunk gone. I can't see a... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Winterizing non-native sedum in Saskatchewan CA October 31, 2011 What should be done to winterize a autumn joy (sedum)? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Growing Conditions for Yucca cernua October 22, 2011 Nodding Yucca or Yucca cernua: I bought many lovely plants at the Wildflower Center sale on Friday, among them, a Nodding Yucca or Yucca cernua. 24 of the 25 plants I bought are already in the grou... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Sun loving plants for flower bed by the pool in Weatherford Texas October 03, 2011 We have a 40' long x 2 1/2' wide flowerbed along our pool. It is in full sun with the pool deck across the front and a 6' privacy fence across back. Also, the level of the bed is 18" below the l... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Container plants for cool weather in Cypress TX October 02, 2011 I am a novice gardener and I am looking for some ideas on potted plants for the fall/winter. They would be covered by a roof, but still susceptible to the elements. What can be planted now that will... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| What variety of Opuntia is best for eating in Boerne, TX. September 26, 2011 Which variety of Opuntia, is best for eating the pads and which are the ones best eaten for fruit? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Worms in non-native snake plant from Hillsborough NC September 17, 2011 I purchased a snake plant this summer for my screened in porch. I did not repot it and left it in the plastic pot in came it. I was about to repot the plant to bring it in and noticed there are worm... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Transplanting young Nolina texana plants August 05, 2011 Mr. SP, I am looking for information relating to transplanting some young Nolina texana. Esp. the best time of the year and whether to replant directly in the ground or .. Thanks, View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Native Plant Suggestions for Dripping Springs August 02, 2011 I have a very dry commercial property in Dripping Springs TX where the dry sand/dust isn't a good rain conductor (whenever we get rain). What can we plant there? We have no irrigation and use a rai... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| How to remove plume from Yucca elephantipes in NJ? August 02, 2011 In Manahawkin, NJ, how do we cut plume (2" diameter) off 10' Yucca elephantipes? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Controlling Cochineal Insects on Cholla Cactus July 07, 2011 We have cochineal insects on a cholla cactus. Will they kill the plant? What should we do to get rid of them if water spraying them won't work? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Replacement for Spanish Dagger from Georgetown TX June 22, 2011 I have a Spanish Dagger plant in my garden which appears to be dying. Where can I purchase a replacement for this plant? The Spanish Dagger I have is close to 10 feet tall. What is the best way t... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Obtaining Agave parryi in Cherryville NC May 11, 2011 I live in western North Carolina and I had a friend that had a Agave parryi that bloomed about 1 year ago and of course it died. Since i saw the beautiful agave I have wanted one, but no one in my are... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Agave with large stem growing May 01, 2011 It is a large stem growing from my agave plant in the middle of it. It looks scary and ugly, what is it? Is it poisonous? Is it rare? It gets taller and taller everyday, what to cut it. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Blue agave with freeze damage in Lockhart TX March 16, 2011 I recently planted a blue agave plant, and 4 days after I planted it the temperature dropped to 20 degrees at night. The plants are still alive but 75% of the outer limbs turned brown. What do I do wi... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Need advice about an agave that didn't survive the winter in Myrtle Beach, NC. March 09, 2011 I live in Myrtle Beach, S.C. bought an agave big last summer and it died in the winter. Some green is showing on the bottom should I cut it all down because the whole top is dead. Thank you View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Loss of agaves to freezing weather in Austin March 04, 2011 Dear Mr. Smarty Plants: I live in Austin and lost all my agaves in the subfreezing weather this winter. Around town, I've noticed some agaves that seemed to tolerate the cold just fine and other tha... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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