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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| topic | question | |
| Passiflora incarnata 'Alba' cultivar or hybrid from Birmingham AL January 13, 2014 Is Passiflora incarnata 'Alba' a cultivar or a hybrid? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Use of non-native pothos for outside wall from Las Vegas NV January 05, 2014 I am in Las Vegas, NV. I live in a cottage-style apartment so I have a north facing porch with no one on the west so I get some there (and have an inherited cactus probably a yard all round) I would ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of a vine with 3 leaves and a red trunk January 02, 2014 What is a vine with 3 leaves that has a red trunk? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Native Vines for Coleman County, TX December 19, 2013 Do you have a list of native vines for Coleman County, TX. Thank You for your help View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Vines for fence, safe for horses in California December 12, 2013 I live in a fire prone part of Orange County, CA named Silverado and own horses. Am interested in fast growing vines to cover a fenced area which are horse safe. Thank you. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identity of invasive vine in The Woodlands, Texas December 02, 2013 What is the invasive vine covering trees in The Woodlands, Texas? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Flowering vine for summer sun in Southern California November 26, 2013 Hi and thanks for this great site. 1)Southern CA -- South facing wall(lattice on top)total height 7ft with mature Boston Ivy-- Viburnum tinus and Euonymus at base. THE PROBLEM: East 25% (25ft) has b... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Grapevine at the Wildflower Center November 05, 2013 Hello :) I recently visited the Lady Bird Wildflower Center for Goblins in the Garden. I'm curious if you all know exactly what type of grape is growing in the back of the garden near the "Heali... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Germination of Purple Clematis from Junction TX October 31, 2013 I have some Purple Leather Vine seeds I want to share and want help learning to germinate. Can anyone there help me find interested recipients? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of vine with seed cluster that looks like a 3D star October 28, 2013 I found a weird vine on the creek bank with seed clusters that look like a 3D star they also have hair like thorns on them. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| 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... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| How to get rid of Phytolacca americana (American pokeweed) October 02, 2013 Mr. Smarty-Pants, I have pokeweed growing all over my backyard. I know this plant is poisonous, how do I get rid of it for good? Also, a broad leaf vine that is swallowing my trees whole. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identity of vine in New York September 30, 2013 Hey there. I've recently found a "Wild Cucumber" vine in my backyard, which has been taking over our electric fence. Now I've stumbled across another very similar vine. They fruits are clustere... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| 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. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Are seeds of trumpet vine poisonous from Creston BC September 12, 2013 Are the seeds in the trumpet vines pods poisonous to humans or can I use them as dried beans? I have one plant that covers most of my house's south wall. It is a very established plant. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Opinion of 5 best native garden plants in Oklahoma from Burneyville OK September 07, 2013 What would you say are the 3 to 5 BEST native garden plants for south central Oklahoma? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Riverbank Plants for Minnesota September 04, 2013 I would like to stablize a steep riverbank slope along the Upper Mississippi in St. Cloud MN. The slopes are almost 1:1. We are using an open cell concrete matt in which we are going to plant native... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Fence Vines for Austin, TX August 31, 2013 Hi, What are the best high density vine plants for coverage on chain link fence in Austin, TX? Thank you View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| White sticky stuff on muscadine grape vines from Chappells SC August 17, 2013 Muscadine vine has white sticky substance on leaves and vines, what is it? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Tip Dieback on Lonicera sempervirens August 14, 2013 I have a Lonicera sempervirens (coral honeysuckle) vine in Virginia which does well early in the season, but then around July, the very tips of its shoots (just the last 1-2 inches) wither, turn black... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Vine to cover pile of tree limbs August 13, 2013 I have a pile of tree limbs in my yard. I'd like to find a (flowering or not) vine type plant native to the Austin TX area that will eventually grow all over and cover this pile. Thanks for any sug... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | | |
| Identity of vine growing in Kentucky. August 11, 2013 I have a vine I can't identify. The leaf is heart shaped and the vine is fuzzy. The blooms is just now starting to bloom. They are small red and some white in it. The bloom sort of remind you of a c... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Mystery berries on vine in Montgomery County, TX August 09, 2013 While out in the woods today on Caney Creek near Grangerland, Texas, I found what I thought to be some grapes on a vine hanging down from a tree. I brought the vine down, but when I got it home to pr... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Report on object glowing in tree in New Hampshire August 04, 2013 Hello again Mr Smartpants. I commented about a purple glow coming from a tree in previous comments. Since then they have multiplied and are spreading to different trees. We believe we may have it narr... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identity of night-glowing object in tree in New Hampshire August 02, 2013 I know this sounds crazy but last night when my husband stepped outside he noticed a purplish glow in one of the trees. At first he thought some kind of animal but when throwing a rock at it it did no... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Mistake in propagation of Mustang grapes from Victoria TX July 27, 2013 I didn't read first! I planted dried mustang grape seeds in good potting soil, watered and put on tall clear plastic bags to retain moisture, will they ever come up? Should I get the seed out and r... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Trumpet Vine Dropping Buds July 25, 2013 My trumpet vine is dropping its buds before flowering. This happened last year as well. Do you know what is causing this and what I can do to prevent it? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | | |
| Deer Resistant Vine for California July 24, 2013 What can I plant to cover a retaining wall in Redwood City, CA that will grow down on it (no dirt below) that deer will not eat? I have just about given up. I have tried jasmine and Gelsemium and regu... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Is Bignonia capreolata (Crossvine) known to cause skin irritation July 23, 2013 Is Crossvine (Bignonia capreolata L.) known to cause a rash? We are trying to identify the source of a rash-after-gardening, and have not seen any of the big three (poison ivy, poison oak, poison suma... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Eliminating evasive Celastrus orbiculatus (Oriental bittersweet) July 21, 2013 I have Oriental Bittersweet growing pervasively in my shrub garden, strangling my shrubs and growing into my beautiful Victorian porch. I can't keep up with it! What can I do? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Climbing vines that are deer resistant July 12, 2013 Please find plants that are climbing vines and are deer resistant View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Vine for full sun in Las Vegas NV July 05, 2013 Looking for vine to thrive in full sun in Las Vegas, NV. I tried Cape Honeysuckle and Star Jasmine and both died within 5 days. The leaves were burnt. What's your suggestion? Thank you. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Growing non-native Cabernet Sauvignon vines in Central Texas July 01, 2013 Hi. I recently moved into a remodeled home in Taylor, TX, and have experimented with Cabernet Savignon vines before. I have a 1/2 acre and a chain-link fence I want to put vines on. (I have a book o... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Poison Ivy in Semi-wetland Massachusetts June 27, 2013 You answered this question for Tennessee, but I would like an answer for a Massachusetts semi-wetlands area: What can I plant to discourage poison ivy, or at least make it very clear that it is poison... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Full Sun, Wind-Tolerant Shrubs and Vines for Steep MN Hillside June 26, 2013 My neighbor and I share a very steep, large (in total almost 200 ft. wide) west-facing hillside in Excelsior, MN on Lake Minnetonka. We both have a flat grass area at the bottom so the hillside does n... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Vines for fence in Bentonville, Arkansas June 12, 2013 I have about 600 LF of 8ft high chain link fence I would like to grow vines on in Northwest Arkansas for screening. I would like some to cover quickly but be maintenance friendly. I heard alternating ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Non-floweriing vines not poisonous to dogs from Pittsburgh PA June 10, 2013 Are there any vines or crawlers (nothing that flowers) that are non poisonous to dogs? Everything I am finding is poisonous, I want to plant some vines up a chain link fence around a swimming pool. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Vines non-poisonous to dogs from Madison WI June 09, 2013 Are there any vines or crawlers that are non poisonous to dogs? Everything I am finding is poisonous, I want to plant some vines up a fence on their kennel run. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| How to graft muscadines? June 07, 2013 I have tried for the last two years, grafting my perfect muscadines to the native non-bearing vines. I have tried every method available to no avail. I usually get two or three leaves, then wilt and... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Vine for Patio Wall in D.C. June 03, 2013 I have a concrete patio wall 4 feet tall and 9 feet long in Washington, D.C. The wall runs east to west and there is a patio above it. I am looking for vines to cover it so that I would not have to lo... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Climbing Vine for Illinois That is Non-Toxic to Dogs May 31, 2013 I am looking for a climbing vine hardy in Illinois (zone 5) that it non-toxic to dogs. Can you help? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Non-native pothos ivy from Houston May 30, 2013 My pothos devils ivy is about 5 years old and grows outside. A couple of years ago its leaves became spectacularly large, like 12" wide and its stalk about 1 - 2" wide. A couple of years ago i gui... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants for pergola in Lubbock TX May 29, 2013 I need suggestions of plants, vines, bushes to plant in my backyard near my wooden pergola that will work well in full sun in Lubbock, TX. Ideally, I'd like some that attract hummingbirds and provide... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Blooming but not berrying American bittersweet from Pendleton IN May 29, 2013 I have had a bittersweet plant for years, it blooms but not berries. How do I tell if it is male or female so I can buy the opposite? It is currently blooming. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Fruit crops to grow in Tennessee mountains May 27, 2013 My property has a lot of rock formations throughout it and has hundreds of cedars where it is not pasture. I am wanting to grow fruit trees and berry bushes but don't know what can grow in this e... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Non-native, invasive creeping fig in Webster TX May 26, 2013 We've recently moved into a new home in the southeast Houston area. The back of our property has a long concrete wall (gets quite a bit of sun), which we thought we could cover with a spreading vine.... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of thorny vine in Michigan May 21, 2013 We have a species growing around our rural SW Michigan property that I'm trying to identify: I either see stalks up to 3 ft tall, or much longer vines if they find anchor. The most notable characte... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Are berries of coral honeysuckle edible from Lufkin TX May 21, 2013 Are the berries of coral honeysuckle edible? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Non-native Star Jasmine poisonous to dogs from Dallas May 20, 2013 Is star jasmine poisonous to dogs? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Will Virginia creeper harm brick walls in Las Vegas NM May 19, 2013 Will Virginia creeper harm brick walls in Las Vegas, New Mexico? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
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