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.
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
| topic | question | |
| Narrow strip of groundcover from Sonora TX April 29, 2013 I have an area that is right under my patio about 12 feet by 1 ft. I'm looking for something to plant in there. It has afternoon sun, morning shade. I live in SW Texas so it is hot. but would like so... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plants for a Steep, Sunny Slope in Iowa April 28, 2013 I am looking for plants native to Iowa for a steep, sunny slope or groundcover. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Ground cover for heavily traveled walkway from Redondo Beach CA April 23, 2013 I am looking for a drought resistant ground cover that you can walk on. I live on a south facing, sunny corner lot, 2 blocks from the beach where people park and need to cross over to get to the sidew... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Shady Perennial Groundcover Suggestions for Indiana April 21, 2013 Could you please recommend perennial groundcovers for Indiana that are low and leafy, self-spreading, non-invasive, deer resistant, and moisture tolerant; and that are good for erosion control on a sh... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Deer Resistant, Fast Growing Groundcover Suggestions for Georgia April 20, 2013 Our driveway is 1/4 mile in length and is steep on both sides (one side up one side down). It currently has grass that our contractor planted using seed when we built our house. We are unable to cut t... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Groundcover Under Maple Tree in Ottawa That Takes Foot Traffic April 19, 2013 Hi, I am looking for a groundcover to put under a large maple tree that will be alright for kids to run about on and will be happy in the Ottawa climate. Your other answers to similar questions have b... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Evergreen groundcover for full sun in North Carolina April 16, 2013 I have an area that is in full sun and I need to know the best low growing evergreen that possibly flowers to help cover where a ditch/water drainage pipe is below the planting area. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Need suggestions for plants to put between stones on a path in Austin, TX April 12, 2013 I am looking for plants to put between stones on a path, which are low-an inch or two, green, low water and tolerate full sun in Austin, Texas View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Replacement for shade grass in El Paso TX April 05, 2013 We currently have a Honey Mesquite tree with thinning bermuda grass underneath in our front yard. I suspect that the filtered shade is killing the bermuda. I was thinking of planting Buffalo Grass, or... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Starting over on a lawn in Heath TX April 02, 2013 Unless one counts dichondra as grass I have more weeds than grass in my yard.I have hand pulled the weeds and used an organic program without success. The soil is a hard clay typical of North Texas. I... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| South Austin Groundcovers for Oak Shade March 29, 2013 Hi! I live in S. Austin now but used to work at the Wildflower Center! My backyard is shady with several oak mots. Do you have any suggestions as to what if any ground cover will grow in all that sha... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Groundcovers for Miami FL March 27, 2013 What is a ground cover that does not need mowing or a lot of water and survives in South Florida heat and is also native to the area? I would like to turn my lawn into a more natural self-sustaining a... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Dog wallowing in damp area in garden from Great Bend KS March 20, 2013 I Have a wet area in my back yard that is close to my house. and off my patio there is a water hydrant,gas meter, electrical for my hot tub, my sprinkler valves and pump all there. My dog digs throug... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Source for silver ponyfoot from Temple TX March 19, 2013 Where can I purchase dichondra argentea -- I live in Bell Co. but am willing to come to Austin if need be. Thank you. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Shade Tolerant Grasses and Groundcovers for Waco TX March 15, 2013 What is the best shade-tolerant grass? What is the best shade-tolerant ground cover? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plants to grow between patio pavers March 15, 2013 We'd like to use poured concrete pavers for a deck. What grows well, whether it be grass or other, between these. We'll have 4-6" between 4 foot pavers. And would love to find something that does... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Groundcover for gravesite in Maryland March 13, 2013 I know this is very unusual question but here I go. I live on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and I am looking for a low ground cover for my grandparents grave. The soil is very sandy and I am looking... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Groundcover for Boston MA March 12, 2013 We have a small back yard that gets great sun in spring before the leaves are fully back on the tall trees surrounding the perimeter, and then a lot of shade in summer. We have weird patchy grass and ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | | |
| Plants for under Oak Trees in LA. March 05, 2013 What type of plants and grass can be planted under and around oak trees View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Groundcover for strip on street from Norfolk VA February 23, 2013 My house is on the east side of a north/south street. Between the curb and sidewalk is a strip about 3' wide, with two crepe myrtles spaced about 20' apart and a mix of sparse weeds and grass leavi... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Grass installation with plugs from Austin February 05, 2013 As much as I would love to use the seed mixture you suggest for Austin, I am not physically able to do the needed prep and was unable last year to get a professional. No one would even call me back wh... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Eliminating wood roaches from hardwood mulch from San Antonio TX February 05, 2013 How can I eliminate the numerous wood roaches in my hardwood mulch that I get for free from the city of San Antonio? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Groundcover for vineyard from Round Rock, TX February 04, 2013 I will be planting a vineyard in the Hill Country next spring. I am looking to maintain low-growing understory plants across the entire vineyard to maintain soil health, choosing plants that the leaf... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Controlling slugs in a Pacific Northwest strawberry patch February 04, 2013 Would love to plant various varieties of strawberries on a bank for erosion control and ground cover. How can we keep the slugs at bay? We are in the the Pacific Northwest View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Ground cover for Brooklyn, NY January 25, 2013 Hi Mr Smarty Plants, I'm looking for a fast growing ground cover for my Brooklyn, NY back yard. The area is nestled between 3 buildings and a fairly large tree, so most of the day its shady, but ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | | |
| Winter groundcover for shaded backyard in Austin January 10, 2013 I live in south Austin and have a shaded backyard. During the summer, the lawn died and the ground is now bare. I'd like to plant some kind of winter grass or ground cover that will hold the soil i... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Native Plants for Shaded North Slope in Ohio January 03, 2013 I have a shaded north hillside which needs erosion control plants. Mostly moss and very thin grass grows there now. Please help! View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Source for ground pine plants from Ligonier PA December 21, 2012 Where can I purchase "ground pine plants? I want to use them for erosion control. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Replacing St. Augustine with Horse herb in Austin, TX. December 12, 2012 I'm considering replacing my St. Augustine grass with a Horseherb/Straggler Daisy ground cover, but I've heard that it provides a mosquito breeding habitat, especially if you allow dead leaves to de... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Ground cover under Spruces from West Chester PA December 06, 2012 Trying to get a native groundcover (or any grass/wildflower/fern) planting established under a small stand of spruces. Established stand (30+ years old), so lots of needles on ground. Just about tot... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Is dichondra repens native from Hillsboro, TX November 28, 2012 What about diachondra repens? Is it native? Thank you, View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Source for Dichondra from Hillsboro TX November 26, 2012 Where can I get dichondra and info about it? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | | |
| Groundcovers for hillside in Northern California November 19, 2012 I have read numerous posts on here, but I have not found my exact situation. I live in Northern California. I am looking for some type of ground cover to grow on a hillside. Directly above the hillsid... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Want a ground cover instead of St. Augustine to fill in gaps in stone pathway. November 19, 2012 I'm considering using Silver Ponyfoot (instead of St. Augustine) to fill in the 6" gaps between my 24"x24" cut limestone blocks footpath and patio. Do they run long that may cover the blocks, whi... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Groundcover to prevent erosion in Florida November 04, 2012 I live on a hill and put in a new side driveway and now I am seeing erosion along the driveway and can see the bottom of my concrete. Grass won't grow because its all shaded. What would be the best g... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Destructive landscape crews in The Woodlands TX October 20, 2012 Hi. We need help. We recently moved to a house where landscape crews have been blowing away the leaf litter from the front yard for many years. The underbrush was also cleared long ago. The result... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Groundcover for Bonsall, CA October 17, 2012 I live in Bonsall, CA. (San Diego) I have 3 acres, flat and sloped that are graded dirt. (DG and sheep poop from previous owner). It is getting close to mud season and I'd like to plant winter cover... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Groundcovers for Kingsland TX October 11, 2012 I am looking for a list of native ground covers and grasses(not lawn grass). View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Groundcover for rock garden under large oak October 02, 2012 I am planning a small rock garden under a large oak tree. I would like a spreading evergreen ground cover that will grow in the shade. Drought-tolerant would be preferred as I live in the high plains... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Splash-proof plants from Oakton VA October 01, 2012 Hi Mr Smarty Plants, Re: low, evergreen ground cover, Northern Virginia The bare soil around my freshly painted screen porch splashes up onto the white framing when it rains so I am looking for ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Removing St. Augustine for natives in Grapevine TX September 29, 2012 We have St Augustine in our yard and we hate it. It guzzles water, we have to cut it often, and it's thick and hard to work with. Anyway, we want to replace it with a combination of some kind of g... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Grasses for Erosion control in Iowa September 27, 2012 We have a sloping yard in the midwest that gets 2-4 hours of sun during the warm weather. When we have large rainfalls, the water just pours down the slope causing a lot of erosion to the surrounding ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Deer-resistant groundcovers for erosion control September 26, 2012 I need a ground cover (vine??) that will help me with erosion on a sloped front yard. It gets about 6-8 hours of sun and my main need is for something that the rats in our neighborhood will not destro... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Wildflowers for Murphy NC Clay August 24, 2012 I live on a ridge in Murphy NC. The property has trees so most of the land is in partial shade. The soil is good 'ole mountain red clay. I have some steep bankings in front of the house that I wou... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Groundcovers for area under blue spruce in Colorado August 10, 2012 I have a 40 ft blue spruce limbed up 6 ft in my yard on the west in Greeley, CO (50 mi N Denver, zone 4 or 5). It gets some sun underneath in the later afternoon and evening. Can you suggest 4 to 5 ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Low maintenance, shade tolerant groundcover for Pacific Northwest August 09, 2012 What's a good low maintenance, shade tolerant ground cover for the Pacific Northwest? It needs to have good erosion control, too. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Groundcover for clay soil in Southern California August 08, 2012 I live in Southern California and have hard packed clay soil in my yard. Could you recommend ground cover that would be green, low to the ground, require little water and survive in clay? I can't a... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Ground cover for Orange County, California August 05, 2012 What ground cover do you suggest for an Orange Co., CA, backyard with a steep slope in 3-4 hours of sun? Needs to grow fast to beat the weeds. Something pretty would be nice! Thanks View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Ground cover for high traffic area in Pennsylvania August 01, 2012 I am wondering if there is a Pennsylvania native turf like grass/plant that can withstand a lot of foot traffic (public area with lots of children). This will be used in a formal setting so will need ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Will Habiturf thrive in Houston? July 31, 2012 Will Habiturf grow in partial sun? My lawn is surrounded by trees so that there is only about an hour each day with direct overhead sun. The rest of the day there is a light shade. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| topic | question | |