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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| Pruning of non-native Senna bicapsularis from Ocean Springs MS April 04, 2013 I have 4 Senna plants (cassia bicapsularis) that I planted late last spring. They about 3-4 feet tall but are very gangly with leaves at or near the tips only. How should I prune them to encourage g... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Dietes bicolor invasive from Brisbane Australia April 01, 2013 We have dietes bicolor growing in our garden. I am changing the type of garden and cannot seem to kill it. I've dugged it out, spent too many weekends pulling out every new shoot, used poison, but t... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Planting petunias around base of oak tree from Houma LA March 30, 2013 I live in south Louisiana and I want to plant petunias. Can I plant petunias around the base of an oak tree? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Death of non-native eleaegnus from Austin March 30, 2013 We have a long hedge of elaeagnus, about 5 ft tall. Four of them died in the middle of the hedge. Where can we find such big plants? Is it advisable to unroot and transplant from another area? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Is Early May OK for Roguing Bastard Cabbage? March 28, 2013 Hi Smarty:) I'm trying to determine the window for seed set for bastard cabbage. I'm hoping to get about 250 volunteers out to remove it but the date is schedule in early May. Judging by the infl... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Will non-native and invasive Mexican petunias grow under oak trees from St. Augustine FL March 24, 2013 Will Mexican Petunias grow under an Oak tree? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Erosion control in Spicewood TX March 20, 2013 I am from a small community along the Colorado River a few miles East of Marble Falls. We are looking for a ground cover/grass to prevent erosion on on our beach front. We had planned to use Bermuda G... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Flowering landscape plants for Montgomery TX March 07, 2013 Hello I live in Montgomery TX. I am looking for low growing evergreen flowering plants for the front of my three deep beds. The first plant closest to the foundation is loropetalum, then I have a blue... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Passionflower Vine for Boulder March 02, 2013 I would love to have a passionflower vine growing up an arbor. I have read comments online that indicate: 1. I can grow some types of passionflowers in Colorado. 2. The plants can become very invasiv... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Will native plants become invasive from Grapevine TX February 23, 2013 Main Question - I want to convert my front and back yards into a native plant sanctuary but worry about if these plants growing out of control/invasive and if neighbors will complain about these "wee... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Mexican feathergrass from Pflugerville, TX January 23, 2013 How deep are the roots of Nassella tenuissima? I'm looking for something that could possibly discourage my neighbors' bermuda grass from encroaching into my native plantings. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Problems with non-native Japanese privet from Glendale AZ December 26, 2012 We have Japanese privet shrub and they seem to be suffering from a disease, need help. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plants for oak shade from Whitney TX December 24, 2012 I live in Whitney, Texas and have a number of beautiful Live Oak trees in a portion of my yard providing deep shade. Asian Jasmine grows in about 5 ft circle around them and then nothing! I have walk ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Advocacy of non-native plants. December 10, 2012 Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, Instead of asking a question, I would like to comment on the seemingly discouraging tone on growing plants or trees out of their native habitat that I have observed from rea... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Invasive mandevilla from Chula Vista CA December 10, 2012 How can I rid my yard of mandevilla that has invaded from my neighbor's yard? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Most invasive, noxious plant in U.S. from New York City. November 26, 2012 I was wondering, what is the most invasive/ noxious plant in the U.S? Thanks in advance. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Ants and garden plants for Austin November 03, 2012 I am needy of companion plants that compliment and work well with the Lantana, Mexican Heather , and in the new beds that I am preparing where I was thinking in part to have passion flower (though is ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Non-native, invasive Asiatic Jasmine from Austin October 25, 2012 Is Trachelospermum asiaticum considered a native texas plant? Is there an example growing at the Center that can be viewed? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Problems with recently planted trumpet vine from Worcester MA October 20, 2012 Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, I have a question about my recently planted Trumpet Vines. First of all, I live in Massachusetts, zone 6. The soil is perfect for the two vines, which I bought from a local nur... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| A method for killing nandina and ligustrum with herbicide October 19, 2012 Is there an effective herbicide that can be painted on the stumps of Nandina and Wax-leaf ligustrum to keep them from growing back? Thanks so much! View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Removing Creeping Fig Suckers October 17, 2012 Help Mr Smarty Plants, I am helping a neighbor remove a creeping fig from her property and want to know if there is any product that will soften, emulsify or remove the remaining sucker roots on the ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Hydrilla problems in Tom Bean Lake in Mesquite, TX. October 12, 2012 What is the lifespan of Hydrilla in 30 acre lake at Tom Bean Tx? Does it grow spring thru summer and then hibernate thru winter ?? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Are non-native Chinese pistache poisonous to alpacas from Galt CA October 07, 2012 Are Chinese Pistachio trees poisonous to alpacas? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Seeds of Meremia dissecta from Austin September 30, 2012 I have a large quantity of seeds of Merremia dissecta that I acquired from plants growing in the parking lot of the San Antonio Museum of Art. (Hmmm… I wonder if it's called alamo vine because of som... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Nutgrass in Lakeway TX Habiturf September 30, 2012 I just installed a new septic system with drip field. Planted habiturf over the whole area. The habiturf is doing good, but I was away for a while and the nut grass has taken over several areas. It s... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
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