Native Plants
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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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| Nimblewill grass for a shady area in Dallas April 04, 2013 i have a very shady backyard and reading some of your post I think Muhlenbergia schreberi (nimblewill) will survive. Two questions: Is it drought resistant? Where can I buy the seeds? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| 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 |  | |
| Non-native, and/or invasive bermudagrass, St. Augustine and Pistache from Houston September 24, 2012 Our St. Augustine lawn died suddenly this summer from either chinch bugs or grub worms (or both?), and a multitude of weeds and native Bermuda have taken over the area. Now that the weather has cooled... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Weeds in Buffalograss from Edmond OK September 20, 2012 We have a patch of buffalograss surrounded by patio/flower garden/vegetable garden. We like B-grass, but are getting a lot of weeds despite preemergents, and some bermuda had appeared. Are there h... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Non-native, invasive rescue grass in meadow garden in Smithville TX September 20, 2012 Despite numerous efforts, a solid field of cool weather rescue grass keeps desired wildflower and grass seeds from successfully growing on my "vacant" lot in town. I plan to I put out a 6 ml plasti... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identity of plant in Kentucky with fuzzy grayish-green leaves September 03, 2012 I would like to know about a plant that I do not know what it is. I had this plant just come up in my flowerbed, that looked like a tobacco plant but the leaves looked like a lambs ear plant. It was ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Deer resistant plants from New Braunfels TX August 31, 2012 I have a 1/2 yard covered by a tree, shady. Bermuda grass previous owner planted has all turned brown this summer. I don't have lots of money to work with but would love to landscape that side of fr... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Difficulty with Clay Soil from Palm Bay, FL August 22, 2012 I had a very nice little native shady area behind my house for over 40 years, but now it has been cleared except for a 100 foot tall live oak in the center of this raised mound (50' x 80'). I've be... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Non-native, invasive bermudagrass from Memphis TN August 17, 2012 I live in central Memphis and have well-drained clay soil. I have converted much of the front yard from turf grass to beds of native plants, which survive our hot humid without supplemental watering e... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Controlling seeding of non- native, invasive Paulownia from Fayetteville TN August 17, 2012 My husband planted a Paulownia tree against my advice about eight years ago. This summer it has huge seed pods. How do I keep the seeds from invading the wooded area of our property? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Request for native grasses from Hillsboro TX August 04, 2012 P.S. I forgot to mention one very important fact: my neighbor specifically asked for "native grass" recommendations. He thought he was getting a native grass recommendation. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Invasive trumpet vine from Fredericksburg TX August 03, 2012 I have a large trumpet vine growing on a dead tree stump. My problem is that new baby trumpet vines are coming up all over my yard. I mow them, but is there anything I can use to prevent new trumpet v... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Why are invasive, non-natives being sold from Hillsboro TX August 03, 2012 Why are nurseries allowed to grow and sell seed from invasive non-native plants like: johnson grass, bermuda grass, and king ranch bluestem? Many times when I contact a nursery or seed distributor as... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Butterflies attracted by Pink Evening Primrose from Burnet TX July 30, 2012 I see information on Pink Evening Primrose that says it attracts 'many butterflies' Please tell me which butterflies and name them? I've looked everywhere and am just exhausted and frustrated with... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Is Gooseneck native from Cleveland Heights OH July 20, 2012 I live in Cleveland Heights, OH, and have an abundance of gooseneck in my yard. Is it a native plant? Thank you! View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Ground cover for Central California from Concord CA July 19, 2012 I live in a part of California where the summers can be very hot and dry but quite cool and wet during the rainy seasons in the wintertime. The soil around my home is very dry, rocky and infertile. I... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Non-native, invasive peanut butter tree from Canby, OR July 17, 2012 I too have a peanut butter tree with the pink and white blooms, its about 5 years old and is beautiful, but 2 weeks ago it started wilting and losing all its leaves, I am afraid it is dying. Can I sav... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Differences between Lantana urticoides and Lantana camara July 13, 2012 I have found an orange variety of lantana growning in several location in Jefferson County. Is there any way I can tell for sure if it is L. camara or the native L. urticoides? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of vine from Las Vegas NV July 11, 2012 I'm interested in identifying the vine shown by the leaf in this photo: https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/zR3R4JSPYcCI4ESczNXWM4h8z33Cq5cyZNqSSYf9hx0?feat=directlink My mother-in-law got one o... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Hybrid Campsis radicans 'Madame Rosy' from Medina OH July 07, 2012 I have a Madame Rosy Campsis that is not blooming. We purchased and planted it last year, mid-summer and it did well for the remainder of the season but this year...nothing but green leaves........wh... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Dwarf oyster plant dying in Sunrise FL July 06, 2012 WHAT WOULD BE KILLING MY DWARF OYSTER PLANTS View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants for under non-native fruitless mullberry trees from Ft. Worth TX June 28, 2012 I live in Tarrant county, where summer droughts are the norm. I have a 150x50 foot swathe of mature "fruitless mulberry" trees, which create a very shady atmosphere. The soil is clay dominated, ro... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Distinguishing non-native Wisteria from Austin June 25, 2012 How do I distinguish a native wisteria from a non-native wisteria? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Splitting bark on non-native mimosa from Buda TX June 24, 2012 What would cause my Mimosa tree to have splitting bark. I've only lived in this house for 8 months and am learning about this tree. The other tree seems fine. It looks as though it split and then ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of yellow flowers in Wisconsin June 19, 2012 We have plants near Madison, Wisconsin that some call lanceleaf coreoposis however I believe they are some type of invasive species. They have yellow flowers, seem to spread by seed. and don't grown ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Non-native invasive Siebold viburnum from Isleboro ME June 17, 2012 I was given several small Siebold Viburnum for planting on my Maine property. Even though it is often for sale in nurseries, I'm aware it is listed as invasive in several eastern states. Shouldn't I... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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