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 | |
| Replanting a Desert Willow February 07, 2016 My desert willow was damaged badly in a winter storm and had to be taken down. Do I need to remove the old root system below grade when I plant a new desert willow? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Is it illegal to collect wildflower plants from county roads in TX? February 05, 2016 Is it illegal to collect wildflower plants like bluebonnets from county roads in Texas? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Making a perennial cutting garden friendly to butterflies. February 05, 2016 I would like to start a perennial cutting garden friendly to butterflies Where can I get a list of plants . View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| When will the bluebonnets appear this year? February 04, 2016 When will the bluebonnets appear this year? We have many friends and family who want to visit when they are in bloom. Thanks. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Repairing Damage to Oak Tree Bark February 02, 2016 I have destructive horses who have torn a lot of the bark off of my oak trees. I've moved the horses from that area, but is there something I can put on the places where the bark is missing so the tr... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Viburnum Leaf Beetle Damage to Native Viburnums February 02, 2016 Dear Friends, I am an officer of Protectors of Pine Oak Woods, a Staten Island, NY land conservation organization which also involves itself in forest restoration and invasive species control projects... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Pruning Leggy Santolina January 30, 2016 We are members of the society and have loved your section offering advice. We have green santolina that is becoming quite leggy. I would like to prune them to get them more compact come spring and sum... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Maine Coastal Shrub for Choral Composition January 30, 2016 I'm a choral composer writing a piece of music about Maine. What kind of shrubby things hang on to the rocky bluffs, right by the sea? I'm an avid native plant gardener, but I know my own Massachu... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Evergreen privacy screen 8 feet or less January 29, 2016 In needing to plant an evergreen privacy screen, what is the tallest Ceniza variety? I'm having great difficulty finding an evergreen hedge material 8' or less. After having taken a class in pla... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of vining plant with red berries in California January 28, 2016 We found a vining plant next to and growing in our stream with gorgeous purple leaves in the fall after frost and a few sporadic clusters of smooth small red berries with little thorns on the vine. We... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| topic | question | |