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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| Planting wildflowers from Wichita Falls, TX August 24, 2013 Hi, Thanks so much for the answers you give! You've been very helpful to me in the past. I have two quick questions: 1) I have been harvesting seeds from my wildflowers. I wonder when the best time... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Native Plants for a water collection pit in Bronson, FL August 22, 2013 I live near Gainesville, FL in a low rural area with many cypress swamps around & bought this 5 acres 2 years ago. About 15 years ago a pit was dug on my 5 acres to give the rainwater somewhere to go... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Wildflower garden for Driftwood, TX August 20, 2013 I would like to plant wildflowers in a fairly large field on a slope. The slope is a little rocky and is located in Driftwood, TX. I have been thinking about a mixture of Bluebonnets and Indian Blank... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Greenhouse bluebonnets for July wedding from Denver CO August 19, 2013 Would it possible for my daughter's florist to get bluebonnets for her late July wedding? Are they propagated in greenhouses? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Help for Collapsing Tradescantia August 14, 2013 My tradescantia has completely collapsed at the crown. The stems are yellowish. This happened once before when I had it planted in full sun and I just had to discard it. This time I have one plante... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plants for a Septic Field in NC August 14, 2013 What kinds of low water plants can I plant over a new septic field in North Carolina? The area is part sun so I am concerned about having trouble getting grass started. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Making Tea from Croton monanthogynus August 13, 2013 Do you have any other information on the value of croton monanthogynus as a tea? Nutritive value? Possible adverse reactions? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Wild flowers in North Texas for October wedding from Biscayne FL July 25, 2013 I am getting married in north Texas in October. I want to use wild flowers in addition to daisies. Which ones are in bloom in early oct? I've heard using flowers in season are more reasonably priced.... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Developing fields with native plants from New Egypt NJ July 24, 2013 I have several acres of fields that I want to develop with native grasses and flowers. I would like to know the best time to mow the fields so that bushes and volunteer trees don't take over and that... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Drought Tolerant Shrubs and Perennials in San Jose, CA July 18, 2013 Hello I am a SLT home owner in San Jose, Ca. and want to plant drought tolerant shrubs and perennials. We don't have irrigation but plan to put a timer on a nozzle and run some lines. At least I am t... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Curling, Red Leaves on Gaura July 18, 2013 My gaura had most of its lower leaves turn red and then fall off. It is July now, I bought and planted it in May where it seemed to do really well growing several more inches tall and blooming nicely.... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Native Streambank Plants for SE Pennsylvania July 18, 2013 I help manage a nature preserve in southeastern Pennsylvania. Along the stream the banks have been beaten down by a large number of visitors for their educational activities such as stream studies. Th... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Neighborhood association wanting wildflowers mowed from Grand Prairie TX July 14, 2013 For at least 15 years, I have been fostering growth of wildflowers in 60% of my 90x400' yard which include 150' utility trunkline easement in which I can plant no trees. This year, we had volunteer ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Will maroon and Texas Bluebonnets prosper in Richland MO? July 02, 2013 I live in Richland, MO and have obtained both Maroon and Texas Bluebonnet seeds from Fredricksburg, TX. Will they prosper in this area and when is the best time to plant? I have read how and what type... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Recreating a wildflower meadow, central Texas July 02, 2013 We have an acre on our property that has bluebonnets. Unfortunately, it also has other plants that we don't want -Johnson grass, nettles, burrs. We plan to do a controlled burn in the fall and re-... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Wet adapted plants for Virginia Beach VA June 28, 2013 I live in Virginia Beach, VA on Lynnhaven waterway (leads into Chesapeake bay, but at my point is more brackish). I've recently removed/contained bamboo with concrete and metal barriers and now want... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Why Did Gaillardia and Aquilegia Changed Color? June 26, 2013 Both a Gaillardia pulchella and two red columbines bloomed normally last summer, but this summer the Gaillardia's petals are all yellow and one columbine is white and the other is yellow. What caused... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Flowering plant for gravesite in Weatherford TX June 23, 2013 I want to plant flowering plant of some kind at parent's grave site in Weatherford, TX. The family cemetery is on a limestone hill with no irrigation or ability to water other than nature. Would on... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Red selection of Coreopsis Tinctoria from Austin June 10, 2013 Red tall plains coreopsis is being sold @ Eden Bros. THey note it is a native, can grow to zone 10, but they say it is "not heat or drought toleranr". Cannot find verification or rebuttal anywhere. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| What insect eats Alamo Fire blue bonnets from League City TX June 10, 2013 What insect eats Alamo Fire blue bonnets? Something seems to be eating new seedpods. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plants for a Shady Woodland in MA June 09, 2013 Hello, I am looking for natives to plant in full shade or part shade. My house is in the mountain woodland area of Mt. Washington, MA. I am looking for grasses, flowers and shrubs. Also I am looking f... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Summer-blooming Wildflowers for Wichita Falls, TX June 08, 2013 Can you give me a list of some summer-blooming (June, July, August, maybe September) wildflowers that I can plant in my flower beds in Wichita Falls, TX and tell me when the best time is to sow the se... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Proliferation of Small Palafoxia in Dallas Co. TX June 07, 2013 A few years ago I noticed a new wildflower I hadn't seen before in the southwest Dallas County area. I found the name to be Small Palafoxia. It was growing along the edges of HWy 67 in Duncanville ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Showy Low Growing Perennial for Michigan June 03, 2013 I have been looking for a native perennial that would do well in full sun and moist to dry soil. It would have to be at most 2.5' tall and have showy pink, purple, or red flowers. Is there such a pla... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plants for the Shade of a Pine Tree in Pittsburg June 03, 2013 I live in Pittsburgh, PA. My neighbor has a huge pine tree. Last year everything I planted on that side near the tree died. That part of the yard only gets morning sun, as the tree overshadows it. Wha... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
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