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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| topic | question | |
| Can I grow wild rice in green house conditions? November 17, 2010 Can I grow Zizania aquatica (wild rice) in green house conditions? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Do yuccas die after blooming? October 11, 2010 We have a blue yucca which was planted 2 years ago and is just now blooming with a tower of white flowers. Will the entire plant die after blooming as the century plants do? If so, is there a way to s... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Cold hardiness zones for plants from Jackson MS October 02, 2010 How to search the plant database by cold-hardiness zone? Is it possible to do combination search by zone (not just state?) With the information provided with plant, I do not see the zone listed. Ma... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Compare Natives to Lawn for Carbon Footprint Benefits in Durham, New Hampshire September 22, 2010 Are there carbon sequestration rate tables for turf (lawn) and bushes, shrubs, trees? I want to compare the carbon footprint benefit of lawn versus the same area put into native plantings. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Oils/paraffins in sea oats September 04, 2010 Do Sea Oats produce oils/paraffins? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| History of hybrid Hibiscus Davis Creek from Cary NC August 22, 2010 Re: Hibiscus Davis Creek. Can you tell me this hybrid's history? H. coccineus H. militaris perhaps? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| What does spp. stand for in Paspalum spp? From Arlington, TX. August 11, 2010 What does the spp stand for when talking about Paspalum spp? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Clarification for botanical (Latin) names for Herbertia June 17, 2010 I am looking for a clarification of scientific names. In the classic wildflower book 'Wildflowers of Texas' the author, Geyata Ajilvsgi, attributes the plant Herbertia with the name Alophia drummon... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Wild Native Hybrids and Cultivars? June 14, 2010 It is my understanding that hybrids can occur with or without human intervention whereas cultivars always involve human intervention. Strictly speaking does this mean native wildflowers can never be ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Burn the wetlands June 02, 2010 Can the wetlands of Louisiana that have been soaked in oil be burned? I am a native plant gardener in the midwest. Burning is a natural process in the prairie. Southerners are not used to this and ma... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Albinism in plants. May 16, 2010 Greetings, I was wondering what you know of albinism in plants? I know I've found a few articles about it online. I discovered my only albino plant last summer. It was an albino dogbane plant grow... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Trillium phototropism May 16, 2010 I'm SURE you haven't had this question before. I live in northern Michigan in a wooded subdivision where we have clouds of wild grandiflorum trilliums growing in the woods on either side of the roa... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| How do Venus flytraps really work? May 13, 2010 How do venus flytraps *really* work? I've read it has something to do with the hairs in their "mouth," but is there a chemical reaction going on? A physical "trigger"? Help me understand the Venu... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Project on natives in Connecticut from Chino CA April 13, 2010 Hi Mr. Smarty Plants, My 10 yr. old daughter is doing a project on Ct., and would like to know what the most common plants, trees and flowers are found in this state. A few of each would be a great ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Why is my 3 year old Redbud not flowering in San Marcos, TX? March 24, 2010 My Cercis canadensis var. mexicana, purchased at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, is 3 years old, very robust, but has never bloomed. Any explanation? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Flower color in shooting stars (Dodecatheon meadia) February 25, 2010 Shooting Stars (Dodecatheon meadia) come in the colors white, lavender and purple in the eastern U.S. Is this just genetic variability or does soil chemistry affect the flower color? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| How to determine the gender of wax myrtles from the WFC? February 08, 2010 Mr.Smarty Plants, have the wax myrtles that are up for sale at the Center's Spring Plant sale been sexed? I need a male plant. How can the sex be determined when the plant is young? Or can it? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Consequences of overwatering plants February 05, 2010 Explain how an error on the high side when watering would affect soil fertility management, IPM efforts? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of strange tiny creature in plant water January 14, 2010 I have a house plant rooted in water. I has been for over a year and the plant seems healthy, I change the water often and keep it clean. I now have noticed that something is growing it. A fish type o... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Does music affect sunflower growth from Pentwater MI January 12, 2010 Does music affect sunflower growth? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant for science experiment from Kentfield CA November 10, 2009 What is a fast growing plant I should use for a science experiment? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| USDA Hardiness Zone of Rancho Bernardo, CA October 01, 2009 What plant zone is Poway, Rancho Bernardo CA? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Disappearing sunlight in Phoenix, AZ September 29, 2009 I live in a condo in Phoenix, AZ with a north facing patio that goes out about 10 feet and is 20 feet wide. During the summer months there is a span of 1 foot in the front that goes the 20 foot length... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Are freshwater sponges poisonous if eaten by a dog? September 25, 2009 Are freshwater sponges, native to Missouri, poisonous if eaten by a dog? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant Groups September 22, 2009 What are ways to group plants? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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