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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| Landscaping with native plants in Austin October 06, 2005 I'm expanding a flower bed in front of my house and would like to keep it all natives. 1) How do I find out what type of soil I should add? (I live near Hyde Park, Austin and haven't had a soil te... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Smarty Plants on lantana in Dallas September 14, 2005 For several years, the lantana plants in my backyard in Dallas grew and bloomed all Summer and Fall until the first real cold snap. I've loved having a native plant that didn't need constant care a... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Texas Sage in Indiana September 14, 2005 I was living in Texas and now I have moved to Indiana. I would love to have some Texas Sage here. is it possible? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Apartment Landscaping September 13, 2005 I live in an apartment and have a small patch filled with rocks and an ugly plant I don't know the name of. I want to take out the existing plants and put something else in. It has to be hearty,low m... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Controlling scale insects on hollies July 10, 2005 I have a number of holly shrubs at the side of my house. Recently I noticed that they have tiny white spots on them. I looked at several native Texas gardening books, but can't find what I need to t... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Suggestions for Texas native plants for memorial June 30, 2005 A dear friend of ours has passed and we would like some ideas of a native Texas plant we could plant in memory of her. It will be grown in the hill region near Houston. Thank you. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Smarty Plants on bio-security June 11, 2005 Hello, My friend and I are summer interns at the Bryan Mound Strategic Petroleum Reserve Site in Freeport, Texas. Our jobs as the interns is to find a plant that is friendly to the animals around our... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Smarty Plants on mockoranges May 25, 2005 I live in Colorado where it is common to have 1 or 2 late frosts. I planted 4 littleleaf mockoranges (Philadelphus Microphyllus) 2 years ago and they are pretty much in full sun most of the day. I h... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Smarty Plants on arborvitaes March 28, 2005 Hello, I live in Allentown, PA and have a 7-foot arborvitae shrub in my backyard, planted in the corner of the yard where a wood fence intersects with the brick wall of the garage. I have had ma... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Texas native plants for cemetery site February 09, 2005 I am trying to landscape my mothers gravesite located in far East Texas (just outside of Nacogdoches) and I am looking for some evergreen bushes or any other decorative plants for that area. I am thi... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Late winter pruning of native Texas Sage January 27, 2005 I have several Texas Sage bushes that have started to get very woody and have growth only on the top. This seems to have led to a definite listing to one side. Should I trim these to the ground or... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Possibility of growing oak-leaf hydrangea in Comal County, TX January 08, 2005 In the last issue of the magazine, there was an item about the oak leaf hydrangea which stated the plant's habitat is east of the Mississippi River. Can it be grown in Comal County? Any special nee... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Native perennial winter plants for Waco, TX November 03, 2004 I live in the Waco area, and would like to know winter plants that I could use that would come back each year, flowering or otherwise. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Low growing native shrubs to go next to a rock pool deck July 29, 2004 I have a pool surrounded by a rock deck, & want to plant some low-growing shrubs next to the deck. However, I want to ensure the root system of the plant isn't invasive enough to crack the rock deck ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Age at which native agarita produces berries July 28, 2004 At what age does agarita produce berries? Is this plant self pollinating? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Survivability of plants after freeze December 08, 2003 I have many beautiful plants that froze. Some were Lantana, Hummingbird Bush, Candlestick Trees, Esperanza, Some flowers, and Marigolds. I love all of my plants and flowers and I want them to grow bac... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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