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 | |
| Lists of native plants in Rome, Italy area November 27, 2005 Do you know anywhere that I can find a list of native plants in Italy, especially in the Rome area. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Propagation of non-native, poisonous oleanders November 11, 2005 How do I propagate oleanders? Can the cuttings be rooted in water? Or is it better to use rooting hormone and stick the cuttings in the soil? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Hours of darkness for non-native poinsettia to bloom October 28, 2005 I have a poinsettia from last Christmas still alive. I was told to get it so many hours of darkness. Do you know how many hours? When would be the best time to start displaying the plant again? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Smarty Plants on Pinguicula October 28, 2005 Does any plant of the genus Pinguicula (butterworts) grow wild in israel--maybe in Mount Hermon or Upper Galile?. israeli carnivorous plant society couldn't give me a clear answer about this issue. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Non-native, invasive, poisonous Chinese yam October 16, 2005 I found a vine in my yard [central Indiana] which I believe is Dioscorea oppositiflora and I wanted first to confirm my identification and second to find out about edibility [especially of the airborn... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant Care for Plumeria October 15, 2005 I have a plumeria that is getting too tall for my small patio. How I should cut it back and can start the cuttings into new plants? Does the original plant need any special care when it is cut back? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Smarty Plants on fungal attack October 12, 2005 I have three plants that have been getting fungus on their soil and I've tried to get rid of it by scraping it off, watering it less and more sunlight. It's two coleus and a begonia. I don't know... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native and non-native Wandering Jew and Four o Clocks October 10, 2005 I am looking for information on 2 separate plants in my yard. The names that people have given me on what they are is as follows: Wondering Jew Four O'Clock View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Care for non-native Indian Banyan Tree October 06, 2005 I was given a Ficus benghalensis (Indian Banyan Tree) cutting, rooted in water. I need advice on how to plant it, what kind of dirt, best type of pot ie. plastic, glass, etc. The cutting is 1 foot i... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Non-native, invasive Datura sprouting from compost September 26, 2005 Hi, I have a plant growing out of some compost we purchased this spring and no one can tell me what it is. It's about 4 ft. tall, the stem is maroon like rhubarb and it produces 4-5 in. tubular lig... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Care for non-native Hibiscus syriacus (Rose of Sharon) August 30, 2005 I am moving into a new home and have been told that the two plants in my front yard are called Hearts of Sharon. I need to know how to care for them and when and how to prune them so that they dont gr... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native or non-native hibiscus for Kansas August 13, 2005 I recently purchased a 10" Hibiscus flowering plant and would like to know how to care for it. How much water and sunlight does it need and how long I can expect it to live? It is a beautiful plant a... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Smarty Plants on Pittosporum August 05, 2005 Need to know if "PITTOSPORUM" (TOBIRA VARIEGATA) will grow in my area of SE OK. I have purchased two of them and the nursery said that they would do great. Just needed an extra opinion. Than... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Smarty Plants on dogwoods August 05, 2005 I am interested in the worldwide distribution of the dogwood family/cornus. Specifically, I am interested in whether or not there are indiginous species on the Indian Subcontinent. Is there a resour... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Care of non-native calla lilies July 15, 2005 How should I protect my calla lilies during the winter? If it helps you any, I live in South Carolina. And also will too much water hurt them? We have had massive amounts of rain. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Smarty Plants on women trying to conceive July 10, 2005 RE: Eucalyptus. Is this bad for women trying to conceive? The smell is very powerful. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Caring for non-native Peace Lily July 04, 2005 I have given my closet plant too much miracle gro and the leaves are drooping really bad. What do I need to do? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Smarty Plants on Oleanders June 11, 2005 I have 3 Nerium Oleanders. In the winter they come indoors, and are under grow lights. They are in big pots. We just put them outside on patio, and they don't look good. They still have green tips ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Care for non-native Easter Lily (Lilium longiflorum) June 07, 2005 How do you care for an Easter Lily once the flowers have fallen off? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Locations where non-native Mimosa trees grow May 23, 2005 Where do mimos trees grow? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Invasiveness of non-native gooseneck yellow loosetrife in Maine May 12, 2005 I live in Maine, and purple loosestrife is invading our habitat. It outcompetes native species. Does gooseneck loosestrife have the same damaging qualities? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Invasive, non-native Eragrostis cilianensis, stink grass March 22, 2005 I am writing a children's book for Darby Creek Publishing about smelly plants and animals. I have read that Eragrostis cilianensis is one of the few bad-smelling grasses. Would the purpose of the o... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Non-native Asclepias curassavica March 09, 2005 I have some plants given to me by a neighbor, here in Florida. She says they are called Butterfly Reel or by another name Asclepias Curassavica. I have been unable to locate any info. on this plant. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Smarty Plants on Walter Ernest Jones February 24, 2005 My parents are both huge gardening fans and for a mothers day present I would like to find a plant for her garden that has a connection with "walter ernest jones". Any part of this name would be gr... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Pruning time of non-native oleander February 11, 2005 When and how should I trim oleanders that turned brown after our first freeze? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| topic | question | |