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 | |
| Tree to plant on rocky soil in San Antonio March 10, 2012 I want to plant a tree in a particular spot in the yard but after digging down 10 inches I hit solid rock. I filled the hole with water and it took hours for it to go down. It is one of the higher e... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Tree for a Missouri yard March 10, 2012 Our front yard tree died. We have landscaping that needs shade. We are in Zone 5, looking for a fast/medium growing shade tree that does not produce anything that falls into the grass and will allow t... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Queen Palm Fertilization in Arizona March 06, 2012 I placed standard Miracle Grow in a root feeder device and inserted into the ground around all of my Queen Palms. Why have they taken a turn for the worse (furled tips on all new branches) Can you ov... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Problems with volunteer tree in Joshua TX February 15, 2012 I have a 'volunteer' tree which has been in our back yard for about 15 years. It has had the usual traumas, ie. lots of snow, ice, etc. but after last years drought, its bark is coming off and sev... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native Plants for Galveston February 12, 2012 I'm looking for low maintenance, drought tolerant plants for Galveston, on the bay side, in a well drained area with morning sun. I was thinking of Phlox, Muhly grass, Lantana.....and I am looking f... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Reseeding a dead lawn in Wimberley TX February 07, 2012 Our new house had a sodded lawn that now appears dead. There remains a layer of sandy soil as a part of the sodding process. Is there a way to reseed these existing slabs of sod and what process wo... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of bushes with red berries in Tennessee January 31, 2012 I was recently traveling thru Clarksville, TN and saw these bushes (at the shopping mall) that had clusters of small red berries on them. They were not a Holly that I know of. The leaves were not th... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Cutting back of non-native Salvia Elegans in Portland OR December 31, 2011 I did not trim back my pineapple sage in the fall. It is now winter and the plants are bare sticks. Should I cut them back or leave them alone? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Destruction of Straggler Daisy in Austin December 18, 2011 I hate Straggler Daisy. Not to be offensive, but it appears from other posts on this site that you, Mr. Smarty Plants, and many others would like to treat it as a protected species. It is taking over ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Large oak with possible Laetiporus fungus November 29, 2011 We have a huge oak tree in front of our new house. After the first rain this fall a large fungal growth appeared in an old knothole of the tree and I would guess that it is Laetiporus. A neighborho... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Difference between Styrax platanifolius and Styrax patanifolius ssp. texanus November 18, 2011 What is the difference between a Styrax platanifolius and a Styrax platanifolius texanus? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| How to treat bark damage on oak tree November 15, 2011 I have an oak tree approx. 50 ft., live in austin, texas. the tree has dropped bark about 3-4 ft above ground, in a section of 4 inches by 8 inches, and the tree appears dark where the bark was. is ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Drought affecting non-native Zoysia grass in Austin November 06, 2011 Due to the extreme drought here in Austin this year and the watering restrictions our Zoysia lawn has suffered and appears to be dead in many areas of our lawn. Will it come back? Is there anything w... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Does molasses make glutinous corn palatable from The Philippines November 06, 2011 What would be the effect of molasses in the growth of glutinous corn?? Does molasses make the plant palatable? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of plant similar to Lindheimer's senna (Senna lindheimeriana) October 27, 2011 I purchased "Lindheimer's Senna" at our MG plant sale in Williamson Co. two years ago. My three plants are now 6 ft. tall but I don't think they are Lindheimers. I've searched your plant files ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Non-native lambs ears wilting in heat from Fredericksburg TX October 19, 2011 3 days ago I had professional landscaping done in an area with plants that tolerate heat & sun well. We planted 7 healthy, large lambs ear & mulched. Everything planted is doing well except the lambs ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Sun loving plants for flower bed by the pool in Weatherford Texas October 03, 2011 We have a 40' long x 2 1/2' wide flowerbed along our pool. It is in full sun with the pool deck across the front and a 6' privacy fence across back. Also, the level of the bed is 18" below the l... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Has overwatering harmed cherry laurels in Austin? September 27, 2011 I am so upset. I know we've been having a terrible drought this year in Austin, and I've been trying to balance water conservation with protecting our recent very large investment for massive lands... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| What variety of Opuntia is best for eating in Boerne, TX. September 26, 2011 Which variety of Opuntia, is best for eating the pads and which are the ones best eaten for fruit? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of spiky red berry in Connecticut September 25, 2011 I found an odd berry outside of my school, none of the science teachers know what it is though. It kind of looks like a spiked cherry. It has spikes on the outside, a pit on the insde, and has pinkish... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Watering practices for live oaks in drought from New Braunfels TX September 04, 2011 We have conflicting info about watering live oaks. An arborist says to water now using soaker hoses or small sprinklers and a landscaper who spoke to our garden club said that after August is too late... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Propagation of Cahaba lily from Columbia TN September 03, 2011 My cahaba lilies have so many seed pods. I would like to use the seeds properly to grow more lilies. Can anyone tell me the best way to go about it? Thank you View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Origin of sticky, smelly substance on dog in Southern California August 27, 2011 I just took my dog out (mid August) in Aguanga, CA (high desert) and, after coming back in, noted that his feet and legs were covered in a very sticky substance that STINKS - there is some kind of pla... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Antelope Resistant Plants for Casper, Wyoming August 12, 2011 What are some drought resistant, full-sun plants for Wyoming that are Antelope resistant - Deer are not much of a problem, but antelope are! View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plant identification of tree on Kent State University in Ohio August 09, 2011 Hello. I am fond of a very large (wide) tree on a university campus in Ohio. I have tried many plant ID search engines to try to figure out what it is. It is at least 12 feet tall and at least that ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| topic | question | |