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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| Germinating Penstemon tenuis, Monarda citriodora and Machaeranthera tanacetifolia Seed June 03, 2013 I am a graduate student at Texas Tech (UT Austin alumni), studying horticulture. I will be researching several wildflowers found in west Texas including Penstemon tenuis, Monarda citriodora, and Macha... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Wildflowers for September wedding from Licking MO June 02, 2013 Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, I am getting married this September in Licking Missouri back in the woods on my dads land. I would like to have wildflowers for the bouquets and reception decor. Can I get some... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| New York City Native Perennials for a Long Growing Season May 31, 2013 Which native New York City perennials would be best for the longest growing season? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Creating a wildflower meadow May 18, 2013 I have an area 1-6 acres worth that is currently grass that I would like to overseed with wildflower seed. The local native plant nursery says that would be a waste. I don't really want to kill gra... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Illegal to pick roadside wildflowers from Vilonia AR May 11, 2013 Is it illegal to pick roadside wildflowers in Arkansas? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native Annual Plant Substitute for Impatiens May 11, 2013 What can be used as an annual flowering plant to substitute for the diseased impatiens? Is Vinca one you would suggest? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Springbeauty in New Jersey and Dog Allergies May 11, 2013 Is Claytonia virginica in New Jersey and could my dog be allergic to it? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Native plants for a garden in Panama City, FL May 10, 2013 I live in zone 9 in Florida. We are looking for plants which will be attractive all year long for the front of our house's landscaping which faces north. I need a specimen bush which doesn't get ov... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Can bluebonnets be made into jelly from Ennis TX May 07, 2013 Are Texas bluebonnet flowers okay for human consumption? I have seen recipes for wild violet jelly,so was wondering about making bluebonnet jelly from the bluebonnet blossoms if they are not poisonous... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Spreading bluebonnets in pasture from Ledbetter TX April 29, 2013 I've found a small patch of bluebonnets in my back pasture in Ledbetter, tx. What is the best method of encouraging their spread across the pasture? I've heard that one can pull up the plants and ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Groundcover for a Sunny, Steep Slope in Maryland April 29, 2013 I need a groundcover for a sunny dry steep slope in Towson, Maryland. The slope goes from the parking lot down to a deck area. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Dicentra Late in Emerging in the Spring April 29, 2013 I have had a bleeding heart plant that has come up for over 50 years. This year it did not come up. Is there anything I can do? Is there a chance that it will come up next year or should I assume that... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Smoky Mountains Shaded Slope Plant Suggestions April 29, 2013 We live in a very shady spot in Great Smoky Mountains in Western North Carolina. We would like to plant vegetation on a sloped area behind our cottage to stop erosion after building an addition. Our h... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plants for a Steep, Sunny Slope in Iowa April 28, 2013 I am looking for plants native to Iowa for a steep, sunny slope or groundcover. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Wildflowers for October wedding from Rockford AL April 26, 2013 Want to plant wildflowers that will bloom in early October in central Alabama for a wedding. Can you give me any suggestions ? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Source for seeds of Mexican primrose from Dallas April 25, 2013 Can I purchase Mexican Evening Primrose seeds now for planting in the fall or do I need to wait for the fresh crop of seeds that will be gathered from this spring flowering. How can I be assured the ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Souce for Houstonia caerulea in Massachusetts April 25, 2013 I am looking for bluet (Houstonia caerulea or H. serpyllifolia). I can't find them anywhere. The two sites listed under possible distributors under H. caerulea have not gotten back to me. I read that... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Native Edible Plants of Pennsylvania Books April 25, 2013 What is the best book that you know of for finding wild plant edibles in Pennsylvania? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Origins of the Name For Blackfoot Daisies April 20, 2013 Can you tell me why blackfoot daisies are named “blackfoot”? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Deer Resistant, Fast Growing Groundcover Suggestions for Georgia April 20, 2013 Our driveway is 1/4 mile in length and is steep on both sides (one side up one side down). It currently has grass that our contractor planted using seed when we built our house. We are unable to cut t... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Horse pasture seeds from Pawling NY April 19, 2013 We are getting ready to seed an area to be used as horse pasture some time in the future. What seed mix should we use to create an organic horse pasture in Pawling, NY. Ideally there would be some wil... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Mutation in bluebonnets from Elgin TX April 16, 2013 What causes bluebonnets to mutate..grow as if three or four are combined into one flower on one very flat, wide stem. I have these in my yard; they are beautiful! I have taken several pictures. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| White evening primrose from Baton Rouge LA April 16, 2013 My husband and I have a disagreement about Mexican Primroses. I believe I have seen patches of them which are pure white. He believes they must be faded pink ones. Do white ones occasionally grow? ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Resources for a green roof project from Wayne PA April 14, 2013 Hello! I am researching a project to create a native wildflower/ turf mix for a green roof. I would ideally like to grow it as a sod mat, and then install it in rolls. I am currently working as an i... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Lupinus perennis Poisonous to Dogs? April 14, 2013 I have heard that some lupine varieties are quite poisonous to dogs, others are not. Do you know if it's safe for my dogs if I plant and encourage Lupinus perennis in my NH meadow? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
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