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 | |
| Can two species of Muhlenbergia be cross-pollinated from Portal AZ July 17, 2012 Will Muhlenbergia lindheimeri (Big Muhly) cross-pollinate with Muhlenbergia porteri (Bush Muhly)? I am attempting to restore the grasslands on my private property to a pre-1900 state. Bush Muhly was a... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Rooting cuttings in water from Rifle CO July 11, 2012 Found russian sage lavender stems from cutting. Need to find out if I can root them in water? I also have found rose cutting; wondering if I can put them in water to root? I have a western chokecher... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Petunias pollinated by clematis from Logansport IN July 11, 2012 Can petunias be pollinated by clematis? I have 2 petunias that have split blooms and look like a small clematis flower. They are growing close to a jackamani clematis. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Planting Texas Mountain Laurel seeds in Horse Shoe Bay,TX July 09, 2012 I have harvested Texas Mountain Laurel pods and extracted the seeds from the pods. The seeds are characteristic red/orange/maroon. When is the best time and best method to introduce seeds into pots? ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Lookink for bulbs of German Blue Bells in Weatherford, TX. July 09, 2012 I am searching for a plant that is called "German Blue Bells". They are tubular as seed. Like tiny iris only bands around the tubular. The flower looks like a morning glory with an off set bloom.... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Kinnikinnick for a green roof July 04, 2012 Hi Mr. Smarty Plants, I live just north of Seattle and want to build a green roof (outdoor kitchen) I'm concerned about the weight of the soil (saturated), drainage etc. am building from scratch and... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Is slow growth of young Tx mountain laurel normal? July 02, 2012 My Texas mountain laurel is 2 or 3 years old and is about 4 feet tall. It seems quite healthy but has grown very little, if any, and has never bloomed. Is this normal? Although I don't want it to gro... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Propagating plant cuttings in cut potato from Columbia MO June 26, 2012 Hello. I belong to a garden group and one of the members posted a "tip" she found in an early 2000 garden magazine. I wanted to see if there was any truth to the tip? Basically the tip was to use... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Making Ruellia nudiflora thicker in pot from Tucson AZ June 25, 2012 Can Ruellia Nudiflora be propagated in the same pot as the parent plant? Can it be cut back to stimulate a denser plant? I have plants in several pots and would like to 'thicken' the plant. Tha... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Propagation of Asclepias tuberosa June 18, 2012 Re: Asclepias tuberosa, "butterfly weed" bush -- I have a bed in a mix of Shoal Creek well-drained caliche, soil, and some enrichment of mulch that gets almost full sun and low water. After 4 yrs a... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Gathering seeds of Indian Blanket from Duncanville TX June 09, 2012 We have a field full of Indian Blanket that are blooming now and would like to share some seeds with our friends! Where is the seed on them and I take it we wait till they are done blooming to get the... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Source of Berlandiera pumila seeds from Coral Gables FL June 07, 2012 Where can I buy plants or seeds of Berlandiera pumila? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Propogating snowbells from Elmendorf TX June 06, 2012 Is it possible to propagate Styrax platanifolius and Halesia diptera from cuttings? If yes, what is the process? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Digging wild buttercup from roadside in Mechanicsville MD May 28, 2012 Mr. Smarty Plants, is it illegal to dig out wild buttercup in Maryland? I see them along the dirt road or just in the ditch. Since buttercup considered weed, I'm wondering what the law say about this... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Adding Wildflowers to Corpus Christi May 20, 2012 I have a dry sandy yard, full sun in Corpus Christi with lot's of stickers mostly, want to transform to wildflowers. When should I plant, how should I prepare soil, should I dig out stickers? Which w... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Pollinator to Arkansas yucca from Arlington TX May 15, 2012 Thank you Barbara for your answer. However, my Arkansas yuccas bloom every year, but do not set seed. I am asking for the name of the moth that pollinates them, or other native plants that serve as ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Pollinating moth of Arkansas Yucca from Arlington TX May 15, 2012 What is the pollinating moth of the Arkansas yucca. I have Desert willows which is the larval host for white-winged moth, but the yuccas are still not seeding. What other larval hosts plants can I p... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Making cuttings from purple sage in Austin, TX. May 15, 2012 I would like to plant additional purple sage for landscaping. May I do this with cuttings from an existing adult plant? If so, how and when would be the best method? I live in Lago Vista, TX View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| How to propagate Clematis texensis in Austin, TX? May 14, 2012 How do I propagate a Clematis texensis Buckl. Scarlet leatherflower from the seed pod? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Stump sprouting of Oak trees in the wildfire area in Bastrop, TX. May 13, 2012 We live in Bastrop, Texas, in the wildfire area. We lost all of our trees. The oak trees have "suckers" growing from the base of the burned tree that has been cut down. They look like little bushe... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Need care instructions for Cardiosperma halicacabum in Little Rock, AR> May 11, 2012 I'd like to find out how to cultivate & care for a balloon vine/heart seed vine/love in a puff vine which I found growing wild in my yard (in Little Rock, Arkansas). There seems to be very little in... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Restoring the woods in Central Austin. May 08, 2012 I live in Austin, south central between Red Bud trail close to the low water bridge and Bee Caves road. My question: I want to make the wooded sections of my yard attractive. They have filtered sun... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Germination of Sophora seeds, and Dodder identification in Kingsland, TX. May 02, 2012 Our Mt. Laurel has just produced seeds. Can those be scarified and planted now or do they have to dry out. Also what is the stringy orange substance that gets on bluebonnets and other wildflowers ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | | |
| Seed source for Carex texensis from Louisville KY May 02, 2012 Your reply to my question re a grass for my Kentucky home with cistern only water available was much appreciated, Carex texensis was recommended. I am unable to find this product for sale other than ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Male and female possumhaws for berries from Georgetown TX April 23, 2012 Do I need to plant two ilex decidua (possumhaws), a male and female to have red berries on the tree in the winter? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| topic | question | |