Native Plants
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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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| Topmost leaves on yucca are brown June 08, 2009 I live in the Lansing, Michigan area, in the lower peninsula and have a couple yuccas whose topmost leaves are brown emerging from winter. Do I prune those, or has the plant died? Thank you. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Cleaning up Adams Needle yucca in Vancouver Island BC May 19, 2009 We have Adam's needle yucca's in our the flower bed of our newly purchased home here on Vancouver Island BC. They thrive and produce impressive flowers. How do I clean them up in the spring time ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Getting rid of yucca plants in Blanco, TX May 12, 2009 How does a person get rid of Yucca plants? We have four fig trees that do not bear figs, what do we need to do? We live in SE Blanco County, Texas. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Which cactus grow in the Eagle Pass, Texas area? May 11, 2009 I would like to know which types of cacti grow in my area since I can't seem to find any websites that may give me a way to identify them. The type I seek is the round type of cacti not nopal types. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Can I trim back my 20 ft Yucca plant? May 11, 2009 I have a yucca tree which is about 20 ft. tall, has four main trunks. I would like to prune it to approx. 10 ft. but wonder if that will kill it or if new shoots will come out up near the cut. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Winter damage to yucca in Winona MN April 23, 2009 This past winter was hard on my established yucca plant and most of the foliage has discolored and it is not very pleasing to look at. What should I do about the discolored portion? Should I remove ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Eliminating agave roots in Tonto Basin AZ April 22, 2009 Greetings Mr. Smarty Plants, from Tonto Basin, AZ! We have numerous mature (huge!) Agave Americana plants here, and have, until recently, enjoyed them. However, we are now ready for a drastic landscap... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Survival of yucca plant mowed down in Oklahoma April 15, 2009 I have a yucca plant that came from a very old plant of my late father, and had transplanted it 6 years ago and it came back every year and bloomed. This morning I went outside and noticed my husband... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native plants for full sun in Austin April 03, 2009 I am looking for a tough, native TX plant to put in full sun location between the sidewalk and street. I would love for it to flower all summer. There is some irrigation but not much. I don't want ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Can I have success planting Adams Needle in Calgary, Alberta? Maybe. March 23, 2009 I live in Calgary, Alberta and am wondering if I could have success planting Adams Needle in this climate (lots of chinook winds in the winter with large fluctuations in temperatures). View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Should I remove the flowering stalk from my Dasylirion leioiphyllum? March 23, 2009 We transplanted a plant that is new to us but going through your photos on your website, it appears that we have a Dasylirion Leiophy. My question is this.. Are we supposed to cut the 6' stem that f... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants for planting in gourds March 15, 2009 I enjoy painting dried gourds. This spring I got the idea to paint a gourd and cut holes in the side and plant some small blooming flowers. I have seen "hen and chickens" growing out of holes in the... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Non-blooming of an apparent yucca in Ohio March 09, 2009 I have what looks like a yucca plant in my flower bed. but in the 3 years we have lived here it has never bloomed. It did get a little bigger and has always been green. If it is a yucca, is there any ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Yuccas and prickly pears for Warren MI February 11, 2009 What type of yuccas and prickly pears will survive in the Detroit, Michigan area? Also, can I grow Santa Rita prickly pear in a pot? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Trimming damaged leaves on agaves February 05, 2009 Some of the leaves on my agaves are damaged. Can I cut them off? If yes, how can I prevent the wound from becoming infected? Thanks. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Transplanting blue agave pups in Arizona February 03, 2009 I have a blue Agave with lots of pups, how do I transplant a few pups into planters. What kind of soil and how much water will they need? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Fertilization of recently-transplanted yucca January 26, 2009 I planted a soft tip yucca a week ago, the spineless type. I was doing a landscaping job, it was dug up, left for a week without any dirt around the roots, and when the customer did not want it, I pl... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Strange form of Dasylirion sp. (sotol) December 27, 2008 Mr. Smarty: I have a client with a huge (2 ft. diameter trunk), multi-headed dasylirion. On one or more of the heads, the leaves arch inward instead of outward. Someone said this is because of an inju... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Trimming of dead foliage on trunks of yucca in California December 21, 2008 There is a Yucca plant in the back yard. I want to know how to get the old foliage that has died off of the trunks, it looks kind of ragged. The foliage is about three feet from the green. Can you ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Use of Century Plant bloom as indoor decoration December 09, 2008 Mr. Smarty Pants, After living in Arizona and now San Antonio, I am in search of a Century Plant Bloom. I cannot have an evergreen because my cats climb them. I would shellac the stalk and blooms a... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Is a Texas Mountain Laurel too messy for swimming pool area? November 24, 2008 Our landscaper has recommended a Texas Mountain Laurel to plant beside our swimming pool. We recently removed Cherry Laurels from the same location because of the mess they made in the pool (especiall... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Cactus failing to thrive in New York City November 21, 2008 My cactus seems to be either weak or dying. Its long stems are bending and softer than the rest. What is happening to it? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Cochineal bugs on cactus November 18, 2008 Mr. Smarty plants. I have purple prickly pear cactus that are developing small white flake like spots, mostly where the thorns would be. Why is this happening and how can I cure it? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Are century plants (Agave spp.) poisonous? September 24, 2008 About 2 weeks ago, I was poked in the arm by a Century Plant, which caused a pretty big bruise to form. I didn't think much of it at first, but now, 2 weeks later, the bruise hasn't healed at all. S... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Damage to Agave in New Braunfels, TX August 21, 2008 In a flower box, I have an Agave on which the leaves have been damaged. It looks as if a deer rubbed his antlers on it. Is there any animal in south central Texas that would try to eat an agave? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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