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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| Pruning Texas Mountain Laurel September 04, 2014 I've had a Texas mountain laurel for 4 years that's being trained into a tree. I think it was a 3-year old tree when I purchased it. Unfortunately, it has suffered from overwatering, and the two mai... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Erosion Control for Salem IN September 02, 2014 We've recently had a new pond dug. It is on a hill side and has some very steep and tall banks. We were advised that our best chance of keeping soil from eroding was to plant fescue. I'm not thrille... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Hummingbird Bushes for Broken Arrow OK August 27, 2014 I am looking for bushes that attract hummingbirds. I live in Broken Arrow, OK. Can you recommend some? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Deer Resistant Plants for Newton Square, PA August 25, 2014 I'm looking for highly deer resistant plants native to PA. Thank you! View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Problems with a Cercis (Redbud) August 25, 2014 Half of my redbud tree is pooped out looking. On two places on the bark are areas where a few layers of bark have pulled back. In these areas there are white growths. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Transplanting and Pruning Callicarpa August 21, 2014 I saw the previous question about Callicarpa from the guy in Texas and I have two questions based on the response. In SW Vermont, is late fall still the best time to transplant my Callicarpas? Also, i... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Drought-Tolerant, Evergreen Groundcover for CA August 21, 2014 We are looking for a drought tolerant, evergreen groundcover for California. I am considering Sarcococca hookeriana and Cotoneaster dammeri but don't know if they're the best options for the area. I... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Looking for a Privacy Barrier Plant for NC August 21, 2014 I am trying to determine the best plant for a privacy barrier for my area in NC that has clay soil. I have a 6 foot high fence but need something 12 feet or taller. It has to be something that does no... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Deep Rooted Large Shrub or Small Tree for Driveway Strip August 21, 2014 I am in eastern Massachusetts. My condominium Grounds Committee is searching for a small tree suitable to plant in narrow (4'-5') beds which divide two driveways. Can you suggest something whose roo... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Shrub for Dallas Street August 20, 2014 I am looking for a native shrub for Dallas, Texas. It is full sun with a maximum height of 3 feet to border the street edge of a shopping center. It will get irrigated. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Shady Container Plant for Austin August 20, 2014 I am looking for a tall plant/small shrub/ornamental grass for a very large pot that is placed against the north wall of our Austin home. That spot gets some morning sun in the summer, but virtually ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Are Chickasaw plums evergreen? August 13, 2014 Are Chickasaw Plums evergreens? I've been very interested in planting a few but some websites say they are evergreens while others say the opposite. Furthermore, would I have to plant a male and fema... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Final size of a Texas mountain laurel August 11, 2014 I have purchased a Texas Mountain Laurel. The plant tag says it will grow 25 to 35 feet. LBWF plant data base says 10 to 15 feet. Which data should I go with? It's either plant close but not close to... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Recovery of water-stressed Agarita August 11, 2014 Hello! I planted a small agarita at the end of May and then left town for six weeks. During that time it was supposed to receive weekly deep irrigations to help it establish, but it seems that som... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Moderate-sized trees for lawn in West Virginia August 10, 2014 I recently had a landscape design completed by a professional lanscape company. The landscape is sloping down in front of my house. At the corner they included a Sweet Bay Magnolia, which we like ve... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of bush/vine with purple berries August 09, 2014 I was clearing fence line and came across this plant it looks like a Bush but underneath grows like a vine it has long broad leaves that reminded me of Polk salad but it grows berry clusters the berri... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Sages in Catasauqua, PA August 08, 2014 I want to buy a Texas Sage tree but I live in PA. Can I bring the tree indoors during winter? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Lack of Blooms and Low Hanging Limbs on Mountain Laurels August 06, 2014 My mountain laurel didn't bloom this year but has a few hard pods on it. It is 9 ft tall but very top heavy with most growth low. I need to prune it a lot at the bottom because it has branches hangi... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Evergreen sumacs for privacy along fence August 02, 2014 I would like to plant enough Evergreen Sumacs along our fence for privacy for the length of our backyard which is 60 ft. Fifteen feet on the left and right ends are shaded with the right side being d... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Transplanting Ilex x attenuata (Savannah holly) July 31, 2014 Is it hard to take a savannah holly out of my front yard? Do the roots grow down deep or are they more shallow? I can only take a 36-40 rootball circumference because of surrounding established shru... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Is Viburnum rufidulum monoecious or dioecious? July 28, 2014 Is Viburnum rufidulum monoecious or dioecious? Your database does not address this for most plants. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants for a Austin thicket underlayer July 25, 2014 We live in Austin, west of 183. We are planning to put a thicket in our backyard, where there is no threat of deer. Anchoring the thicket are a clump of live oaks, a Texas persimmon, an Eve's Necklac... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Pollination of Fendlera rupicola July 17, 2014 How/by what is Fendlera rupicola pollinated? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Japanese Wineberry in Maryland July 16, 2014 Hello, we were at Cunningham Falls in Maryland and I can not identify this plant. If you could I would greatly appreciate it, thank you. It looks like a raspberry but the berries are inside small leav... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Yaupon hollies dying mysteriously July 16, 2014 I have a row of yaupon hollies (Ilex vomitoria) that I keep trimmed like a hedge. They were all healthy for many years. Two years ago one of them died and I removed it, leaving a gap in the line of h... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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