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 | |
| Improperly prepared building site in Virginia June 24, 2008 Hi, I have a question about planting on newly-built homesite. We just moved into a new home in DC suburbs (Northern VA) and the landscape is the worst of the builder grade. There are prickly junipers ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Decline of Japanese ferns in Austin June 16, 2008 I've enjoyed beautiful Japanese ferns in my shaded garden for about ten years. They are looking spent and straggly, despite fish emulsion, compost,and lots of mulch and soaker hose watering in the s... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Problems with non-native Cleyera and Red-tip photinia June 01, 2008 I planted a row of Cleyera in a bed that receives sunlight for about 3 hours during the middle of the day. My problem is that a number of the plants are dying. It begins with the leaves on one small... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Chlorosis in tropical milkweed and asclepias tuberosa May 18, 2008 I planted both tropical milkweed and asclepias tuberosa. Both are chlorotic and the native milkweed has brown upturned leaves. Could it possibly be too much water? Or what? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Yellowing leaves May 06, 2008 What causes yellowing of native garden plant leaves? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Too late to begin planting in May in Austin? April 30, 2008 Is it too late to begin planting in May? I live in Austin Texas and have finally completed my plans for a native Texas landscaping (plants and grass) of my front yard. I'd like to get the landscapi... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native plants beneficial to wildlife in Cincinnati, OH April 25, 2008 I live in Cincinnati, Ohio and I am looking for native plants to plant in a small area of trees behind my house. I would like the plants to be beneficial for wildlife, like maybe some wildflowers. T... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native buffalograss in sandy loam April 19, 2008 I am in the Austin area and want to plant Native Texas Buffalo Grass in sandy loam from the Colorado River bed. Will this work? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Care in planting native Shumard oaks April 16, 2008 I am going to plant 3 shumard red oaks on the west side of my property. The land is basically rocky. What should I put in the holes to help the tree grow? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Sudden death of Texas Mountain Laurel April 14, 2008 Last year, my 15-year-old Mountain Laurel died very suddenly. The leaves began to curl up and turn brown, and it was dead within about 15 days. What happened? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Possibility of growing plants in St. Peter Sandstone April 02, 2008 Can you grow plants or native plants in St. Peter Sandstone or amend it? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Problems with Eves necklacepods (Styphnolobium affine) March 25, 2008 Mr. S-P, I urgently need your advice regarding two Eve's necklacepods that appear to be dying. They are in two completely different areas of my yard. One began leafing out and then the leaves sh... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Few blooms on native Bignonia capriolata (cross-vine) March 25, 2008 I have an 8-year-old crossvine that has grown and bloomed beautifully until this year. During the winter it lost all of its lower leaves. What leaves were left had brownish-red splotches on them. It h... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native plants for poorly drained clay soil March 24, 2008 I am trying to establish a native plant garden in my back yard, I have two places where water stands for a few hours after a heavy rain, and the soil is black clay. Can you recommend any perennials 3... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Pros and cons of Hydrocotyl bonariensis as lawn replacement March 22, 2008 Want to convert lawn TO dollar weed! My Garland TX yard has become so shady over the years that I have a hard time with grass. A few years ago I noticed dollar weed in the grass which seemed to cre... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native plants for Pflugerville, TX in blackland soil March 21, 2008 Mr. S-P, I'm perusing the plant sale list for a couple of tall shrubs to plant on the sunny southwest side of my house, in Blackland soil. It is generally dry there because of the sun, but can ge... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Buffalo grass and other native grass for lawn in Central Texas March 17, 2008 Hi, I live in Cedar Park, TX - recently moved to into a newly built house. I wanted to put some native grass (like buffalo) in the back yard. - My back yard has slope (away from house) and front... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Instructions for composting in southeast Texas February 18, 2008 Do you ever offer composting classes? I live in Houston and would like to start composting in my backyard... are there any particular books you would recommend for composting in SE TX? Thank you! View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Shredded hardwood for mulch December 07, 2007 I intend to landscape a section of my new property. but want to wait until the cold weather has passed. I have pets that will be contained within a fenced-in area that has some wild grasses but also ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Xeriscape demonstration garden October 30, 2007 I am working with the city of Schertz to rejuvenate a xeriscape demonstration garden. We want to plant a hummingbird/butterfly garden using native plants. The current bed is currently overrun with ber... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Removing St. Augustine, replacing with native plants October 06, 2007 Hello Mr. Smarty Plants, always excited to talk to the Green Guru himself. I've recently purchased a house in South Austin and am interested in establishing a small, 500+ sq ft, prairie grass and wi... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Seed regrowth through mulch September 06, 2007 Hi Mr. Smarty Plants: I have planted a perennial and wildflower garden and would like to put mulch down to control the weeds and retain moisture. Will the plants that drop their seeds be able to re- ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Encouraging native grasses to flourish August 23, 2007 We have been trying to restore the yard around the house with native grasses and forbs for the last two years. The soil is clay and nothing seems to grow. We have distributed 5 truck loads of mulch, p... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Appropriate mulch for strawberries in Maine July 31, 2007 Can mulch (like cedar mulch- kinds used in flower gardens) be used between rows of strawberries? Can you also suggest how far apart lupine species need to be so that they wont interbreed? Thank ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Advisability of landscape cloth in native gardens July 18, 2007 Is the use of landscape cloth healthy or unhealthy in native gardens? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| topic | question | |