Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

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?

Share

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
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
<< previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 next >> 
506 Results:   10  25  50 100 per page


topicquestion
Dying Pine Trees in Texas
October 05, 2009
I live on the water front street in Kemah, Texas. We took water in the entire neighborhood during Hurricane Ike. That's been a year ago and now I have noticed our pines trees are starting to die. I s...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Shaping cenizo in Duncanville TX
October 02, 2009
Our Silverado Sage, which we expected to be 4' to 5' high and wide based on the label when we purchased it about 10 years ago, is nearly 7' tall and very random in shape (not the evenly rounded sha...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Should Solanum eleagnifolium, silverleaf nightshade, be removed from yard
October 01, 2009
I live in Upstate NY. I'm quite sure, after checking many sites/pictures, that I have a couple specimens of Silver Leaf Night Shade (Solanum elaeagnifolium) growing in the "wild" portion of my side...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Neighbor's Arizona ash roots in Houston
September 30, 2009
There is a huge Arizona Ash tree in my neighbor's yard. Its trunk is about 27 feet away from the foundation of my house and its foliage reaches my roof. I am planning to dig a trench on my side of t...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Diseased Mexican plum tree in Austin
September 27, 2009
I have a grove of 5 year old Mexican plum trees one of which is oozing sap from its trunk and a branch appears to have died. Is there anything that I can do to help the tree besides removing the dead...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Live Oaks and Foundations
September 22, 2009
I have a young live oak (18 inch trunk at it's base) growing within four feet of my house. What kind of damage can it cause my foundation? Need your help!
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Rainwater vs. city water in Austin
September 18, 2009
Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, My native plants respond better to being watered with 'city' water from a sprinkler than 'city' water applied with a hose at the base of the plant. And they respond eve...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Problems with tuliptree in North Salem IN
September 02, 2009
I have a tulip tree and it looks like it is dying. The limbs are starting to turn bright blue. Do I have an insect problem or is it from a lightning strike?
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Distinguishing wax myrtle from Daphne laureola in Tofino BC
September 02, 2009
I am wondering how to distinguish California Wax Myrtle from Daphne Laurel, the latter which I would prefer to eradicate from my property. If it is wax myrtle, it gets to live..
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Fragrant foundation plants for sunny, dry area in Illinois
August 26, 2009
We need suggestions of what to plant on the south side of our house heave sun and rather dry soil. We just took out old dead bushes. Would prefer something that flowers and smells nice that would gr...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Declining wax myrtles in Katy, TX
August 24, 2009
My wax myrtle bushes were thick and green except for a few on the NE side 6 months ago when we bought the house. Now they are thin, leggy, and dropping leaves like crazy. They seem to be dying one bra...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Problems with wax myrtle in Roanoke, VA
August 20, 2009
Our Wax Myrtle bushes tend to lose all their foliage during the Winter months and each year seem to flesh out their leaves less with each passing Spring. One bush never returned and save for one branc...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Different kinds of lantana in Wilmington, NC
July 19, 2009
I live in Wilmington, NC. I spent a small fortune on three varieties of lantana--Cherry Sunrise, Ham & Eggs and Bandana Red. I live on a salt water tidal creek and most are in full sun. Some are i...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Attracting butterflies in Tennessee
July 03, 2009
What flowers and plants do the caterpillars in Tennessee eat? And do you know what butterflies live in Tipton Co. Tennessee?
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Plants to stop erosion in Alabama
July 03, 2009
Our front yard is being washed down the street when we have rainstorms. It's been especially bad this year due to all the rain.What kinds of plants/grasses could we use to help stop the water from r...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Failure to come up of blackeyed susans in Lancaster PA
June 28, 2009
My blackeyed susans have been blooming for ten years. All of a sudden this year they didn't come up at all..why?
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Eliminating crabgrass in a newly mulched area in Austin
June 26, 2009
We just had our whole front lawn taken out. We are starting to plant native plants in its place. The idea was to do what’s best for the environment and reduce maintenance. At this point I’m beginni...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Shrubs for New Hampshire
June 25, 2009
Will be landscaping next Spring: Do you think using 'Ilex Crenata'-Japanese Holly together with variegated Euonymus (species: fortunei) as shrub hedges in front of our house is a good combo? Do they...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Poisonous cherries from trees in Angola, IN
June 25, 2009
Are there any poisonous cherries from trees in Indiana?
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Medicinal Yerba de la Negrita (Sphaeralcea coccinea)
June 24, 2009
When I make my own batch of Yerba de la Negrita how long will it keep in the refrigerator?
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Understory plants for Lake Forest IL
June 21, 2009
We have a large mostly hardwood lot in Lake County. It floods when it rains hard and remains damp most of the year due to the amount of shade and clay based top soil. Besides the hardwood trees and ...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Non-poisonous, fragrant flowering plant and vine for Arkansas
June 17, 2009
I would like to find a non poisonous flowering plant that smells good, that has small to moderate plant growth, that will do well in sandy soil area, shade to full sun either way. Also would like to f...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Bald cypress with chlorosis in Texas
June 15, 2009
I have a 6' tall Bald Cypress planted 2 years ago which just this year appears to be suffering from chlorosis. The tree was bought from a chain store. It receives some drainage water from my washin...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Loss of bloom on Fremontodendron californicum in California
June 11, 2009
The flowers on my Flannel Bush all died at once I have noticed a sappy substance at the base of the trunk. There are still some flowers on bush but most are dead. It has been blooming since Feb. Is ...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Care for non-native mandevilla in Greensboro, NC
June 11, 2009
I bought two potted mandevilla vines last year and read on a website for winter care to cut the vine back at least a foot from the soil. However this spring going into summer it has barely produced an...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Searching for a dye made from a French weed
June 09, 2009
Dear Mr smarty plants, I watched a gardening show on cable and they talked about a place in France where they use a weed called Wod to make dye and dye fabric and several other items to sell. It was ...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Are Cleveland Pear trees in Georgia toxic to horses and/ or dogs?
June 02, 2009
Are flowering Cleveland Pear trees (Pyrus calleryana) poisonous to horses and/or dogs? I have read that the prunus species are, does that include pear trees? Please help!
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Split trunk in Bald Cypress in Uhland, TX
May 31, 2009
I live just south of Austin, and near the pond (stock tank) is a bald cypress, young, about 12-15 yrs., and after this past year, drought and all, I was dismayed to find it not leafing out. When I in...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Center of Yucca filamentosa looking rotten in Howell, NJ
May 31, 2009
I live in central NJ. I planted some Adam's Needle Yucca in my garden around 5 years ago. Since then, they kept growing and ended up developing three trunks off of the main trunk. I noticed recentl...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Problems with non-native Chinese pistache tree in San Jose CA
May 30, 2009
We have a Chinese Pistache tree that is between 25 and 30 years-old. Over the past couple years, we have observed more and more branches dying. They turn black, and remain leafless in the spring, when...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Pruning of wax myrtle in St. Augustine FL
May 30, 2009
How severely can we prune our wax myrtle? It had grown 10 feet tall and very spindly and we want it to be a border hedge in front of the preserve in back of our yard.
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Plant identification
May 24, 2009
It is a small, thin vine growing in the grass in the shadier parts of the lawn. Every 3-4 inches it has two thin stems about three inches long sprouting from almost exactly the same place on the vine...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Perennial summer blooming plant for Livonia, MI
May 22, 2009
I want to find a plant that I can cut back in the fall, will come back in the spring, flower throughout the summer, be a medium size plant, no taller than 48", about 36" in diameter. It would get f...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Sooty Mold on Beauty Berry
May 19, 2009
We recently planted a beauty berry plant (among others) to attract birds in our backyard. We have had a lot of rain (probably 5-7 inches) since planting a few weeks ago if that might have something to...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Problems with non-native Bradford pear in Austin
May 16, 2009
Hi, I planted a Bradford Pear tree about five years ago, and half of it is not filling out with leaves very well. Then about a month I noticed leaves here or there curling brown and dying, and causin...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Why is Asphodelus fistulosus (onionweed) forbidden by property owners assoications?
May 14, 2009
Our local property owners association is imploring us to remove all onionweed (Asphodelus fistulosus L.). The USDA lists it as a noxious weed. Why? I think it is pretty and flowery. Is it poison...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Problem with crapemyrtle shoots in Victoria, TX
May 13, 2009
I have a problem with crepe myrtle shoots coming up in my flowerbed. I had to remove a large crepe myrtle tree (18" diameter stump) and digging out the stump was not possible. I killed the stump wi...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Seeds from opuntia
May 11, 2009
How do I get seeds from opuntias?
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Will Mountain Laurels be harmed by juglones from my pecan tree?
May 06, 2009
Hi. I just bought a house. It has a big pecan tree at the edge of the front lawn next to the street. I guess it's about 25 feet from the front of the house. I was thinking of planting mountain la...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Twisted hibiscus tree in Plainfield, IN
April 24, 2009
I have just bought 4 twisted hibiscus trees and repotted them immediately then brought them into my screened in porch until I was certain the weather would be safe to keep them outside (I live in Cent...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Are dusty millers perennial in Dubuque, IA?
April 24, 2009
I have dusty millers in my front yard. Last fall I did nothing with them as I wasn't sure if they will return or not. Do the dusty millers continue to grow year after year and should I cut them dow...
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

Bluebonnets in East Texas
April 18, 2009
I would love to introduce Bluebonnets onto a piece of property in East Texas. We have very sandy soil. Which species should I plant, the Lupinus Texensis or the Lupinus Subcarnosus?
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Problems with Crape Myrtles in Oklahoma.
April 12, 2009
I planted Crape Myrtles,Catawba, that are about 4 feet high. I planted them last October. They all had new leaves on them a week ago. All of the leaves are now brown and shriveled up. There is a t...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Apple trees for Dothan, AL
April 01, 2009
I would like to plant early, mid and late season apple trees in my area Dothan Al.What types can I plant that will help pollinate each other? I have plenty of room and planting some crabapples trees w...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Survival of non-native windmill palm in Zone 6b
March 28, 2009
Will a windmill palm survive a Zone 6b Michigan climate; if so would I have to wrap it up in burlap in wintertime?
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Planting a Texas Persimmon in rocky soil in Krum TX
March 27, 2009
I have recently purchased a 10 gallon Texas Persimmon plant that I want to put as a highlight plant in my yard. According to the nursery, it has been in the pot for 2 years. I have been "blessed(or...
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

Is cat palm (Chamaedorea cataractarum) poisonous?
March 18, 2009
I have a Cataractarum (Cat) Palm and am wondering if it is poisonous. I have a Cockatiel who likes to play in it. Thank you!
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Texas Mountain Laurel in Florida
March 13, 2009
Hi Mr. Smarty, This is more a comment than a question about Barbara Medford's (Estero, FL) question of whether you can grow Texas Mountain Laurel in Ft. Myers, FL. About 4 yrs. ago, I purchased a ...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Trimming a rock rose in Richardson TX
March 11, 2009
I have a Rock Rose (Pavonia lasiopetala)in my garden. I cannot find any information on how to trim or whether I should trim this plant. If so when? Mine is pretty much growing all over the place and...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Can Calycanthus floridus survive in South Dakota?
March 06, 2009
Calycanthus in South Dakota? I've recently purchased some seeds for a calycanthus plant (floridus I think). I'm going to start them indoors but am wondering if this can survive a South Dakota winter...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Live oak roots and house foundation in Austin
March 01, 2009
Our builder left a live oak on our lot that is 7' from our foundation. The tree is now around 18' tall with a 20" circumference. Will this tree eventually cause damage to our foundation and is th...
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

Pruning an oak tree in Missouri in February
February 09, 2009
Can I prune an oak tree in Missouri in February?
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Recently planted live oak tree in Boerne, TX
February 07, 2009
My brother planted a live oak in August. It was from a nursery and had a root ball. It looks dead but I keep watering it. The trunk is about 6 inches around. The leaves died but when the winds came th...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Trimming a bur oak in Llano, TX
February 06, 2009
We have a beautiful, large Burr Oak next to our house. This tree has many large lateral branches. I have trimmed dead branches, but no other trimming. It grows a lot of "suckers" during growing sea...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Identification of native wild grass in Austin
February 01, 2009
I had some landscaping done in my yard in Austin. My aim was minimal care so I requested native Texas plants. I am plant illiterate and just now looking in the City of Austin "grow green guide" to...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Are Bradford pear fruits poisonous to dogs?
January 25, 2009
Are Bradford pear fruits poisonous to dogs?
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Plants to prevent bank erosion in Georgia
January 20, 2009
I NEED LIST OF PLANTS TO HELP PREVENT BANK EROSION. WE LIVE AT BOTTOM OF HILL THAT FURTHER SLOPES TO A POND. THE AREA IS SHADY AND WET FACING NORTHEAST. ANY RAIN CAUSES THE POND TO MUD UP. WE HAVE...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Floristic Quality Assessment program in Texas?
January 19, 2009
Do you have knowledge of a Floristic Quality Assessment program for Texas such as the ones used in Indiana and Illinois?
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Will lead accumulate in the flower nectar of plants used for phytoremediation
January 16, 2009
I'm attempting to phytoremediate lead in my garden with mustard and/or sunflowers. I also keep bees. I understand that lead is sequestered in roots and stalks. Would the nectar also be contaminate...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Starting transplants of native Pleopeltis polypodioides
January 15, 2009
I would like to know how to start Pleopeltis polypodioides (resurrection fern) growing in my oak trees. I have a source for the plants but do not know how to start the transplants on the limbs of the...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Timing for transplanting a yaupon in Louisiana
January 01, 2009
I found a female yaupon growing wild at the back of my property and would like to move it to the front. When should I do this?
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

Plants for pavilion over fountain in Washington State
December 26, 2008
I have a tall fountain in a 7 foot square which is surrounded by pavers. Inside the 7' square there is about a 2' mulched soil bed around the center fountain and an iron type pavilion that goes up h...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Grass to grow in the shade of pecan tree
December 10, 2008
Dear Mr. Smarty Pants, We have an enormous pecan tree in our backyard that had grass underneath the breadth of the branches, but not around the trunk. The grass isn't doing well (though we did fai...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Berms to hold water around roots
December 05, 2008
I planted new flower beds this November. There are currently dirt 'berms' around each plant - creating a well for water to seep into the immediate plant area. How can I keep these berms from erodi...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Plants native to Galveston that would survive in Austin
December 01, 2008
What plants are native to the Galveston, Texas region? Can any of those plants survive in the Austin area?
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Cross pollination of non-native poinsettia
December 01, 2008
I have a poinsettia that I have had for about 5 yrs. that has always flowered red. Last Christmas I was given one that was white. During the summer I put both plants in my green house side by side. Th...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Why is my Mountain Laurel in distress?
November 26, 2008
We have planted our 2nd Texas Mountain Laurel in the same spot (after fresh berm built with sandy loam) and it is not looking good in less than 2 weeks. We have an identical berm on the other end of...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Watering schedule for sod lawn
November 23, 2008
We just moved to Georgetown, TX, where we have a 2-month old sod lawn (NOT Zoysia) that appears to becoming fairly well-established. We want to conserve water for environmental and financial reasons....
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

How to plant a gooseberry bush
November 22, 2008
Please, if somebody can help, I need to know how to plant the gooseberry bush. Thanks,
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Tropical looking plants for pool area in California
November 14, 2008
I am looking for small tropical looking plants, groundcover, and 2-small trees for around my pool. They have to be non-toxic to dogs,cats, and people. They can't attract bees/wasps, or have a root ...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone of Worcester, Massachusetts
November 11, 2008
What zone is Worcester, Massachusetts?
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Assuring berries on Viburnum dentatum
October 27, 2008
I just purchased 2 blue muffin viburnum bushes-I live in Kansas-How many years will it be before they get berries? They are full size(3-4 ft) Do I need to trim them down for winter or just mulch the...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Will non-native Star Jasmine survive outside in winter in Ohio
October 27, 2008
Hi! I have two Star Jasmine in pots (we brought them back to southern Ohio from CA this year). Should we bring them inside for the winter? Would they do okay outside next winter if we plant them in...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Transplanting Tecoma stans in Texas
October 26, 2008
I have a pair of Tecoma stans planted too near the house. They're in shade most of the day. The branches that can reach a little sun are blooming nicely. Would they survive being transplanted fart...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Problems with non-native Ficus Pumila
October 23, 2008
I have successfully maintained Ficus Pumila trees indoors for many years. Over the last year my two indoor,5' (in container) ficus trees have developed large brown lesions that turn "papery" befor...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Overwintering a Juncus effusus in Great Neck, NY
October 23, 2008
Can I over winter a juncus effusus spiralis indoors or must it be kept outdoors? Whether indoors or outdoors, what is the proper way to keep it alive during the winter months?
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Identification of wild shrub in Michigan
October 22, 2008
I have what appears to be a wild shrub that I want to identify. It has green foliage and is bush-like. It is about 10' tall. This fall I noticed light red berries and thorns..after cutting it down...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Transplanting a native Texas Persimmon in Austin
October 18, 2008
I have a Texas Persimmon, approx. 2.5 feet tall, growing in a 5 gal. pot. When should it be transplanted and where? How much sun? Could it grow in a larger pot for a time> Do deer like it? Thank ...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Survival of non-native Cape Plumbago in Delaware
October 18, 2008
I have a cape plumbago shrub growing in a large pot outdoors - but we are in Delaware - where it won't apparently survive the winter. How can I keep my plumbago safe over the winter?
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Watering needs for a new landscape
October 11, 2008
How much and how frequently are you supposed to water after implementing a new landscape? For example, perennials and succulents that are drought tolerant.
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Holding an Acer rubrum in a container for two years
October 10, 2008
Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, I am thinking about ordering a Red Maple tree that is cultivated from Mount Vernon. I appreciate the historic nature of such a tree. The tree will be shipped to me and is ...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Freeze-back of Hamelia patens in winter in Texas
October 03, 2008
Will the hamelia patens freeze back in the winter ?
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Plants for pots outdoors in winter in Virginia
October 02, 2008
Hi Mr. Smarty Plants, I was wondering what plants would be best to grow outdoors, in pots, in Virginia, in the winter? This is a lot of restrictions but we just need 2-3 plants for our office pati...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Plants native to Central New Jersey
September 28, 2008
What trees are native to Central New Jersey? Also, can you give me a website or information on plant life and tree life in Central New Jersey?
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Non-native Senna corymbosa
September 28, 2008
I have a large Texas Senna tree - at least 7'x8'. It is covered in beautiful yellow blooms; however, it will need to be pruned in the winter. Please let me know how much to prune it and when is th...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Yellow jackets on non-native crape myrtles
September 25, 2008
Hey Mr. Smarty Plants I have only 1 question. I have several Crape Myrtles that have numerous amounts (alarming) of yellow jacket bees on them. who what where when why etc? Should I be concerned? tha...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Survival of native yaupon in The Woodlands, TX after hurricane
September 25, 2008
One of my large native yaupons trees (8ft) fell away from a group during the hurricane. I have uprighted and tied it off for stability. Now the leaves are all brown and falling. Is the tree dead or...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Leaves dropping on native Texas Mountain Laurel in San Antonio
September 20, 2008
Please help. We have a beautiful TX Mountain Laurel in our front yard. This year the leaves are dropping like snow in the north. What do you think is wrong with our tree?
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Relocating native oak trees in compacted soil
September 14, 2008
Can you replant and relocate small oak trees in compacted soil and will they grow or go into shock?
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Bulbs named exotica
September 01, 2008
When I purchased some seed from a catalog I received some free bulbs called exotica which I planted.They have long green stems. I don't know what they are or what to do with them. Can I plant them ou...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Plant identification
August 28, 2008
Hello. There is a plant growing next to my 4 o'clocks that I didn't plant which is almost the same height as them, but has different leaves and it grows wider. It has these huge light green upside d...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Pecan tree transplant in Elgin, TX
August 26, 2008
Hello, Mr. Smarty Plants, I have a question about how to encourage a very young pecan sapling to grow, and whether I should use mulch to do so. I live in Elgin (Bastrop County) and the soil is extr...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Insect pests in Gaillardia aristata in Tennessee
August 22, 2008
Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, I have a couple of 'Oranges and Lemons' blanketflower plants in a butterfly and hummingbird native flower garden that is the foundation planting of my house. They bloom prol...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Browning leaves on non-native Burford holly
August 22, 2008
I have several dwarf Burford hollies whose leaves are browning. The individual leaves have colors of green, dark brown to light brown extending from the stem. Any ideas?
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Fungus on trunk of non-native weeping willow in California
August 21, 2008
I live in Palo Cedro, CA and have a weeping willow tree with with what appears to be be some type of fungus growing all over the trunk of the tree. It is a brown color and can be broken off in big ch...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Plants for xeriscape and shade
August 20, 2008
I live in Jones county, Texas. I would like to xeriscape portions of my lawn. The soil is sandy, I have a lot of shaded lawn area. What plants do you recommend that would be low maintenace, low water ...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

topicquestion

<< previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 next >> 
506 Results:   10  25  50 100 per page