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 | |
| Native evergreen trees or shrubs for privacy screen in South Carolina April 02, 2008 Mr. Smarty Plants, we recently lost a grove of eleven 30+ year old white pine trees in a storm this month. They provided a natural 42'x30' screen to the front of our property and home. What type o... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native trees for privacy screen in New Jersey April 01, 2008 Looking for a tree (preferably an evergreen) for a privacy hedge in Whitehouse Station, NJ. Would like a very fast growing tree that is deer resistant. Also the privacy hedge will be planted along a... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Noise buffering by native plants in Austin, TX March 30, 2008 I live in Austin in a neighborhood that is bordered on one side by highway 183 and on the other by MoPac and the train tracks. Even though I am least a three blocks from the closest highway, the traf... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native plants for privacy screen in Austin March 11, 2008 I would like some suggestions for plants to form a privacy screen between our backyard and our neighbor's. The site is shady, under old Texas Ash and pecan trees, and is located in North central Aust... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Fast-growing evergreen shrub/tree as a screening fence January 25, 2008 Our commercially-zoned property is adjacent to a residential area. The city planning and zoning board has said okay to a vegetation boundary instead of a fence for blocking headlights. The requireme... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Trees to replace Ligustrums, and evergreen vines for privacy screen January 21, 2008 We had 3 ligustrum trees growing along a creek bank in our back yard and under the City of Austin power lines. Our backyard is on a terrace about 7 feet above the creek's flood plain. The Ligustrums ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Drought-tolerant shrub for privacy screen November 23, 2007 Is there some kind of drought resistant bush or thorny plant we can rim our property with to stop all the foot traffic through our yard? We don't care if it's pretty, just something thick and/or th... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants for privacy hedge in North Las Vegas October 29, 2007 My lot is in North Las Vegas. Looking to plant something that will be a privacy hedge. Full sun with horrible soil. Local nursery suggested the following: Green Cloud and Gray Cloud Texas Sage, Feat... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native trees for privacy screen in Central Texas October 24, 2007 I live in the hill country outside of Austin,TX in somewhat rocky terrain. I wanted to plant a tree for a privacy screen to hide a neighbor's house. I was considering a Leland cypress. What are yo... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native Texas shrub for privacy screen in hot area August 31, 2007 Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, I have a lot facing dead west which I'm sure you can understand is brutally hot in the summer. I'm putting in a pool in my backyard and would like to plant a native Texas... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Fast growing, tall evergreens for privacy in Buda, Texas June 09, 2007 I need to plant fast growing tall evergreens along a western 6 ft privacy fence. The function is privacy, and sound deadening. Our western privacy fence is along a 2 way noisy highway. Please advise a... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Arborvitae as privacy screen in Maine November 17, 2006 I want to plant privacy bushes (arborvitae shrubs) around my back yard. My husband built a wall to retain the soil behind it. My neighbors' yards abut mine. They have a fence, but not high enough to... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native, flowering plants for privacy fence in Hamilton Co., TX October 31, 2006 Looking for a native plant or climbing vine to grow on a high (8') game fence to create privacy and hide what's behind the wire. It will be planted near Hico, Texas. Would love the added benefit o... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Boundary plants to control cats June 06, 2006 Is there a plant especially ANNOYING to cats that I could plant along my fence line to keep him away from the street beyond? It would have to be hardy enough for hot temps & full sun. Thanks! View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Smarty Plants on bio-security June 11, 2005 Hello, My friend and I are summer interns at the Bryan Mound Strategic Petroleum Reserve Site in Freeport, Texas. Our jobs as the interns is to find a plant that is friendly to the animals around our... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| topic | question | |