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.
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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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| Making a raised garden bed in Texas October 25, 2015 I just bought a house in Ft Worth Texas and the soil is undisturbed red clay. I was told I probably would need to build a raised bed to make a 25 ft by 4-6 ft butterfly/humming bird/bee native flower ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Wildflowers to complement Mexican hat in Texas October 22, 2015 We have 10 acres in Driftwood that has Mexican Hat pretty much everywhere that is not shaded. We are looking to add additional wildflowers to them in order to have color earlier and later in the seas... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Creekside Groundcover for Upstate New York October 22, 2015 I live in Upstate New York in Rochester. Our winters can have lows of -10 at night at times. I have 1,300 linear feet of creekside land that seniors can view from their homes. Because of the brush, it... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Food Allergy to Beautyberry or Persimmon? October 22, 2015 I think I might have a food allergy to Beautyberry or American Persimmon, eaten Saturday at the North Carolina Great Dismal park. These were the only strange foods recently, though I've had persimmo... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Is Iva Angustifolia Salt Tolerant? October 22, 2015 I was wondering about the salt tolerance of narrow-leaf sumpweed (Iva angustifolia). It is the predominant species on a disturbed site in Haynesville, LA where brine contamination is in question. Un... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Indoor and Outdoor, Fast Growing Plants for California October 22, 2015 I’m looking for the best plants for me. I have small kids so they would have to be safe. I would like them to be able to grow inside or outside. I would love for them to grow fast and reproduce fast. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Finding a source of Straggler daisy October 14, 2015 I've decided on Straggler daisy but am having trouble finding it. It would be perfect for me. Do I have to wait until next Spring for it to show up? Can it be ordered through a nursery or a landscape... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Evergreen for sunny, dry area under a maple in Connecticut October 10, 2015 I have a sloped, very sunny, dry area under a maple. I was wondering if Sweet Fern would be a likely candidate for this area. I would like it to be evergreen and to be able to survive under mounds of... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Does Calyptocarpus vialis (Horseherb) compete with turf grasses October 05, 2015 For my yard in central Austin Does horse herb, Calyptocarpus vialis help or damage the growth of native short grasses? The grasses include Curly Mesquite and Blue Gamma planted early in the spring or... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Low, Easy Care Perennials for Lake Ontario Shore Planting October 04, 2015 I'm on Lake Ontario in New York. I have a lake bank slope, that’s about 1/8 mile long and about 40 feet high, and is on about a 40 degree angle. It is very hard to keep clear. The bank has just been ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | | |
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