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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| Purple Passionflower as a native in Charlottesville VA September 18, 2013 Is it possible to grow purple passion flower as a perennial in zone 7? I am looking for hummers and butterflies to be attracted by the plant. Thank you. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Maintenance of milkweed from Austin September 12, 2013 I help plant and maintain a Monarch Waystation Garden in San Leanna, Texas (South Austin). Should milkweed plants be cut back during the winter? Last year we cut them back a bit late and some died c... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Effects or insecticide on Monarch butterflies July 28, 2013 Thank you for fielding questions about plants!! Our nursery just informed us that their milkweed grower was using imidacloprid in their milkweed production. As a follow up to the question already in... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Replacement for Globe Thistle in Virginia June 15, 2013 Hi, We are trying to get our garden to be 100% North American Native and are at about 90% native to our region. One of the last plants we have to replace is our Globe Thistle. Do you have a good r... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of plant with small lilac flowers in Laredo May 14, 2013 Need help identifying the following: small lilac flowers in a cluster with seed pods, unpleasant scent which can be up to 3 feet tall ..wild flower or weed? am interested if it attracts hummingbirds... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Food for butterflies in Austin April 21, 2013 Mr. Smarty Plants, my kids and I are raising Painted Lady butterflies from caterpillars but it's still too cold to release them (oddly cool spring we're having!) If they mate and lay eggs, what loc... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Amending soil for butterfly garden in Houston April 01, 2013 My girl scout troop will be planting a butterfly garden at a middle school in Houston. In researching plants to use, we have come across some such as echinacea, rose vervain, galliarda and Texas gay... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Questions about milkweed seeds March 28, 2013 Dear folks, I am trying to locate Nan Hampton from Los Fresnos, Texas who asked about Asclepias texana seeds and other Asclepias seeds on Dec. 10, 2008. I would like to know if she found any and has... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Flowers for monarch butterflies in Bastrop, Gonzales and Travis Counties of Texas March 05, 2013 Hi Mr./s. Smarty Plants, What are some flowers that grow naturally on a Bastrop, Travis, or Gonzales county riverside that monarch butterflies commonly feed on? Thank you View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Perennial native plant to attract butterflies/hummingbirds January 24, 2013 Need 3-6 foot perennial native plant to attract butterflies/hummingbirds in Paris Texas...full sun, with sprinkler system View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
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