Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
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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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| Problems on mock orange plant in England August 20, 2008 I have a small mock orange plant that is about 3 years old. It is currently in a 12 inch plant pot in full sun. It bloomed beautifully this year but the leaves on both the new and old growth are start... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Can orange trees be grown in Albany, CA August 17, 2008 Can we grow an orange tree in Albany, CA? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Non-native Japanese red maple exposed to full sun August 16, 2008 I planted a Dwarf Japanese Red Maple tree about 3 yrs ago. Until about a month ago it was partially shaded by a massive chestnut tree, that has since been cut down. Now the new growth on my tree appea... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Winter care for non-native ice plant in Virginia August 15, 2008 I have an ice plant in my garden and it is doing very well. What would be the care for winter. Ground seldom freezes, temperatures mostly 20 but can get in single digit occasionally. Very little snow ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Proper watering of cedar elm trees in Sachse, TX August 15, 2008 I've just planted two Cedar elm trees in clay soil, each about four inches in diameter, and I want to water them correctly. I'm aware that too much water can be bad as well as too little water. I ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plant Identification August 15, 2008 My father-in-law received seeds from a friend-- he didn't know what kind of plant it would grow. Now he questions what kind of plant it is-- it has a red stalk and 17 inch leaves, it appears to grow... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Propagation of non-native vitex August 10, 2008 I am interested in propagating a beautiful big vitex tree. Can I do it from seeds or what is the best way? Thanks! View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Failure to thrive of Lantanas August 06, 2008 Here at work we have 4 beautiful yellow Santanas(should I say had), the leaves have started to turn brown and no longer blooming. Appears to have a fungus or disease. Please help! View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| What is Andropogon saccharoides? August 06, 2008 I am reading Roy Bedichek "Adventure with a Texas Naturalist" I came across a reference to sage grass (Andropogan saccharoides)p. 23. I searched the data base and didn't any infromation abou... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Loss of leaves on yaupon in Austin August 05, 2008 Last winter I planted a Pride of Houston yaupon. Currently, the leaves at the tips of its stems are green and healthy, but the leaves along the stems are turning dark brown and falling off. Does... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Are poplar trees and willows safe for animals to eat August 04, 2008 poplar trees and willows, are they friendly for farm animals to consume leaves? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Edible plants native to Bexar County, Texas July 30, 2008 What types of edible plants are native to Bexar county? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification July 29, 2008 I have found what resembles a gooseberry growing from what appears to be a grapevine trellising on a fence beside a lake in East Texas. The stems are smooth and slender, nad as I stated before vine up... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| How to get rid of Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum) July 28, 2008 We have an enormous stand of japanese polygonum that we are trying to get rid of. What soil type is the most inhospitable to this aggressive and highly invasive species? Were thinking of planting so... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Problem with flameleaf sumac (Rhus lanceolatta) July 14, 2008 My Flameleaf Sumac appears to have an insect infestation in the bark which oozes a sappy sticky substance. This has apparently caused one of the limbs to die. Will it kill the whole plant and is there... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Pruning blue potato tree (Lycianthus rantonnei) July 14, 2008 I wrote earlier about a blue potato tree(Lycianthus rantonnei) the top appears dead but if you break a branch it is still green, what would happen to it if I cut all the branches forming at the bottom... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Evergreen native replacement for liriope July 13, 2008 What is a good native replacement for Liriope that is evergreen? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Leaf burn on hydrangeas July 11, 2008 What causes my leaves to burn on my healthy hydrangeas? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Catalpa and maple with dying branches in Wisconsin July 07, 2008 We have a northern catalpa in our front yard. It's been there for about three years now and is probably 25' high. This year it appeared to be doing great. It flowered and then all of sudden last ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Failure to bloom of tropical plumeria July 04, 2008 I have had my plumeria for the past five years. The first three years it bloomed but has not the past two. The plant is healthy and continues to grow but will not flower. It seems to be very health... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Yellowing leaves on non-native Betula pendula July 03, 2008 I live in Puyallup, Washington. I purchased and planted a weeping birch on June 21, 2008. For the first few days all seemed well and the tree seemed to be settling in to its new home. Less than e... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Source for purchase of native Parkinsonia aculeata July 01, 2008 I would like to buy a Jerusalem Thorn Tree plant. I will purchase seeds if plant is not available. Can you tell me where I can purchase either? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Failure to bloom in hybrid lantana June 30, 2008 I live in Austin and have planted the newer lantana varieties which bloom with orange and pink flowers.They have been planted in full sun and get watered 2 times a week for about 15 minutes.They do no... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Selection of trees for new home June 30, 2008 We are moving to Roanoke, Texas(Denton County) into a new home. Our home will have 3 trees which we can choose. They are Texas Ash, Live Oak, Sweetgum, Silver Leak maple, Cedar Elm and Bradford Pear... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification June 25, 2008 Identification of woodland plant in a rual area ? we have bears britches and another plant simaler, but the leaves are flat and smooth, each leaf is on a seperate stalk and each plant has 3 stalk... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Evergreen shrubs for Michigan June 17, 2008 I'm seeking a small-medium, ornamental, fairly compact, evergreen shrub to complement my front yard woodland wildflower garden. I want a shrub that will flank both sides of my front porch steps. I wa... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Non-native Hyacinth Bean vine dying June 17, 2008 I live in Missouri and have tried to grow hyacinth bean. Mine drop leaves (after some yellow appears on on them)and the vine turns yellow, then withers to brown. Other places near me grow them beautif... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Promote blooms on non-native plants June 11, 2008 I am trying to promote blooms on my several types of flowering scrubs and ornamentals, but not having much luck. I have used Miracid SuperBloom occasionally but not sure I am using enough, yet I may ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Black growth on sotol plants June 08, 2008 My mature sotol plants have a black-like growth on the leaves. Is there any thing I can do to treat what looks like a disease on these plants? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Non-native banana trees June 06, 2008 I recently planted two types of Banana trees, a Darjeeling and a Giant Nepal. I know that both are hardy to my zone 7 but that the Nepal needed heavy mulching. My first question is how long will it ta... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Brown flakes on prickly pear in Los Angeles June 03, 2008 I live in Los Angeles CA. I have desert type plants in my landscape. I have prickly pear cactus that have developed some light brown, almost golden flakes on the skin of the pads. I believe it is call... 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 | ||
| Fraxinus cuspidata (Fragrant Ash) May 30, 2008 Two part question: 1) Will fragrant (flowering; Fraxinus cuspidata) ash survive in Zone 7b? 2) Where can I get it? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Bark problems on Platanus occidentalis (American Sycamore) May 29, 2008 I got home today, after two hot sunny days, and found that one of the sycamores (street tree) planted last year (3-4" caliper) has vertically split and peeling bark on the south side of the trunk (la... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Mystery cactus in Williamson County, Texas May 27, 2008 We have a cactus plant on our place that I have not seen anywhere else in central Texas. The flowers are bright yellow with wine-red centers, but very sparse--only one flower blooms at a time. The p... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Transplant shock in Liatris spicata May 25, 2008 I bought a liatris spicata start a month ago, and transplanted it into my front yard (full sun, clay soil, moist due to all the rain recently). The plant immediately wilted so I transplanted it in ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native plants for dry shade in Virginia May 23, 2008 I live in Reston, Virginia and have dry shade. What are the best plants to use for my garden. Xeriscaping and native plants are important considerations. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Yellowing of palm tree leaves May 14, 2008 I want to know about palm trees. The leaves are turning yellow. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Brown, dry leaves on weeping willow tree May 01, 2008 We live in central TX and have just planted a weeping willow tree. Our back yard has a retention pond and ravine that parallels our property and we were told that the weeping willow will do perfectly ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Correct photos of Cynoglossum virginianum April 30, 2008 I recently found some "wild comfrey" (Cynoglossum virginianum) growing in woodlands in Atlanta,GA. When I used the photos on Wildflower Center website to ID this plant, I found what appears to be t... 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 | ||
| Tentative identification of non-native Senecio rowleyanus April 19, 2008 I am trying to track down a plant that I used to have but do not know what it is called. It grew in long strings of "pea like" balls. When planted in a hanging pot, the stringy "pea" like vines ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Red blister-like bumps on grapevine April 17, 2008 I have just discovered red blister like bumps on a grapevine. It is on the leaves as well as the stems. What could this be? Will it harm only the grapevine or other plants as well? Thank you. 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 | ||
| Failure of Bald Cypress to fully leaf out April 14, 2008 My family just moved to a house in Burnet County, about 7 miles south of Bertram, close to the Balcones Canyonlands NWR, with very rocky limestone soil. We bought several trees last fall, including a ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Fast growing trees in Idaho April 10, 2008 I want to plant fast-growing trees on my property in Idaho. What trees are poisonous to horses and dogs? I am particularly interested in the Royal Empress (Paulowmia) tree and the dogwood tree. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Viability of buffalo grass in Yuma, AZ March 30, 2008 Will Buffalo Grass grow in Yuma, AZ, where the temperature can go as high as 120 degrees in the summer? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Fasciation in Houston. March 29, 2008 I live in Houston and have had a rather large flower garden for many years. Most of the flowers are just gorgeous but over the last two or three years I have noticed that occasionally some of the flo... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Difference between liveoaks (Quercus fusiformis and Q. virginiana) March 17, 2008 I am a little confused on the identification differences between Quercus fusiformis and Quercus virginiana. How can you properly identify between the two? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Information about empress tree (Paulownia tomentosa) March 07, 2008 I have an Empress Tree, 3 yrs old, and the limbs grow straight out from the trunk about 2-3ft and then grow straight upward. When do they start to grow outward for a canopy?? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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