Native 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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| topic | question | |
| Growing non-native Knockout roses and golden euonymus together from Crystal City MO May 19, 2013 Can you plant knock out roses and golden euonymus together? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Pruning practices from Austin May 16, 2013 I need to do some pruning in my front beds and I know nothing about plants. From what I have been able to identify I have bicolor irises, plumbago, Japanese Aralia. I don't even know where to begin o... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of tree or shrub in Massachusetts May 16, 2013 Good morning, We are in Zone 5 and have a tree/shrub I cannot identify in the backyard of our new home. Tall (6')and growing, green stems,and when the stems are broken the branches smell of lemon o... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Low growing erosion control plants for lakeside in Washington Township NJ May 12, 2013 I live on a small lake in Northern NJ and have installed beautiful Boulders along the water to help stop erosion. Now I want to add plants along the property but would like low growing, soil retentio... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Salt tolerant plants for Long Beach May 12, 2013 When Hurricane Sandy hit Long Beach, it has killed all my plants and now almost all of Long Beach is left with dead dried brown vegetation. I want to replant front with bushes and flowers. What woul... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Container plants for Yakima WA May 11, 2013 My condo complex has purchased large, pottery pots for around our pool. I need to choose low maintenance plants. hopefully something that takes limited water, etc. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Shrub or Vine for NH Slope May 11, 2013 I'm looking for a native plant/shrub/vine that can be used to control erosion on a relatively steep slope in New Hampshire. Do you know of any? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Selecting a tree for a backyard in San Antonio, TX May 11, 2013 Hello Mr. Smarty Plants, I recently moved into a home in West San Antonio right outside Loop 1604..my treeless backyard is fairly small at about 55 ft long and 15 ft wide. I am torn because I can't ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Removal of pods when pruning Tecoma stans May 10, 2013 When pruning Tecoma stans for growth and shape control,should I cut off the pods? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Native plants for a garden in Panama City, FL May 10, 2013 I live in zone 9 in Florida. We are looking for plants which will be attractive all year long for the front of our house's landscaping which faces north. I need a specimen bush which doesn't get ov... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Are Eve's Necklace seeds poisonous to dogs from Plano TX May 09, 2013 Are the seed pods on eve's necklace poisionous to dogs? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Disappointing Fall color from sumac in Dodge City, KS May 07, 2013 We have had a fragrant sumac bush growing in our front yard (faces south) for several years. While it is healthy and growing well, we are always disappointed in its lack of bright fall foliage. It d... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Trees & shrubs, low water, no maintenance, disease & pest resistant May 04, 2013 We need few Trees and shrubs to meet the following needs: - Low Water or best with a taproot for Ground Water - Clay Soil in Steep Slopes (25-40 degrees) - Low or No Maintenance. (hillside, no trim... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Privacy screen from Temecula CA May 04, 2013 I live in Temecula and need a fast growing tree by our pool that is good to block neighbors house. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant Identification from Clarksville TN May 04, 2013 We live on a north facing wooded ridge line in Middle TN. I have a single large (6') bush that is blooming now (late April) with beautiful 6" long, end of stem clusters of small pink flowers in 3-5... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Privacy screen from Simpsonville SC May 04, 2013 My neighbor cut down his part of our shared woods so now we see his whole "outside patio area". What kinds of fast growing shade loving trees and shrubs can we plant on our property line that will c... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Black chokeberry edible from Huntsville ON May 04, 2013 Can the fruit of the black chokeberry be eaten?? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Groundcovers & Shrubs for Shade in North Carolina April 30, 2013 Mr Smarty Pants, My neighbor planted cypress trees as a border between his yard and ours and it is sucking up every drop of water and nutrient. We also have a purple plum in the area which creates ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Shade Tolerant, Deer Resistant, Evergreen Hedge Suggestions for CT April 30, 2013 I think I am asking for a lot, but here we go… Is there a deer tolerant evergreen that can grow in the shade and create a hedge of 5 feet tall here in CT? I am not opposed to ivy covering a fence if t... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Sources for Ilex shrubs from Boca Raton FL April 29, 2013 Where can I find Ilex plants in the Boca Raton, FL area? I would like to use them for hedges. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Groundcover for a Sunny, Steep Slope in Maryland April 29, 2013 I need a groundcover for a sunny dry steep slope in Towson, Maryland. The slope goes from the parking lot down to a deck area. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Smoky Mountains Shaded Slope Plant Suggestions April 29, 2013 We live in a very shady spot in Great Smoky Mountains in Western North Carolina. We would like to plant vegetation on a sloped area behind our cottage to stop erosion after building an addition. Our h... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Privacy screen for barn from Washington TX April 27, 2013 We live on a large ranch and have someone now next to us that built a barn on our fence line that we want to make a tree barrier to hide it, so we need to plant trees that will grow at least 15-29 fee... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plants for steep slope in Pittsburgh PA April 25, 2013 I have a similar question to one from SC. I live in Pittsburgh, PA. We have a steep slope behind a newly built in pool. What type of plants can I put on the hillside to hold the soil. It gets a ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Erosion control on slope from Columbia SC April 25, 2013 We are in the process of having a new home built in Columbia South Carolina. Part of the front yard has a steep slope starting approximately four feet from the corner of the house and running to the ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Source for non-native, invasive Winter Honeysuckle from Austin April 24, 2013 Seeing Lonicera abiflora today reminds me of the "winter honeysuckle" my grandfather grew in San Antonio from 1920s or so through the 1950's. It was a bush with stiff upright stems and bloomed cre... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Long Island Barrier Beach Plants April 22, 2013 I live on the south shore of Long Island on a barrier beach and am landscaping my property as a result of Sandy damage. I am going with a sand base, and I am looking for suitable trees and shrubs for... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Small shrubs for landscape in Kansas April 20, 2013 I am intersted in small shrubs for the landscaping in front of our house located in Topeka,KS. Many of the shrubs I looked at are 5 foot in width in height. The plants will receive morning sun. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Privacy Screening Plant for New York Narrow Site April 20, 2013 I need privacy screening on the side of my house in Mount Kisco, New York located 40 miles north of New York City. The area gets plenty of sun but is somewhat narrow. What evergreen bushes or trees ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Privacy Screen for Heavy Clay and Full Sun in Louisiana April 19, 2013 What would be a fast-growing plant for privacy in Louisiana? I have heavy clay and full sun. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Bulletproof plants from Burleson TX April 18, 2013 I recently wrote you a question concerning planting a privacy plant consisting of wax leaf ligustrum on my country property. Your answer was immediate (thank you-I am impressed). I like the wax leaf ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Bees on non-native holly from Oakland TN April 18, 2013 I have bees all over my Nellie Stevens holly. Can I spray anything to alleviate this issue? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Noise reduction hedge from Austin April 17, 2013 Noise reduction hedge row in Austin. We back up to a very busy street and need a fast growing noise barrier. In a similar post for the Houston area, you recommended Gordonia lasianthus -loblolly bay. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Climbing options for a Coral honeysuckle in Austin Texas April 16, 2013 Regarding Coral honeysuckle, what is the best support to encourage continued spread, chicken-wire/fencing? Currently the plants and vines are on fencing and beginning to fold over. I'd like to add... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Deer Resistant and Drought Tolerant Pink-Flowering Shrub for Austin, TX April 15, 2013 Is there a pink-flowering bush that is deer resistant and drought tolerant that would do well in Austin, TX? If not pink flowering, any color of a flowering bush is fine. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of fragrant, white-flowered bush in Arizona April 14, 2013 I'd like to identify a flowering bush which has white sweet-smelling flowers. It is growing in the Coconino National Forest in the area near the Airport vortex/Airport mesa in Sedona, Arizona. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Covering dead arborvitae with non-native ivy from Niles MI April 14, 2013 I have a severely thinning arborvitae hedge. It is probably too shady, but I want the privacy. I'm thinking of planting something like ivy to fill the gaps. I know it will probably kill the hedge, bu... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Dog Friendly Privacy Hedge for Long Island April 14, 2013 Can you please advise me of some plants for a privacy hedge that are non-toxic to dogs and that would thrive on Long Island, NY? I am looking for a hedge to grow to about 6-8 ft. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Huckleberries and blueberries from Vancouver WA April 14, 2013 Can you plant a blueberry next to a huckleberry? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Toxicity of non-native red-tip photinia to fish from Friendswood TX April 10, 2013 Mr. Smarty Plants, I have seen several questions on Red Tip Photinia (RTP) concerning toxicity to horses, dogs and children. We recently lost over 100 gold fish and 6 large KOI in our man made back ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Doodlebugs in dead area of Coral Bean from Houston April 10, 2013 I have a Firemans coralbean tree about 5 years old. I discovered yesterday in the middle of the tree there is some deadwood where we have pruned out branches. A couple of the branches were filled with... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plants purchased at Duke Gardens From Durham NC April 09, 2013 I went to the plant sale at a local garden this week and bought some very small plants. I am happy to wait for plants to grow but wondered if I need to do anything special. I live in Durham NC and... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Space between trees from Blythewood SC April 05, 2013 I'm planting 4 green giants in a back corner of my yard. I also have a kumquat tree to plant. I have somewhat limited space. What is the minimum spacing between the four green giants and the green gi... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Pruning of non-native Senna bicapsularis from Ocean Springs MS April 04, 2013 I have 4 Senna plants (cassia bicapsularis) that I planted late last spring. They about 3-4 feet tall but are very gangly with leaves at or near the tips only. How should I prune them to encourage g... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Flowering evergreen plant for ceramic pot April 02, 2013 I have a deep ceramic pot that I would like to put in a flowering evergreen plant or bush. It is on the deck facing west but with north and south exposure and afternoon sun. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Bugs eating new growth on Mountain Laurel shrubs from Dripping Springs TX April 02, 2013 What is eating the new growth on my mountain laurel shrubs? One plant has red bugs and the other has black (could they be love bugs?). Is there something I can do to preserve the new growth? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants resistant to white-tailed deer from Austin April 01, 2013 Could you tell me whether American Beautyberry and Blackfoot Daisy are usually eaten by our Austin white-tailed deer, or not? I get different answers in different publications. It would be great to ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Deer resistant, shade tolerant foundation plants for Kerrville TX March 30, 2013 I'm looking for foundation plants for shade that are deer resistant. Tall as well as medium height. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Non-native dwarf palm leaves yellowing in Katy TX March 30, 2013 1 month ago we planted dwarf palms, the leaves are turning yellow, does this mean we are over watering them? If so how much water do they require? Is there anything we can give them? We also have a fa... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Death of non-native eleaegnus from Austin March 30, 2013 We have a long hedge of elaeagnus, about 5 ft tall. Four of them died in the middle of the hedge. Where can we find such big plants? Is it advisable to unroot and transplant from another area? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
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