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 | |
| Controlling pumpkin vine in British Columbia July 15, 2008 I have never grown pumpkins before but decided to try one plant this year. It seems to be taking over my small garden space. Can I prune it back? I only want one or two pumpkins for my grandchildre... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Vines for side of home July 14, 2008 Can you suggest a native vine for Central Maryland? The intent is for the vine to grow up the southern face of a vinyl sided home to make the home more attractive but also to provide some reduction o... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants to cover rock wall in Pennsylvania July 10, 2008 Please recommend plants that I could use to plant on the (full sun) slightly sloped ground space above a 3 foot high, 20 foot long unattractive stone wall that would grow over and down to cover the wa... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of prickly vine in north Texas July 07, 2008 While trimming the shrubs around my suburban house I noticed (and my legs were torn up by!) a vine-like plant with small green serrated leaves and millions of small, very sharp thorns. I search Invasi... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Invasive vines in azaleas in South Carolina July 07, 2008 I have saw briars and wild jasmine, and cow itch vine that has invaded my azaleas, and would like your input on how to get rid of them without completely destroying my azaleas. Thanks View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plants for wall with afternoon sun in Oregon July 03, 2008 Portland, Or. We have a stacked cement wall about 30 feet long that receives afternoon sun from the west. we would like to plant something edible along that wall that can tolerate afternoon sun. G... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Regenerating old cross-vines in Richardson, TX June 26, 2008 I have been asked to landscape a memorial garden at church. The garden is small and has a 10x 15-foot brick wall around the back in a c-shape in full sun. Planted on the wall are several very overgro... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Non-blooming wisteria in Oklahoma June 24, 2008 I have a wisteria bush that doesn't bloom. It's two years old. What should I do? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Vine for a trellis in Illinois June 21, 2008 I live in Nortrhern Illinois and am trying to keep my garden as native as possible. I would like to grow something on a trellis in part sun. It looks like a regional clematis is a possibility, but d... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| California native vine June 21, 2008 Hello, I am looking for a california native vine that can "cover" a wrought iron fence. I would like a vine that does not require too much care and can handle a fair amount of sun exposure. 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 | ||
| Identifying vine in Alabama June 16, 2008 I have a vine growing on my fence and I need help identifying it. The leaves are a large and medium green oval shaped and along the vine there are clusters of tiny(really tiny) flowers.They are a pale... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native plants for hanging baskets in Abilene June 10, 2008 I live in the DRY West Texas heat in Abilene. I'd like to put some hanging plants along my back fence. Preferably something that would attract butterflies. We have a pool in our back yard and almost ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| A Pipevine poisonous to Pipevine Swallowtails May 30, 2008 I have heard that a specific Pipevine is poisonous to the larva of Pipevine Swallowtails. Is this true? If so, what is the poisonous species of Pipevine, and what other types can I plant that will not... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Evergreen vine for New York May 27, 2008 I live on long island. I live on a corner piece of property and we have a 4 foot picket fence. We have some deciduous bushes planted along the fence, but would like a little more privacy because we ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Fast growing, evergreen vine for deck May 14, 2008 Hi, I hope you might help me select the most appropriate flowering vine for my situation. I am looking for a fast growing, mostly evergreen, and long blooming flowering vine for a large container (pro... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of vine with white flower and \ May 02, 2008 I have a vine intruding from my neighbors yard that has small white blooms on them (similar to morning glories) and on the stem of the flower below the bloom, a "tiny watermelon" is growing..... It ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native vines to cover limestone walls in Austin April 28, 2008 We are moving into a house in Austin that has three tiered 5'- 6' retaining walls in the back yard. They are huge and somewhat of an eye sore. We have some cool landscaping ideas to make the most ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Virginia creeper in trees April 26, 2008 Can Virginia creeper be allowed to climb on trees--specifically Texas ash and live oak--or will it damage them if allowed to attach itself? We are thinking of using it as erosion control in a greenbe... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of a vine with thorns and blue berries. April 22, 2008 > Hello, > We have acreage in Butler County, PA. I recently discovered a vine that I can't identify. It's has many small spines all over the stem, then very large and stiff thorns. It has dark gr... 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 | ||
| Protection from native invasive trumpet vines April 17, 2008 Mr. SP: I have invaders! Trumpet vines from a neighbor's yard, two doors away have taken over and are eating my garage and trying to steal all the sun from my clematis vines. How do I get rid of... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of vine with red flower April 14, 2008 I have a "vine" that flowers. When it "blooms", it begins with a reddish/yellowish/orange ball about the side of a dime. The ball bursts open and a small red bloom emerges. It looks like a carn... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Few blooms on native Bignonia capriolata (cross-vine) March 25, 2008 I have an 8-year-old crossvine that has grown and bloomed beautifully until this year. During the winter it lost all of its lower leaves. What leaves were left had brownish-red splotches on them. It h... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native vine to cover chain link fence in Massachusetts March 21, 2008 I have a chain link fence I don't want to bother taking down, any suggestions on a clinging vine that will rapidly attach itself to the links and eventually cover it with a green "blanket"? thanks View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native plants for memorial garden in Michigan March 04, 2008 I want to start a memorial garden for my daughter. I live in northern Michigan and the area has very tall white pines we have pruned them up about 15' so the area does get partial sun. Which plants w... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Possibility of using vinegar solutions for weed control February 29, 2008 What is your suggestion about the control of weeds - do you consider vinegar solutions environmentally friendly? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants to trail down wall in South Carolina February 07, 2008 Good day, I am putting in a stacked mortarless concrete block retaining wall which will rise to the forest floor along a cut bank - about 4 feet high. Each course steps back about one inch from th... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Care for cultivar of native Bignonia capreolata February 05, 2008 I planted Dragon Lady Cross Vines at the end of the fall last year. When would be the best time to trim them. I live in the Dallas area. They look kind of beat up right now and I thought if I trimmed... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Promoting bloom of crossvine January 05, 2008 I planted a crossvine a couple of years ago and it has grown quite well, climbing well up the Mesquite tree it was planted under. However, it has never bloomed. I was really looking forward to those... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of vine with translucent red berries in Tennessee. November 30, 2007 During the month of November I have seem in Nashville, TN a vine which appears to be native or a handed-down plant growing behind a restaurant site on a chain link fence. It was loaded with cluster... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Information about the wormvine orchid, Vanilla barbellata November 27, 2007 Hi My name is Santiago I'm from Puerto Rico and discover this Vanilla orchid in the forest, this orchid is V. barbellata var. alba? You have some information of how identify the V. barbe... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| How to get rid of invasive vine November 14, 2007 We moved into our very old (300+ year house) several years ago and I am slowly getting round to cleaning up and replanting flower beds. When I cleared the space to grow clematis along a fence in the b... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Culture of a potato vine November 11, 2007 This spring I was given a potato to grow. The lady called it a potato vine. Do you know anything about this vine? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Non-blossoming trumpet vine November 05, 2007 About 9 years ago I started a trumpet vine, from seeds that I got from plants that were invading an empty home. I saw how invasive it was. It had worked its way into the windows and front porch and ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Trumpet vine care October 31, 2007 I planted a trumpet vine in the early summer of this year. It grew about 3-4 ft. and seemed healthy. It is now Oct. 25th, and I just noticed that all the leaves seem to have shrivelled up and gone b... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Care and fruiting time of pumpkins October 06, 2007 This is my first year growing pumpkin. I have a good vine with flowers now & then, but I still don't see a little pumpkin forming. What am I doing wrong? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| American Bittersweet in east Texas September 24, 2007 Does American Bittersweet vine grow in east Texas? It grows wild in Indiana and want to find it in our new location, Longview, Texas View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification request for a vine September 19, 2007 I would like to identify a wild vine that I have just discovered in our bush. It has leaves similar in shape to a maple leaf,approx.4"wide, has white flower spikes, and some kind of a fruit or pod t... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Control of out-of-bounds Virginia creeper September 16, 2007 Our Virginia creeper (Woodbine) has outgrown its planned location this past summer. What is the best way to prune ivy stems for next years controlled growth? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Green wall panel for Dallas August 21, 2007 We are working on a green wall panel for a hotel near SMU--I see your list of recommended species for green roofs, & wondered if you have any ideas for vertical applications. Probably will have someth... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Care of Passiflora incarnata or Passiflora coccinea July 04, 2007 Hi- I have two passionflowers, one red, one purple. I live in upstate NY. They grow very well up onto trellises, however, they have stopped producing flowers. Both are planted in pots (fairly large)... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Recognizing poison ivy June 20, 2007 I am having a difficult time identifying poison ivy. It seems so many plants look like poison ivy can you help me I don't want to kill everything but on the same hand I don't want to itch. Thanks f... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Control of grapevines in trees June 15, 2007 Grapevines have overtaken some of the trees on our property in Central Texas. What is the best way to get rid of the grapevines and (hopefully) save the trees? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native, non-invasive vines for wall cover in California June 14, 2007 I live on the Central Coast in California. I have a stucco garage wall, which receives full sun, and faces West. I would like to plant a climbing vine to cover the wall, and was considering a clim... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Parthenocissus quinquefolia as replacement for Asiatic jasmine June 14, 2007 The deer have stripped the Asiatic jasmine groundcover under my clusters of live oak trees in Southwest Austin. This year the bare areas of ground are covered in Virginia creeper seedlings. I have b... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of Matelea reticulata June 08, 2007 I recently saw blooming in an Austin park a small white-green flower ( 3/4 ") with a center that looked like a small pearl. Any idea what it is. I can't find it in my flower book, It was on a waist... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of possible Hairy Cluster Vine or Clematis May 28, 2007 I found a small twining vine with purple to lavender, tubular flowers hanging on one side of the stem. The leaves are very narrow and alternate about 3/4"-1" long. I found them on the side of the ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| How to produce ivy with large, green leaves May 25, 2007 How can I keep an Ivy green? When it was purchased it was green and had BIG leaves. How can I get the leaves to grow big again and get it green? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Slow flowering wisteria May 09, 2007 We have a young wisteria growing on the side of the house. It began to flower this year for the first time. Whereas my neighbors' wisterias all bloomed in February, ours has only begun to bloom in mi... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| topic | question | |