Native Plants
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Smarty Plants Question Topics
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| Need a privacy screen of native plants for swimming pool in Garden Ridge, TX February 10, 2013 We are building a pool and would like to use native plants as a screen around the fence, preferably a shrub that grows quickly to about 6 feet. Any suggestions? Thanks. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Buying bluebonnet plants for project in Amarillo TX February 10, 2013 Is there anywhere I can buy some bluebonnet plants by March 1, 2013 for a school project? We are growing some, but they are just up. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Bluebonnet trip planning from Searcy AR February 10, 2013 We are planning a Spring Bluebonnet trip to east, central and south Texas. Is there an average timetable for Blubonnet blooming in the areas of San Antonio, Hill Country, Austin and east, and Northea... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Blooming time for bluebonnets in Fredericksburg, TX January 30, 2013 Any idea of when the Bluebonnets are expected to be in bloom I Fredericksburg TX, this year? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Forecast for the 2103 bluebonnet season from West Columbia TX January 30, 2013 What is your current forecast for the 2013 TX bluebonnet season? What would be the best time for people coming from out of state to come to TX to see them? What areas are likely to have the best dis... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Wildflower garden with Castilleja indivisa (Indian paintbrush) January 08, 2013 I want to start a wildflower garden in my front/backyard. Specifically, I would like to include the indian paintbrush. What is the best way to go about this? Straight in the ground, containers, etc... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Butterfly plants from Austin TX December 17, 2012 I have a butterfly garden in the front part of the house facing the south side. However it is also mostly under a few Oak trees that cast shadow over half of the front yard starting early afternoon. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Forestiera pubescens blooming in July August 07, 2012 I have a lot of what appears to be Forestiera pubescens. They are covered with the dark blue/black berries and flowers. Apparently they are blooming again in the middle of July. I live about 35 mile... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Bluebonnet rosettes in July from Austin July 30, 2012 Dear Mr S.P.: Please solve my bluebonnet summer mystery! I established about 1500 sq feet of bluebonnets starting four years ago by scavenging seeds here and there and just scattering in the sprin... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Bluebonnets for Shanghai June 25, 2012 I am a Texas native that now lives in Shanghai, and I am trying to grow a little piece of home (Texas bluebonnets) indoors, and I was wondering: a. Do you have any ideal soil recipes that bluebonne... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Monarda species seed for heirloom gardens in Wales June 15, 2012 Hello. I am trying to obtain seeds for the following Monarda species: - barletti, lindheimeri, russeliana, and viridissima. Our address is Wales, United Kingdom and we are hoping to obtain the full c... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Dandelions in bluebonnets in Bastrop TX May 31, 2012 I have a 20'x60' front yard area where I planted bluebonnets. It has become horrifically inundated with dandelions. How do I eradicate the dandelions while preserving the bluebonnets ? Thanks ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of bluebonnet-like flower May 14, 2012 I have discovered a plant that looks like a bluebonnet but is much larger. It has leggy stems and similar leaf structure and the bonnet in more compact with purple vs blue flowers. The plant is growin... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Germination of Sophora seeds, and Dodder identification in Kingsland, TX. May 02, 2012 Our Mt. Laurel has just produced seeds. Can those be scarified and planted now or do they have to dry out. Also what is the stringy orange substance that gets on bluebonnets and other wildflowers ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Spots on bluebonnets from Godley TX April 21, 2012 Hi Mr. Smarty Plants! I'm trying to separate rumor and folktales from fact when it comes to bluebonnets in Texas. I notice that bluebonnet blossoms have a double white spot on the center petal tha... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| When do you put out bluebonnet seeds in Bastrop, TX? April 17, 2012 When do you put out bluebonnet seeds?? I hear fall but don't the seeds pop out of dried up plants in early summer? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Clover Among the Bluebonnets in Round Mountain, Texas April 13, 2012 I have a beautiful yard of bluebonnets, but mixed in with them are a tall clover that is hiding the flower's beauty and a shorter plant with clover-like leaves that produces burrs. Pulling is not an... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Time to mow bluebonnets from Smithville TX April 12, 2012 When is the best time to mow the seeded Bluebonnets? I have them and Drummond Phlox in my front yard. I need to clean and trim to start pulling the large numbers of Purple Hooked Sandburr. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Progress of Habiturf lawn from Round Rock TX April 12, 2012 I sowed Habiturf seeds almost two weeks ago in well prepared soil--no grass or weeds, well tilled with compost. After sowing, I lightly raked the soil. I have watered twice/day, allowing it to dry s... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Herbicide use in bluebonnet field in Blanco, TX April 10, 2012 Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, I have the best of both worlds and the worst of both worlds. I’ve been throwing bluebonnet seeds for 6 years on our property near Blanco, and when it rains, as it has this year... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Dodder April 06, 2012 I was driving around Llano, Texas and saw patches of orange amongst the wildflowers. From afar the patches seemed like dying plants. On close inspection, they are orange tendrils that are overrunnin... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Dodder April 06, 2012 I have seen patches of Bluebonnets that are covered with a stringy,rubbery,orange substance that seems to be choking out the particular patch. It wraps itself around the flowers,completely covering th... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | | |
| Day trips for wildflower viewing from Austin April 05, 2012 I live in Austin, Texas. Where is the best place for bluebonnet viewing? Or a day trip to see wildflowers? Thank you. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plantings of Castilleja in Texas April 04, 2012 I am a graduate student interested in studying different species of paintbrush (Castilleja) in Texas. I understand that the Texas Dept of Transportation has been seeding wildflowers along Texas highwa... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Mowing wildflower concerns from Lockhart TX March 30, 2012 I went to the Texas Highway Department (Texas Department of Transportation) web site and sent them a concern or complaint about them or independent contractors shredding the roadsides before the blueb... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Wild native trees with orange blooms March 30, 2012 What is the wild native tree that is blooming orange blooms - as you drive down the road thru Chappel Hill, and Brenham area. I've never seen these before when we went viewing bluebonnets - however,... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Illegal to remove an orange blossom from ground in Florida from Atlantis FL March 28, 2012 Is there any law that prevents someone from removing an orange blossom from the ground in Florida? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| When and where are the bluebonnets blooming from Canyon TX? March 18, 2012 Where can we get reports on when and where the bluebonnets are blooming? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Bastard cabbage in Austin TX March 17, 2012 Not sure if this is the forum to address this; but is there any effort out there to do something about the bastard cabbage taking over Austin? Especially on MoPac where you can hardly see the bluebon... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants in bloom in April in Stuart FL February 24, 2012 Can you tell me which plants I might reasonably expect to see in bloom in April of this year? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Current forecast for wildflowers from Colorado Springs February 24, 2012 What is your current forecast for wildflowers this spring? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Healthy native plants supporting local economy from Tacoma Park MD February 17, 2012 I am collecting information on how healthy native plant communities can support the local economy. Do you think the Texas bluebonnets are a good example of this in Texas? For example, do you know ma... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Are there drug cartels on the bluebonnet trails from Lake City FL February 08, 2012 We plan to fly to TX to see bluebonnets but do not know if the weather and forest fires have destroyed them. If not, can you estimate the peak bloom time? We are 75 and 81 and move around rather s... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Planting bluebonnets on UT Campus in Austin January 07, 2012 Hello! I am with a student organization on the University of Texas campus. Walking around campus, I have noticed the lack of the state flower of Texas, the bluebonnet. Our organization is hoping ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Preparing for planting wildflower meadow in Austin January 02, 2012 We are in the midst of prepping beds for wildflower plantings in the spring. We spent the last month pulling up our existing lawn and invasive grasses so we are now wondering how to secure the beds f... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Color year round, welcome to Austin Texas. December 04, 2011 I am new to Austin and want to plant colorful flowers for fall and winter that get a "wow" reaction. I have not seen much at the local nurseries. Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated! View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Overwintering Texas bluebonnets November 17, 2011 I planted Texas Bluebonnet and I want to know how to save them through the winter months. I think they are so beautiful. Can I cover them with something? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | | |
| Desmodium spp. (beggar's lice) in Leander TX November 11, 2011 Our home backs up to a greenbelt on Blockhouse Creek in Williamson County, Texas (FM 1431 and Parmer Lane). The combination of the flood and drought has left our beautiful greenbelt with an abundance... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Growing bluebonnets in pot in Flower Mound TX November 01, 2011 We received a package of bluebonnet seeds along with the DVD Wildflowers: Seeds of History as a gift. In the film, Andrea DeLong mentions that bluebonnets did not grow well in a rich organic soil. W... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | | |
| When to reseed wildflowers in a drought year? October 18, 2011 My acreage with extensive wildflowers was mowed in 2010 before annuals had seeded. Only a few returned this year. Considering the predicted lonterm drought should I postpone reseeding this fall? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Survival of bluebonnets in extreme heat from Tioga TX September 03, 2011 Is there anything I can do for my bluebonnet patch in this extreme drought for the rest of the summer and fall? Should I have watered this summer? I had a good show and think seeding was fairly normal... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| A&M maroon bluebonnets for Hawaii July 10, 2011 My daughter graduated from Texas A&M and has moved to Hawaii. She would love to have the maroon bluebonnets developed by A&M to plant in her new home. How would she need to prepare the seeds since t... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Re-blooming bluebonnets in May in Kyle TX May 30, 2011 My bluebonnets in flower bed bloomed beautifully this spring. Now it is late May and they bloomed again. Why is this? I never saw these flowers bloom twice in a season. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Growing bluebonnets from seed in Maitland FL May 17, 2011 Can I grow bluebonnets from seed in Maitland? The soil is quite sandy, and I do have sunny, dry places to grow them. Are there any special requirements necessary away from their native habitat? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | | |
| Bluebonnets and paintbrush for Fredericksburg VA April 10, 2011 Can I broadcast Texas bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrush seeds, in Virginia, during early Spring and get germination; or, do I need to winterize and plant next spring. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | | |
| Wildflower succession from Austin April 02, 2011 I am interested in learning about a wildflower "cycle" (not sure of a better term). I recently saw the Wildflower special on PBS that talked briefly about an area that had wildflowers that naturally... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Are bluebonnets toxic to horses from Pearland TX March 10, 2011 Are bluebonnets toxic to horses? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| How to grow bluebonnets in Atlanta TX March 04, 2011 How can I grow bluebonnets in Atlanta Texas? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Will recent freezes delay wildflowers from Dripping Springs TX February 15, 2011 What effect will the recent freezing temperatures have on the Texas Hill Country Wildflowers? Will it delay blooming? Thank you! View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Possibility of transporting native seeds to Europe February 03, 2011 Hi, Is it possible to bring seeds for North American plants and wildflowers from the USA to Europe? I live in Italy and have many Italian friends who want me to bring seeds from America the next time ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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