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 | |
| Native plants to attract migrating birds June 12, 2010 Can you suggest native plants that would attract migrating birds? I have a very sunny location, with very sandy soil. Thanks in advance for your answer. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Over-trimmed junipers in Shell Beach CA May 16, 2010 Help! My husband decided to "trim" the juniper bushes that are in front of our house that create a great private front yard. I guess he cut back into the dead wood and now nothing is regrowing. It'... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Source for wintergreen to make tea in Waynesboro GA April 26, 2010 I want to know where to buy a wintergreen tree to make tea from. Thanks. I live in Waynesboro,GA. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Deer-resistant, shade tolerant evergreens for privacy in Milford MI April 12, 2010 I'm looking for deer resistant evergreens that will be planted in the shade. I need the evergreens to hide an area I don't want to see from my home. Hence, they need to go tall. Can you give me a r... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Ashe Juniper not doing well in San Antonio April 08, 2010 A large ash juniper (mountain cedar) in my yard appears to be sick or dying. Approximately 1/4 of the canopy has very sparse needles/green foliage stuff and shaggier than normal bark. It's not brown ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Groundcovers for a slope in MA April 04, 2010 We live in Eastern MA. We have a hill behind our house that was previously mulched. Slope is 45 degrees in direct sun, clay soil. We have another hill by the road side that is partially shaded with ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Evergreen screen for newly constructed metal building March 31, 2010 Neighbor built a 12' tall metal building right by my gate. I want to screen it with fast-growing evergreen natives. I have lots of ashe juniper on my property, but none where I need it now! Can AJ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Live Christmas tree in Katy, TX March 16, 2010 My husband is really bent towards having a live "Christmas tree" in the front yard. I hate to use anything non-native so I am looking for a native Texas juniper shrub or a small tree that can be tri... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants for 60 degree slope in Mobile, AL February 09, 2010 Dear Mr. Smarty Plants,I live on an eroding 60 foot bluff in USDA Zone 8A, along Mobile Bay (AL). To address erosion problems we are using a gabion-style product called "Green Terramesh," which is ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Privacy screen for pool in California November 24, 2009 Hi, We have new neighbors overlooking our pool and peering into our house. We want to put up a privacy screen along our back fence that runs the length of the pool, but the border running along the ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Containing roots in Kaysville UT October 26, 2009 I'm planting my yard in all native Rocky Mountain and Great Basin plants. Is there a way to halt or contain the root propagation of Smooth Leaf Sumac and Quaking Aspen? I've considered digging dow... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Weeds in Blue Rug juniper in Phoenix MD September 28, 2009 The landscaper planted Blue Rug Junipers around the Helleri Holly and Yews in front of my house ten years ago. The Blue Rug has done great and looks really nice. My problem is that weeds grow up in ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| What kind of native Junipers will grow in zone 7? June 25, 2009 What kinds of native Juniper will grow in zone 7 ? (besides Juniperus scopulorum and J.virginiana). View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Removing non-native juniperus x pfitzeriana in Arvada CO June 25, 2009 We have 200' of large juniper pfitzers (3' tall - 4' wide) that completely enclose our front yard. We want to remove all of them but the estimates to dispose of them have been extremely high. One... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Why are my Junipers turning brown in San Antonio? May 11, 2009 My Texas mountain cedars (junipers, I know) are turning brown, limb by limb. What is the problem and how do I save what looks like a dying tree. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Why are the eastern red cedars in Bastrop/Travis County turning brown? May 11, 2009 I live on the Bastrop/Travis county, TX line and have many eastern red cedars on my property. About 10 of them are dying and it has happened quickly with the onset of the warmer weather. I noticed d... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identifcation of strange orange growth on shrubs May 04, 2009 I have found a strange orange ball shape with softer spikes about 1-2 in. growing from it on my shrubs, they grow around the branch. I believe they are Yews. I have never seen them before but now ther... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native shrubs or trees for privacy shield in Cross Plains TX March 31, 2009 I'm looking for a small tree or large bush that will stay green year round to use for a privacy shield. We have electrical lines overhead so I need to keep it a low growing tree or bush that will he... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Flowering perennials beneath Ashe juniper. March 25, 2009 Dear Sir: What type of flowering perennial plants will grow underneath Mountain Cedar and its pine needles? Thanks. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Looking for juniper trees (Juniperus ashei) for sale December 05, 2008 Does anyone know anyone that sells Juniper trees in pots - the central Texas kind. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Replacing junipers on slope with wildlife garden October 23, 2008 Gradual replacement of Juniper with natives? We have a 10 foot deep slope with less than a 45 degree angle that is all covered with old, overgrown Juniper. It does not appear to serve any purpose ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Privacy screen for garden and pool in California October 13, 2008 I need a fast growing screen for privacy. Here are the issues:1. we have a 3 story apartment building looking right into our backyard. so trees need to be at least 15' tall and dense. 2. we have a po... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Privacy hedge for South Dakota August 08, 2008 Hi, I'm looking for something to use as a hedge. 8 foot or so tall offering semi privacy all year. I like dogwoods but loss of leaves in the winter makes me skeptical. Boxwood would be interesting... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Improperly prepared building site in Virginia June 24, 2008 Hi, I have a question about planting on newly-built homesite. We just moved into a new home in DC suburbs (Northern VA) and the landscape is the worst of the builder grade. There are prickly junipers ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Propagation of Ashe junipers June 04, 2008 I am trying to re-build what man has destroyed in the Kingsland/Marble Falls area on a property we own out there. I would LOVE to plant a couple ashe junipers for several reasons, a couple being: 1. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native evergreen trees or shrubs for privacy screen in South Carolina April 02, 2008 Mr. Smarty Plants, we recently lost a grove of eleven 30+ year old white pine trees in a storm this month. They provided a natural 42'x30' screen to the front of our property and home. What type o... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Control of Juniperus ashei August 08, 2007 We have just purchased 2 acres in Burnet County at an elevation of 1604 feet above sea level. The land is almost flat, bedrock, with lots of Juniper, Cactus Apple and between these plants grasses and... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Effects of drought and insects on junipers August 06, 2007 We live on acreage about 18 miles southwest of Austin. Ever since we moved here about 6 years ago, we've noticed that our mature Ashe junipers seem to be in some sort of decline with foliage graduall... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Juniper as host of cedar-apple rust July 17, 2007 Thanks for the helpful advice on the Eastern Red Cedar. I was wondering if you could ease my mind about a potential problem. I have read up on some of the native plants in my area in a very good book ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Viability of Juniperus ashei for making furniture June 18, 2007 My husband uses juniper from Oregon to make beautiful furniture. Underneath the ugly bark is a wonderful wood. Is this the same Juniper as we saw all around Austin, Texas. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Acidity of soil for blueberry plants May 11, 2007 We have 8 blueberry plants and we have just taken out several Juniper shrubs. How will this effect the acidity of the soil for the blueberries? Do we need to add more acidity? We heard that the junipe... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Inadvisability of importing plants from one region to another March 03, 2006 I wonder if you could help me. I want to send my friends some conifer trees from England to Florida USA. I went on the Department of Agriculture site and they recommended your site for questions. Than... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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