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.
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Are agaves really native from Pacific Palisades CA April 30, 2013 I just replied re agave issues, and mistakenly asked the source of your information. I see that you clearly noted it, apologies. I would note, however, that the Riverside area is very much a hot,... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Runaway Agave Americana from Pacific Palisades CA April 29, 2013 We live near open space on Santa Monica Mountain State Park. Our Association planted non-native, invasive Agave Americanas all over the adjacent slopes, and we are trying to get the exploding pups and... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Loss of bloom stalk on Yucca filamentosa from Scotch Plains NJ April 27, 2013 We have 3 Yucca filamentosa L. planted together, in NJ. A friend of ours was helping to remove the weeds, little did she know and removed the blooming stalk from the plants. By the time I saw, it was ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Identification of Wood from Frying Pan Ranch Near Amarillo, TX (possibly Cholla) April 26, 2013 I'm doing research for a museum exhibition and have been told the "holey" piece of wood from The Frying Pan Ranch near Amarillo Texas is "chollya" but I can find no information. Can you help? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Protecting agave pups in San Antonio April 23, 2013 I would like to share the soon to happen bloom of two century plants on my property; they are sisters planted at the same time. I am sad to know they will die but will do all that I can to protect the... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Black bugs on yucca from Aledo TX April 14, 2013 We have flowering yuccas that have thousands of small black bugs that seem to be hurting the plant. They are not on any other foliage in our beds. What do I use to get rid of them?? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Century plant leaves falling over from San Antonio April 10, 2013 Have a large century plant about % feet tall. The leaves are falling over. Can you tell me what to do to avoid this. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Failure to bloom of red yucca from Lago Vista TX April 09, 2013 I am in Lago Vista - trying to find out why I can't get my red yucca to bloom. The first year they were great and now after two or three years - no measurable spikes have shown up. HELP! View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
What to do with agave after it blooms from Phoenix AZ March 12, 2013 Hello! I have 2 century plants in the process of blooming. How exciting!! I've never really seen it before. Anyway, what do I then do with the dying/dead plant. Simply dig it up and trash it? T... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Saving frozen yuccas from North Carolina February 23, 2013 I live in NC and have 2 potted yucca plants on my deck. Every year I have brought them in for the winter. This year, someone told us that we could leave them out all winter. They began to die in the c... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Thorny shrub for deterring break-ins in southeast Texas February 05, 2013 Looking for a very, very, thorny three or four foot tall shrub for in front of windows to deter break-ins. Considering Rosa Rugosa rose but it is not native. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Potential longevity of Century Plant bloom stalk from Marana AZ January 23, 2013 What is the potential longevity of a Century Plant stalk/bloom? I would like to use it in my yard for ornamentation. Will it last for weeks, months or years or decompose relatively quickly? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Prickly pear doing poorly on Long Island NY December 27, 2012 First, thanks for your reply on 11-3-12, re.Can a prickly pear cutting from Harker Heights, TX find happiness in Long Island, NY. The plants were set before a southern window in the attic, temp. ra... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Starting yucca from seed from Austin December 24, 2012 I would like to start a soft leaf yucca recurvifolia from seed. Is that possible? Also, I've looked for seed on dried flower stalks, and I'm not sure that what I'm finding is the seed, and I ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Preserving century plant bloom stalk from Sedona AZ December 16, 2012 I have the flower stalk from a century plant which I am using as a Christmas tree. Can you advise me as to what I should do to preserve it for future use? Should it be kept indoors or outdoors. Pro... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Problems with mature Blue Agave in Kenya December 09, 2012 I have a mature Agave plant and there is a thin black liquid that looks like oil starting to appear on the leaves. The plant plant seems to be dying (from the bottom up). (The plant is a blue Agave an... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Can a prickly pear cutting from Harker Heights, TX find happiness in Long Island, NY. November 03, 2012 Took a cutting of a prickly pear cactus from my daughters garden in Harker Heights, Tx. Her plants are 5'ht.& wt. Set it into a 10" pot with garden mix soil. Early July 2012, brought it home to Long... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Suitable container plants for Austin October 23, 2012 Hi, I see some info on native house plants, but not much. I live in an apartment that doesn't get much direct sun (maybe 2 hours a day) -- is there anything for me native-wise (Austin) if I have to h... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Information about prickly pear cactus for school project October 19, 2012 Hello my name is Case Danzeiser. I go to a middle school called Clint Small Middle School in Austin, Texas. We are doing a species study on a native Texas plants and animals. I choose to study the pri... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Smog-eating plants from Ft. Worth TX September 30, 2012 Looking for a list (40 >) of Native Texas Plants for Fort Worth Urban (Condo) that are Drought tolerant or (drip irr) and Fragrant and long blooming and eat up the city smog. Fort Worth is in a non-at... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Film growing on prickly pear from Austin September 28, 2012 We've just xeriscaped our front & back yards. Two of the spineless prickly pear cacti have a beige film growing on the paddles. The film is now moving further up the cactus, and one of the upper pad... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Winter care of succulents from Bethlehem PA September 09, 2012 We live in the northeast and we used succulents on our deck this summer because nothing else would survive the intense heat. How can I save these beautiful plants through a cold winter? Thank you. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Replacements for photinia from San Antonio August 31, 2012 i just read your response to someone regarding Red Tip shrubs. You just saved me thousands of dollars ! I was getting ready to order over 250 of these to line my 2.5 acre fence line. What shrub would ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Need plants to replace cedars on a 40 degree slope in Boerne, TX. August 28, 2012 My backyard is a roughly 40 degree slope that is covered with cedars. The slope is basically all rock, what can I grow here to replace the cedar which drink too much water. I would still like the area... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Non-native jade plant from Pauline SC August 24, 2012 Do jade plants grow in South Carolina; if, so where? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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