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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| Critter-Proof Native Plants for Virginia Lawn April 02, 2015 We live in a gated community that was part of the Wilderness Battlefield during the Civil War. Our home is on a narrow lot, fully treed except for a postage stamp-sized lawn at lake side. We have de... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Is Common Milkweed a Succulent? March 31, 2015 Is the common milkweed (butterfly plant) classified as a succulent? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Native wildflowers for an Asheville, NC garden. March 30, 2015 I live in Asheville. I just bought a small home for the first time with a .22 acre yard. It's extremely sunny on the east side and gets good sun most of the day. Like most WNC area yards it's on a s... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Shallow Rooted Wildflowers for MA March 25, 2015 Do you have any suggestions for wildflowers that would be safe to grow on a capped landfill site? They would need to have roots no deeper than 24 inches. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Companion plants for non-native Santolina virens March 23, 2015 Can you recommend companion plant options for Santolina virens? The companion plant would be planted randomly and interspersed with the santolina and needs to be no taller than 12 inches because of th... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Wildflowers for floodplain near Denton, TX March 22, 2015 Hello, I am a member of my HOA board and am researching the possibility of filling in our floodplains with wildflowers. Currently the floodplains are grass only and span a few acres. Our goal is to t... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Short, Shady Plants for South Carolina February 24, 2015 I have a shady part of my mother's garden that doesn't drain very well. Do you have any suggestions as to what type of flowers or plants (preferably native to S.C.) that aren't red that might grow ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Pruning Gaura February 19, 2015 My Gaura lindheimeri is very "leggy", but is blooming well at the end of the spindly stems. Should I prune it back or leave it? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plant Database for New Jersey February 19, 2015 How can I find out where certain plants will grow, for example, will Indian Mustard (Brassica juncea L.) grow in New Jersey? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| When do wildflowers bloom in the Texas Hill Country February 12, 2015 Approximately when do the wild flowers bloom in Hill country? I would love to see them. I know it depends on winter weather conditions. I have a short vacation mid March, was considering a trip th... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Low Groundcover for Washington State February 03, 2015 I'm trying to find a perfect fit for my piece of land in the State of Washington. I would say that the area is partly sunny and a somewhat moist area. I'm looking for a species of very small everg... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plants for a Narrow Fence Line in TN February 03, 2015 I have a very specific and difficult planting question. I have a narrow strip (about 2 feet at the widest) between my back privacy fence and a wire fence that marks the edge of my property. It is dire... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plant ID–maybe a lupine? February 02, 2015 We have a strange plant growing in our flowerbed that we did not knowingly plant. It sprang up last summer and has continued to grow throughout the winter in spite of several freezes. We live just eas... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Best date for spring bluebonnet blooms for 2015 January 31, 2015 What is the estimated date range for the best bluebonnet viewing in the Hill Country this year (2015). I have guests from the north planning a visit and we'd like to pick a weekend with great possibi... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Germinating Milkweed Seeds January 23, 2015 When is the best time to plant milkweed seeds outside? I was told when the overnight temperature hits 70 F. (our garden is in Lakeway, Texas). So around late May? Is this when the seeds germinate i... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Annual Native Plants for Interplanting in Iowa January 20, 2015 I'm looking for suggestions for annuals that will flower from seed or from spring plants. I want to use them to fill in the space around newly planted coneflowers and asters that I fear will look spa... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| wildflowers with interesting seed heads for winter interest January 09, 2015 I am looking to establish a wildflower meadow this year, and I want to include wildflowers that have interesting seed heads for winter interest. What would be your recommendation? Thanks! View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Bluebonnets Emerging in December December 21, 2014 Bluebonnets Emerging in December. We've seen bluebonnets emerging all over our property in the last two weeks. I don't ever remember seeing them come up this early. What will be the impact on t... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of seedlings December 20, 2014 So..last spring I spread out a bag of random Texas wildflower seed I bought at Home Depot. Bautiful things happened. Since that time I've collected seeds while out camping etc and just been chunking ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plants for a moist, wooded area in North Carolina December 06, 2014 I am looking to plant some native flowers in a wooded area in Surry County NC. The chosen location is fully shaded beside a creek. The water table typically sets about 2 feet below the surface of th... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Are Brown-eyed susans and Black-eyed susans the same species? December 02, 2014 Are Brown eyed Susans the same as the Black-eyed Susan? I've read that they are both common names for the same plant, but the flower looks slightly different in different regions. Thank you. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Starting Melochia Pyramidata from Seed November 06, 2014 Last year some Melochia pyramidata popped up in my yard all on its own. I was able to gather some (really neat looking) seed pods once they had dried out. I'm moving pretty soon and I'd like to grow... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Fall Wildflowers for Helotes, TX October 20, 2014 Dear Smarty, Could you please suggest a few colorful wildflowers for a sunny area. I live north of San Antonio, TX and would like to plant some flowers in October but I want something that has been ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Fall Flower Planting in Abilene, TX October 14, 2014 Are there any flowers that can be planted in the fall in Abilene Texas? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Storing Rudbeckia Hirta Seed October 10, 2014 I just bought and planted your Rudbeckia hirta seed. I have a lot leftover. Can I store it until spring or better yet, next fall? If so, how? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Native Texas Plants for a Terrarium October 08, 2014 I have a 55-gallon aquarium that I would like to make into a terrarium. Are there any Texas native plants that would do well in the limited artificial light of the tank? The plants should be of varyin... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Silphium Perfoliatum Seeds October 06, 2014 I am trying to identify which part of the seedhead is the actual seed of the cup plant, Silphium perfoliatum. It is hard to find images. Some show the outer, larger, flat part of the seedhead which ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Best Asclepias for Kansas City October 06, 2014 I have a question about the Asclepias. I live in the Midwest, in Kansas City with hardiness zone 5b or 6. I want to know which of these plants would be good for me in a cultivated garden. It's not to... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Shearing Pink Skullcaps September 21, 2014 My pink skullcap plants keep dying. The ones that are still alive are about 3 years old, but have large sections of dry twigs. Do I shear them and hope they come back or are they gone? I live in Helot... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| When is best time to plant seeds of Texas Nightshade in San Antonio, TX? September 20, 2014 I need to know the time to plant seeds of Texas Nightshade. Can I plant them now ( August ), or wait till fall or spring? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Butterfly Plants for Chicago September 13, 2014 I live near Chicago, IL and am interested in planting a butterfly garden. Not sure when to start, but I want all native plants that would attract butterflies. Can you please let me know which plants ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Making a pollinator garden August 11, 2014 Hello, I have a ditch right by my house and I want to turn it into a pollinator garden using native plants. My problem is, right now it's so full of weeds that we have to mow those down so soon. For ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Late Blooming Wildflowers for Round Rock August 06, 2014 I thought this would be a previously answered question but found nothing in the data base. My question is: in Central Texas what can be grown for some color or interest in a wildflower area when the w... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| The most common wildflower in the United States July 29, 2014 What is the most common wildflower in the United States? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Preparation of seeds of Cosmos parviflorus for planting July 21, 2014 This is in regards to Cosmos Parviflorus. I reside directly outside of Big Bend National Park in Terlingua, TX. Cosmos Parviflorus grows naturally here and I have collected some seeds from a couple of... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Bluebonnets in Hampton VA? July 12, 2014 I gave my mom Blue Bonnet seeds for her yard in Hampton VA. She is on a mission to have no lawn and loves flowers. The seeds say to plant in Texas August-November. But, when should she plant them i... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Native flowers versus non-natives June 30, 2014 Native flowers versus non-natives. What guidelines do use for identification. I come across flowers in different habitats and can't identify them as natives. Also, how do you attach a image to a ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Purchase of Galphimia angustifolia from Austin June 08, 2014 I have a Thryallis, Galphimia augustifolia, or Thryallis autustifolia, growing from a limestone ledge in my yard in west Austin TX. I have tried unsuccessfully to buy this native. Do you sell it at t... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Define monoculture from St. Croix Falls, WI May 30, 2014 What do you call a dense stand or carpet of one species of wildflower? Our botany professor told us but that was 40 years ago! View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Should Rock Harlequin stay green all winter? May 28, 2014 I have a rock harlequin that came up in a area that had been disturbed. It came up last summer/fall and the foliage survived our tough winter. I can not find anything about this plant staying green al... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Hanging plants for Austin, TX May 18, 2014 I'm looking for a hanging potted flower suggestion for Austin. Most locations are shaded under a large tree, but some locations may have several hours of afternoon sun. I'd love to see some hummin... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Is Fern-like Plant with White Flower Poison Hemlock? May 06, 2014 I have a fern-like plant which produces white flowers that uncurl from the stem as the plant starts to grow. Is this poison hemlock? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Viability of Lupinus havardii seeds from Elmendorf TX April 25, 2014 I have been able to grow several Lupinus havardii (Big Bend Bluebonnet) and they are now making seed. Is there anyway to determine if a seed is good or bad for this plant? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Highway construction in wildflower areas from Kingsland TX April 22, 2014 I see no other link to contact about this, except for you. Maybe you can direct me. I just drove Hwy 281 South and a lot of road construction is being done. For many years that I've noticed, there ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| From Austin, some Texas bluebonnet seeds that will grow in San Diego, CA April 05, 2014 Is there a variety of Texas blue bonnet that will grow in San Diego, CA? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Planting wildflowers on company property from Aquasco MD April 04, 2014 Our company wants to plant wildflowers on our property. How do I know how much seed, what type of seeds, how to care for, how to plant, basically everything? Finally, we hope to find use some deer-r... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plants for a Narrow, Dry, Shaded Site in Georgia April 03, 2014 I am writing from Valdosta, GA. Could you please suggest three perennial shrubs and/or plants that flower at different times of the spring and summer? Also ones that can be planted in a 2 ft. wide s... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plant Suggestions for Shady Site under Trees in Alabama April 03, 2014 I live in Montgomery, AL and have a bare area (20' x 5’) that's shady and soil erosion is a problem. Grass stops growing at the drip line of the trees here. Do you have any suggestions for growing s... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Planting Suggestions for a Lake Home in Wayne County, MO April 03, 2014 We have a lake home in Wayne County, MO at Lake Wappapello. The soil is very rocky. We recently cleared an area around our home of assorted dead trees, some cedars and what seemed like tons of vines. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Less Maintenance Plant Suggestions for New Raised Bed in Henderson, NV. April 03, 2014 We have a newly constructed raised garden bed. I was wondering what kind of plants would be appropriate to plant this springtime in Henderson, NV with less maintenance because I work full time. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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