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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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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| Rust on Blackberry April 17, 2015 I have two new blackberry bushes that I planted fall 2014. Only weeks after I planted the plant began to have rust color balls under the leaves then leaves began to die and fall off. When I returned t... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Goldsturm Rudbeckia Stunted and Doesn't Bloom April 16, 2015 I have Goldsturm Rudbeckia that never flowers nor gets taller than 4 inches. Meanwhile, my phlox does fantastic in the same area. This area is sand top dressed with black dirt. Please help! Goldst... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Shrubs for Central Texas that are Verticillium Resistant April 16, 2015 We need a list of at least a few shrubs in the 6'x3'+ size that are Verticillium Wilt resistant. We have taken out the affected Elaeagnus and would like to replace it with a screen of similar densit... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Iris Changing Color? April 03, 2015 I have some iris planted under a very tall tree and they bloom nicely every February. The original bulbs were given to me when I moved here to Arizona 30 years ago. They have always bloomed white. I h... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Leucophyllum Resistant to Verticillium Wilt March 25, 2015 I need to know which large shrubs are resistant to verticillium wilt? I believe that a few of our Elaeagnus have succumbed to this disease, but being over 15 years old, I am not positive. I am thinki... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Mexican Lime Turning Yellow March 25, 2015 What causes moderate yellowing of 40% of the leaves of an 8 year old Mexican Lime Tree that is booming and blooming right now with lots of thick new growth? I used a general garden fertilizer a few ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Dealing with live oak suckers in Central Texas March 05, 2015 Hi, I have a couple huge Live Oak trees in my back yard. Trunks are 4' in diameter. These Live Oaks produce a lot of root sprouts/suckers. I had always head that a tree's roots feed on water/oxyg... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Repairing the split trunk of a TX mountain laurel February 28, 2015 I have a fairly large mountain laurel that I just realized has a split down the trunk. Is there anything I can do to save it? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Safe Concrete Planters For Plants? February 24, 2015 We are building low concrete walls around a patio (in Washington, DC). Can we create the walls to act as planters or will the lime leaching make the soil too inhospitable for most plants? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Rust on Amelancier Foliage in PA February 03, 2015 I live in Pennsylvania and have been plagued with a rust on my serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis) trees over the past few years. I am unable to find very much information on this disease on the we... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
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