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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| Tiny red bugs on Mountain Laurel from San Antonio TX April 02, 2014 Hordes of solid bright red tiny bugs are all over the bark of my Mountain Laurels. The infestation has me very worried. How can I deal with them? Thank you in advance for helping solve this problem. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Sap dripping from redbud in Bertram, TX March 03, 2014 Our multi-trunked Texas redbud has sap dripping down 3 of the trunks. It seems to originate from a very small crack in each trunk. The tree is just starting to show pink this week, and is about to blo... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Problem with Prosopis glandulosa (Honey mesquite) February 27, 2014 One of our mature Honey Mesquite trees is losing thumb sized branches high up in the canopy because something is stripping the bark. The branches are completely white for 8-12 inches. Of course the ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Galls on live oak tree in Austin December 12, 2013 I live in Austin, and have a 13 year old live oak in my yard. It has developed little spheres, kind of like green peas, on the underside of the leaves. What is it? Is it harmful? Is there somethin... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identity of small objects that look like tiny pecans November 14, 2013 Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, I am doing my science fair project on acorns. Last year I measured how many acorns and other nature-y stuff fell into a baby pool from a live oak tree in my backyard every ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Something damages leaves on Tecoma stans from Austin November 08, 2013 Help! Something is chomping my Esperanzas. I thought it was deer but they don't seem to be eating other yellow bells in my neighborhood. I think it's an insect. Something is completely stripping the... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Do white-tailed deer consume King Ranch bluestem? October 25, 2013 Will white-tail deer in central Texas consume King Ranch bluestem ? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Flying insects eating leaves of non-native Brugmansia in Aline CA October 17, 2013 I have an Angel Trumpet tree. We live in Aline, California 30 miles east of San Diego. Little yellow and black flying bugs eat the leaves. Do you have a remedy for this problem. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native nightshade that is a host to hornworm-hawk's eye moth October 03, 2013 Is there a native nightshade that serves as a host to tomato hornworm/hawks eye moth? I like the moth and as a gardener do not like the hornworm. I would like to have a patch of not terribly toxic nig... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Berry-looking parasites on live oak leaves September 20, 2013 Dripping Springs TX Live oaks. What are these berry looking parasites on my tree's leaves. As many as 4 1/4 in berries per leaf. I have 3 acres with dozens of liveoaks all having them on the leav... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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