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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| Identity of plant that looks like green onions April 06, 2013 I have what looks like green onions growing in my lawn. They have small white flowers. Are they edible? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Will corn fall victim to allelopathy from hackberry in Clarkridge AR March 30, 2013 Will my corn be inhibited by a nearby hackberry and if so would it help to cut it down? I understand that sometimes the soil is full of the chemicals the tree produces. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Edibility of non-native garlic sprouts from Brancburg, NJ March 12, 2013 I have regular garlic in my refrigerator. It had sprouts growing out of it so I put it in a cup of water. Now that the stems are large enough to put in food, my question is.. Is that part of the garl... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Edible and Medicinal Plant Resources for West Texas March 02, 2013 I am a teacher of gifted and talented students in Paint Rock, Texas. We were looking for a reliable book or website for edible and medicinal plants in West Texas. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Food and medicinal value of Parsley Hawthorn March 01, 2013 I have found several sites that talk about how the parsley hawthorn is edible and how the hawthorn berry in general is really great for the heart, but I did not find any mention of this on your info a... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Texas native peach from Elmendorf TX January 30, 2013 Does Texas have a native peach tree that grows wild? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Sweet cherry tree for New Mexico January 23, 2013 What is the best kind of sweet cherry tree to plant in Santa Fe, NM? I have apple, apricot, peach and pear. Would like cherry unless it is a bad idea. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Water requirements for fruit trees in California January 15, 2013 Dear Sir; In which of these options (fruit trees) the need for watering in irrigation process is higher than the others: -Olive tree -Nectarines and peaches trees -Hazelnut trees -Pistachios and ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Red berry that changes the taste of other foods January 15, 2013 Hi, your site is fantastic. I heard from a friend that he tried a red berry in Florida which when eaten change the taste of other foods eaten afterwards. He ate a lemon after trying that berry and th... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Montana native plants to create a garden with edible plants January 14, 2013 Hi Smarty Plants We are looking to create a native herb, vegetable, root, fruit, flower and ground cover garden for the area of Hot Springs, Sanders County, Montana. Our zone is 4 and soil is mostly ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Native wild plum trees for Johnson County, Texas December 24, 2012 What native wild plums will grow in southern Johnson County? And where can I find the trees locally? Thank you View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Landscaping from Wilmington NC December 22, 2012 I plan on moving to Belmont NC in the next couple of years and settling down with my future wife in her home town. I am a huge do it yourself person. I love to make things from scratch, including buil... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Is cenizo (Leucophyllum frutescens) edible? December 21, 2012 I found a post here about cenizo leaves being used for tea, but I'm wondering if the leaves of the cenizo are edible? I have found many recipes for 'brown butter sage' leaves (sauteed often with on... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Wild plums for jelly from Conroe TX December 18, 2012 Do wild plum trees grow in my area? I want to get some next summer to make plum jelly. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of a vine in El Paso, Texas November 23, 2012 I live in Del Rio Texas - Zone 8/9 and I have a vine which can't be identified. It looks like a morning glory white flower with crimson throat, but the leaf pattern is like a 5-7 fingered hand with d... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Edible native plants for Camp Wood, TX November 01, 2012 We live northwest of Camp Wood, TX in the uplands, so our soil is shallow with caliche and limestone beneath and is clay-like with the typical higher pH. Are there any native trees, bushes, vines, or... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | | |
| Grasses for horses in Austin October 27, 2012 Hello Mr. Smarty Plants We just bought 4.5 acres in Travis County off HWY 290. We have 3 horses we keep on it but there is very little grass in the pastures. What is the best type of grass to seed ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Spots on non-native naval orange trees from Stockton CA October 20, 2012 I have two mature Navel Orange trees. One tree has developed spotty chlorophyl depleted areas that were not on the oranges when they were smaller. In addition, the oranges on both trees are smaller ,... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Non-native pomegranate failing to fruit from Highland Village TX October 20, 2012 Last spring I planted a pomegranate tree (type: Wonderful) which is supposed to produce edible fruit. It had 5 or 6 absolutely beautiful blooms, but each of them dropped off and no sign of fruit. Is... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Is it possible to eat one nightshade berry and live? September 16, 2012 Can I eat one nightshade berry and live? I am 18. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identity of a plant in Florida with red fruit like a small tomato September 03, 2012 It looks like a small tomato but it isn't. It has a bunch of flakey seeds on the inside, which are a light brown in color. The outside is red, and I think it starts out growing green and also white.... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Problems with non-native tomatoes from Spokane WA August 18, 2012 I have 2 tomato plants in 1 whiskey barrel, they are in abundance with tomatoes. My problem is when the tomatoes start to ripen, half green & half light red within 1 day the tomatoes are really soft ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Landscaping with water garden from Pendleton SC August 15, 2012 Searching for native plants in SC. Your results miss some plants listed on your site. I noticed this reading the Mr. Smarty Plants response to "Edible Plants for North GA" We aren't far apart. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| How Do Persimmons Breed - Starkville, MS August 14, 2012 Thank you for your earlier response about the genders of native persimmon trees. We have two, a much larger one that has borne fruit for years and years and a smaller one that I'd just assumed was m... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Is it safe to eat vegetables grown in the same bed as foxgloves? August 12, 2012 I have foxglove in my flower beds and have planted tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and cantaloupe in the flower bed and now I am concerned about the shared root system. Also, my tomatoes are touching the... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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