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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| Restoration of mistflowers suffering from wet season June 27, 2007 I have planted gregg's mistflower in a bed that receives morning sun and afternoon semi-shade. It was beautiful and covered with blooms and butterflies this spring, but suddenly has become brown and ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Saprophytic fungus on mulch June 22, 2007 I just did some major landscaping in my west Austin, TX backyard. I added many native plants and mulched all of the new beds. I did this just before the heavy rains in the past two weeks. I now not... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Vascular wilt in Rhus virens June 22, 2007 Hi Smarty: Our evergreen sumac grew beautifully this spring (it is about 2 years old -- we got it at the LBJ Wildflower Center plant sale). Then its leaves suddenly drooped last month (May) and turn... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Whitefly infestation in roses and salvia June 15, 2007 Several of my outdoor plants (including Knockout roses and salvia) have a white residue on the stems. If I touch it a white bug jumps off. The residue can be wiped off or sprayed off, but the little... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Danger of oak wilt infestation in trees with storm-damaged limbs June 15, 2007 A recent severe storm in Southwest Austin broke large branches and trunks on many Live Oaks in my neighborhood, including my next door neighbors'. Can this invite Oak Wilt? I'm worried about my tree... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Stem canker or leaf fungus in Morella cerifera June 14, 2007 Dear Mr.Smarty Pants: The upper half of our wax myrtle, which we had allowed (with artful pruning) to reach about ten feet suddenly died this spring (it dropped most of its leaves and didn't sprout... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Transplant shock in Achillea millefolium May 28, 2007 I had a clump of yarrow in my garden and was worried that it would become very aggressive to the other plants. I decided to transplant it into large clay pots to control it. Immediately after the tran... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Rose canker in roses on cedar posts May 24, 2007 While visiting the wildflower Center I saw that some of the plants were growing on trellis' made of posts cut from cedar trees. I made a trellis for my climbing rose bush and where the stems touched... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Reason for decline of Morella cerifera (wax myrtle) in Virginia March 30, 2007 We have Wax Myrtle bushes in our back yard. They were about 2 feet tall when planted 2 years ago and now are about 7-8 feet tall. The leaves have turned brown and are dropping essentially denuding the... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Yellowing of fronds on Sago Palm March 27, 2007 Our Sago Palm now has all yellow fronds from the Winter frosts. Should they be cut off? Will the plant grow new fronds from the bottom to replace the ugly looking ones that are there? And why do I se... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Control of sooty mold from aphids in Crape Myrtle February 25, 2007 I have a crape myrtle in my front flower bed that has a sooty black substance on the leaves and trunk. I've done research and understand this is caused by aphids. My question is how do I get the bl... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Problems with sunflowers in Florida November 03, 2006 I planted sunflowers on the west side of my house where I have previously planted them and they grew wonderfully. These new ones, however, seem to be dying, (less than 2 weeks). I bought the plants at... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Yellowing of Thuja occidentalis leaves in early Fall in Maryland September 12, 2006 Mr. Smarty Plants, I am from Maryland. Please help. I have planted 23 Thuja occidentalis Smaragd in my front yard a few months ago. Height of about 3 feet. Most of the trees have turned golden brown.... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Problems in germination of Asclepias tuberosa in New York August 31, 2006 I am a member of the Native Plant Center at Westchester Community College and I need information on Acleptis tuberosa. I am in USDA zone 6. Last year I planted fresh seeds purchased from Johnny's S... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Elimination of dirt dauber insects August 18, 2006 Hello - I live in the southeast part of Guadalupe Co. in the post oak savanna area. Do you have any suggestions on how to control dirt dauber dirt/mud nests. I know these critters are beneficial, bu... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Bark damage to Tulip Tree August 10, 2006 I have a tulip tree planted. It is about 9-10 years old. Two years ago the tree looked as though the trunk was cracked. Maybe hit by lightning after a storm. This year the bark on the side of tree... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Beneficial earthworms attacked by fire ants August 04, 2006 Is there a right way or a trick to releasing earthworms? I have a friend who has an abundance of earthworms in their soil so I took advantage of the situation. I released them in my freshly tilled gar... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Soapberry Transplant shock symptoms July 21, 2006 Please suggest a cause & cure for general yellowing of the leaves of Western Soapberry when planted in the ground 20 miles NW of Austin (thin, poor clay over limestone). Trees still in containers are... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Salvia, geum transplant shock symptoms July 21, 2006 I need some help. I transplanted 2 xeriscape plants and they are not doing well. 1 is Pitcher Sage-sorry I don't know botanical name; the other is White Avens. The've grown a lot but all the leave... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Root rot and transplant shock in Texas betony July 13, 2006 Texas betony is supposed to be drought resistant but also likes to be kept moist, but I have had trouble getting it established. These seem to be undemanding plants I have had entire stems dry up and... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Leaves falling off recently transplanted mature Mountain Laurel July 05, 2006 I have recently purchased a Mountain Laurel for my backyard landscaping. It is a fully matured ML standing over 9 feet tall by 6 feet wide. Since it was planted (about 6 weeks ago) it has been losin... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Mystery pest eating portulaca blooms July 02, 2006 I'm from Texas and I purchased some portulaca from a local nursery about three weeks ago and planted them in the front yard....with plenty of sun. Here's the problem. The foliage seems very health... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Possible reasons for yellowing leaves in seedlings in Ohio June 19, 2006 I have a problem with my seedlings. They start yellowing of one leaf then die. When I remove the leaf another one starts. I have photos. I have two differant seedling plants and they are experiencing... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Diagnosis of problems with Texas ash June 07, 2006 Our 15 year old Texas ash has less leaf production this year. It also has a small amount of algae on the trunk, and some of the branches have small white spots on it. Also, a few of the branches close... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Possible reasons for death of Wax Myrtle (Morella cerifera) in Austin April 04, 2006 Several wax myrtles in my neighborhood appear to have died. Should we have the soil or tree checked for fungus, or should we atrribute the death to freeze or age of the trees? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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