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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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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Member of Taxus genus native to southern Illinois from Granite City IL July 12, 2013 Is there a native Southern Illinois similar to Taxus baccata? I live in Granite City IL and am looking for a native plant/scrub that stays green year round about 2-3 feet tall to it helps insulate the... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Is Sucissa pratensis (Devil's bit scabious) allelopathic? July 04, 2013 Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center pointed me to you. Can you comment on Devil's Bit Scabious? A neighbor pointed out these volunteer plants in my yard and wants me to kill them. He called them Devi... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Can oleander poison the ground below it? June 29, 2013 Can oleander poison the ground below it? Would it kill/damage grass or other plants below it? Thanks. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Poison Ivy in Semi-wetland Massachusetts June 27, 2013 You answered this question for Tennessee, but I would like an answer for a Massachusetts semi-wetlands area: What can I plant to discourage poison ivy, or at least make it very clear that it is poison... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Major poisonous plants in California June 26, 2013 Hi! So I'm working on an art project that requires a comprehensive list of poisonous plants within California. I'm looking specifically however, for plants which are fatally poisonous (upon inges... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Is non-native Ixora poisonous to horses? June 26, 2013 My horse was eating an ixora bush at a park in south florida. Is the Ixora shrub poisonous to horses? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Source for a soapberry in Pittsburgh PA June 22, 2013 Flower box Where can I buy a soapberry tree in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Can poisonous seed of wild plum be safely removed after steaming from Seymour IA June 20, 2013 I read on a related questions that you said the pit/seeds of all wild plums are poisonous. My question is this, can I juice the entire fruit for making jelly without removing the pit first? I have a s... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Can animals eat bottlebrush buckeye without being poisoned? June 13, 2013 Can deer, bear and wild turkey and squirrels eat the nuts and leaves from the bottlebrush buckeye shrub without being posioned by it. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
Ingestion of agave sap from Albuquerque NM June 11, 2013 My boyfriend was out in the Arizona desert without water for two days and sought moisture through what he thought was a yucca plant but instead we believe was agave. He sucked the moisture off the ins... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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