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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| Western soapberry dropping leaves in San Antonio June 03, 2013 My Western Soapberry tree (China berry?) Suddenly started dropping full, perfectly healthy green, leaf units. Now half the tree is turning yellow. There is a second tree in the yard not far from this ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Round green seed pods are likely leaf galls May 31, 2013 While walking on a tree-lined dirt road after a mid-May storm, I noticed several seed pods but could not locate the plant they fell off of. The pods were round, light green and looked like large round... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Problems with Ashe juniper from Lakeway TX May 25, 2013 Dear Sir/Madam, I have been living for the last three years in Lakeway, Texas approximately 20 miles west of Austin. In my back garden there are several ashe junipers about 15-20ft tall. However... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| White fungus-like growths on plants from Stephenville TX May 25, 2013 What is a white fungus-like growth on plants in a garden? It can be seen on the ground in ball-like shapes similar to puff balls or on plants View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of insects on crepe myrtle in Florida May 22, 2013 I have large colonies of striped bugs on large crepe myrtle in my backyard. They stay in large groups and have long antennae. There are larger black bugs among the groups that appear to corral and g... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Problems with Arizona Ash from Naco AZ May 19, 2013 Hi Mr. Smarty.. Live in southeast corner of Az. My Az. Ash is diseased. Just noticed leaves are curled, (still green) and when I open the leaf it has a zillion little white, what look like mites ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Problems with Gregg's mistflower from Fredericksburg, TX May 19, 2013 Dear Mr. Smarty Plants: Something is wilting the tops of my Gregg's mistflower, Conoclinium greggii. I cannot see bugs on the plant, so I am wondering if it's a disease. The problem is widespread to... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plants to repel mosquitoes from Leander TX May 19, 2013 What are the best plant for repelling mosquitoes in the Leander area? The land here is hilly and rocky. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Life with Voles May 12, 2013 Voles! We live next to a park and wildlife area: voles constantly invade our garden. We've tried, and cannot eliminate them: rather, hope to plant native forbs and shrubs they (might) avoid. Our site... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Affect of poisonous plant roots in soils for vegetables from Rusk TX May 11, 2013 I have a huge old flowerbed in front of my house that I want to plant veggies in, but I'm afraid to. It has a catalpa tree there, which I sell the worms from, but the entire tree (bark, leaves, flowe... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
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