Native Plants
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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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| Low plants to cover bank too steep to mow June 26, 2008 I have a bank along the road that is too steep to mow. This bank faces east and only gets 2 - 4 hours per day of sunlight. I'd like to try ground cover to prevent erosion, however visibility is a p... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native plants for hanging baskets in Abilene June 10, 2008 I live in the DRY West Texas heat in Abilene. I'd like to put some hanging plants along my back fence. Preferably something that would attract butterflies. We have a pool in our back yard and almost ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Landscaping on South Padre Island June 07, 2008 I'm in charge of landscaping at my beachfront condo in South Padre Island and find the wind, salt air, and heat challenging for growing almost anything. We would like to incorporate native plants, b... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Information about pink milkwort (Polygala incarnata) June 07, 2008 Why is the pink Milkwort (Polygala incarnata) and what is it's niche? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Die-off of Texas bluebells June 04, 2008 I live in southeast Travis County east of IH35 in the Blackland Prairie. We have a gorgeous stand of Texas bluebells. Last year, the bluebells would look fine, then they would turn brown and die for... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Short or mowable plant for walkway June 03, 2008 I'd like a short and/or mowable plant to use as a walkway in and around a vegetable garden in upstate NY. I was planning on clover, but I want to use a native plant if possible. The native clovers ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Turks cap not blooming in Austin June 03, 2008 Why is my Turks Cap not blooming? It gets about an hour of sun in the morning, then shade for the rest of the day. It gets watered with the sprinkler system that waters our lawn. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Yellow-flowered Ipomopsis rubra - Standing Cypress May 30, 2008 We have several acres of we call native plant areas, maybe unmaintained areas or natural is a better description of these areas. As we were developing these areas we sown in several different wildflo... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Possible mildew on standing cypress May 29, 2008 My mother-in-law took some standing cypress seeds from Texas to Virginia several years ago. They have always done very well, but this year they are growing very tall, but the bottom half of the stalk... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Asclepias with whitish discoloration May 26, 2008 I have red/scarlett milkweed planted in my yard. The leaves have a whitish discoloration on the top of some of the leaves and it is spreading. What is it? What do I do about it? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Transplant shock in Liatris spicata May 25, 2008 I bought a liatris spicata start a month ago, and transplanted it into my front yard (full sun, clay soil, moist due to all the rain recently). The plant immediately wilted so I transplanted it in ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native plants for gravesite in North Central Massachusetts May 18, 2008 I live in North Central Mass. Would like to plant something on my parents gravesite that would not be invasive or require a lot of care. Any suggestions? I just took 2 shrubs out that had become way... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Chlorosis in tropical milkweed and asclepias tuberosa May 18, 2008 I planted both tropical milkweed and asclepias tuberosa. Both are chlorotic and the native milkweed has brown upturned leaves. Could it possibly be too much water? Or what? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants for pool area in Florida May 09, 2008 My husband and I have a pool with 4 planters and are looking for plants that we can put into our screened in pool area. We live in Central Florida and looking for ideas of plants that are slow growin... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Natural fibers for lashing bamboo in weaving May 07, 2008 I live in Austin and am looking for plants I can use for weaving fibers, e.g. lashing bamboo for a small project. What plants and parts do you recommend? What resources do you recommend for informatio... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants for full sun and clay soil in NY May 06, 2008 We live in upstate new york( zone 5) with full sun and clay soil. What flowers/flowering shrubs would be successful in this environment? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Yellowing leaves May 06, 2008 What causes yellowing of native garden plant leaves? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| The origin of Juncus effusus var. Big Twister May 04, 2008 Juncus effusus, var. 'Big Twister' We're trying to figure out the nativity of this thing, and whether it is safe to plant in our very wet rain garden. Thank you for any assistance... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants for narrow strip between sidewalk and fence May 01, 2008 I have a strip of land about 5 inches wide and 30 feet long -- between the fence and the sidewalk -- that I would like to plant something that would look nice and wouldn't require the weedeater every... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Do Salvia coccinea and Salvia occidentalis occur in Hawaii April 27, 2008 Aloha, Would you please happen to know if the salvia occidentalis and the salvia coccinea are growing in a wild state in Hawaii, the quantity (small or large areas? What are the weather conditions ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Problem with Eupatorium greggii April 27, 2008 At the Garden's fall plant sale in 2006, I bought some Eupatorium greggii. It did very well last year. Recently, the entire plant looks like it is just wilting from the top down, as if it has some so... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Poppies on Pflugerville, TX lake April 26, 2008 I live on the new Pflugerville Lake. We are trying to get wildflower seed to plant around the lake in the mitigation areas. Will Poppies grow here? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Native plants for southwest exposure in Tulsa OK April 24, 2008 I want to plant something in a bed on the South side of my house with some Western exposure. The space is in a bed that would share space with a Red Tip Photinia (next to the house)& liriope( on the ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Browning of leaf tops on Iris plants April 22, 2008 My Iris plants bloomed beautifully, now some of the leaves are turning brown from the top down, about half way. Is this normal? What can I do about it and should I cut off the brown leaves? Also, what... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native moss to fill in between flagstones April 21, 2008 I live in Houston and have a long, narrow flagstone path that runs along the east side of the house. I am looking for a native moss that can fill in between the flagstones and will tolerate morning su... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Insect infestation, identification and treatment April 21, 2008 help! I have an infestation of small flies in my flower/vegetable beds. They seem to be eating the leaves of just about everything. I've tried to find out exactly what they are, but haven't had any ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Information about Lady Lupine (Lupinus villosus) April 20, 2008 Dear Mr.Smarty Plants, Lady Lupine grows in our yard in northeast Florida, and I would like to learn more about it, especially the stages it goes through, like now the purple petals themselves are c... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Non-blooming toad lily in Kentucky April 20, 2008 I have had a toad lily for three years and it has never bloomed. What do I need to do? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Backward blooming Jack-in-the-pulpit April 18, 2008 why does my jack in the pulpit plant bloom backwards View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants for Liberty Hill TX in full sun April 15, 2008 We recently bought an acre of land in Liberty Hill, TX. We have a large planting area in the front that is devoid of any plant life. I would like to turn this into a semi shaded area with some annua... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Correct cultural conditions for liatris April 15, 2008 I recently bought some gayfeather (liatris pycnostachya) and planted in my yard in a nice full sun spot. Gets sun for roughly 10 hours a day. However, it's also the single driest spot in my yard (jus... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Trimming bloom stalks of iris April 15, 2008 Mr. Smarty: I live in Nevada, and have some very beautiful Iris plants. They have all blossomed and now I am left with stems. Is there any way I can cut them back so they blossom again? If so how shou... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native plants for sandy soil and not much water April 14, 2008 I am planning a new garden at home and would like to grow native plants that can handle sandy soil and don't need much water. I do not water my gardens.I would prefer plants that can have more than o... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Suggestions for native perennials in Staten Island, NY April 03, 2008 My back yard garden has a good base of evergreen shrubs and perennials all doing well in clayish soil and I am ready now to add color and texture in an area with partial sun. Can you suggest hardy... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Arisaema triphyllum and Phlox stolonifera native to Pennsylvania April 03, 2008 I asked and you answered my question about PA wildflowers. I have two more questions: is jack-in-the-pulpit a native PA wildflower? and is creeping white phlox a native PA wildflower? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants for soil with basalt outcroppings in Idaho March 30, 2008 We have basalt (lava) outcropping in part of our back yard and know we'll have to search for pockets of soil in which to plant. Any suggestions about what trees or shrubs would have a chance in thes... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Pruning of native perennial blooming plants March 22, 2008 Hello - I am still a newbie at using Native Texas plants (but loving them!), and I need pruning assistance. When (and how much) do I prune: hot lips salvia, hummingbird bush (anisthcanthus wrightii... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Eriogonum spergulinum, wild buckwheat March 21, 2008 Do you have any information on the wildflower Eriogonum spergulinum??? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native plants for city lot in Longview, TX March 19, 2008 Just bought a city lot in Longview, TX and want to put in some plants at the periphery even before the house is built. Can you recommend any that would be from your list of East TX plants that are pa... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants that will grow in clay in North Carolina March 14, 2008 I have a small fenced back yard, predominately hard red clay, that is a major focal point. I am designing my own garden/yard area (to cut cost) and have a list of plants that will grow in this soil w... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Hardy, inexpensive perennials for Mansfield, TX March 12, 2008 I am trying to fill two flowerbeds that are in full sun mostly and right next to the house. I want something that can live in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area and is pretty hardy. I also don't want to spe... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Different kinds of plants living in subarctic areas March 10, 2008 What are the different kinds of plants live in the subarctic areas? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Combining yellow columbine and Malvaviscus arboreus March 07, 2008 Can yellow columbine coexist peacefully with Malvaviscus arboreus? I have a nice stand of the former and would like to plant the latter to take over when the columbine starts to look ratty in the hea... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native plants for flowers in rocky area in Ohio March 07, 2008 We have just built 4 raised beds on a slope in our backyard on Scioto River. The site is an old quarry so rocky soil below our raised beds & gets full sun majority of day from about 11am-7pm summer ti... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Native plants for memorial garden in Michigan March 04, 2008 I want to start a memorial garden for my daughter. I live in northern Michigan and the area has very tall white pines we have pruned them up about 15' so the area does get partial sun. Which plants w... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Suggested native plants for Katy, TX March 02, 2008 Mr. Smarty Plants I recently moved to Katy, Tx (just outside of Houston) and I would like to know what type of plants and flowers are best for this type of climate. The soil in my flower beds seem... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Rubber (latex) in Balloon plant (Asclepias physocarpa) February 09, 2008 I need milkweed leaves that contain rubber. The common milkweed species Asclepias syriaca has rubber in it. Do the milkweed of Balloon plant milkweed (Asclepias physocarpa) contain rubber? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Disease-resistant squash varieties for Central Texas February 03, 2008 Can you give me names of some disease-resistant summer squash varieties available in Central Texas? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants that are deer resistant for high desert climate in Utah January 23, 2008 We are building in a high desert climate in Dammeron Valley, Utah. We want plants that are both deer resistant and require little watering. Can you advise which plants (shrubs, flowers, cacti) that ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Trimming native salvias in January January 17, 2008 I have heard you can trim Hot Lips, Raspberry and other salvias back severely in January, to about six inches from the ground. Is this correct? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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