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.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Sunday - May 04, 2014
From: Hartford, CT
Region: Northeast
Topic: Best of Smarty
Title: Learning to garden from Hartford CT
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
Hello, I just recently found an interest in gardening, and have discovered "cultivars." I am having trouble finding what exactly a cultivar is, and if they are bad or not. Can culltivars ever occur in nature, or are they artificially made? How exactly are they made? Thank you!ANSWER:
Previous Mr. Smarty Plants answer on what cultivars are. Be sure and follow all the links in that answer for more information.
Now, since you are new to gardening, please allow us to introduce ourselves. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, home of Mr. Smarty Plants, is dedicated to the growth, propagation and protection of plants native not only to North America but also to the area where the plant is being grown; in your case, Hartford County, CT. We have a number of online resources to help you out.
Begin by reading all the articles in our How-To Articles and then go on to our Step-by-By Guides. If you wonder if we have already answered a similar question to yours (and with over 9000 questions already answered, we probably have), go to Ask Mr. Smarty Plants and type a key word into the search line. Next, move on to our Native Plant Database. Remember, this will have only plants native to North America in it, and you can search both on scientific (Lupinus texensis) or common names (Texas bluebonnet). If you get no results to this search, either the plant is not native or there is a misspelling.
As an example, Kalmia latifolia (Mountain laurel) is the Connecticut state flower. If you click on that plant link, it will take you to our webpage on that plant, where you can (usually) see a picture, learn its growing conditions, etc. Scroll down that page to the bottom where you will see links to the USDA Plant Profile Map on that plant, which will permit you to look at a map of Connecticut, where green areas indicate the plant in question grows natively. In that same area on our webpage is a link to Google for more information.
Okay, that is probably enough to keep you busy for the rest of the day. Happy gardening!
From the Image Gallery
More Best of Smarty Questions
Disappearing sunlight in Phoenix, AZ
September 29, 2009 - I live in a condo in Phoenix, AZ with a north facing patio that goes out about 10 feet and is 20 feet wide. During the summer months there is a span of 1 foot in the front that goes the 20 foot length...
view the full question and answer
Native plants that will grow under alleopathic black walnut
March 03, 2007 - I have a large, beautiful black walnut tree in my yard and have trouble growing the annuals, begonia, impatients, etc., that I have always grown. They don't do well in the ground and I have resorted...
view the full question and answer
Advantages of using native plants
March 28, 2015 - Hello. My question is not about a specific plant but a more general question about natives. I am writing a research paper and am interested in finding seminal research that explains why we should us...
view the full question and answer
More than you want to know about planting a pond in Austin Texas
December 10, 2010 - Winterizing Water Garden QA from Nov 27 Austin American-Statesman: Would the garden (60-gal aluminum) with those plants (papyrus, horsetail, water lily) be placed in the sun, shade, part shade or ? I ...
view the full question and answer
Planting trees to use carbon dioxide
September 06, 2007 - How many trees must we plant to use carbon dioxide produced by the average American in a year?
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |