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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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Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

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Tuesday - July 01, 2014

From: Round Rock, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Non-Natives, Cacti and Succulents
Title: Can non-native Epiphyllum (Orchid Cactus) be grown in Round Rock, Texas?
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

Can the Epiphyllum (Orchid Cactus) be grown in the Round Rock Texas area or is this area too hot for it?

ANSWER:

First of all, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is dedicated to the study, preservation and promotion of plants native to North America.  The Epiphyllum cactus is an introduced species from Central and South America so it isn't really in our area of focus and expertise.   It is a fascinating plant, however, and  I can point you to several sources for information about it.  First, there is How to Grow Epiphyllum Cactus that indicates that winter temperatures are going to be more of a problem than summer temperatures.   You can also check out the Epiphyllum Society of America site that might be of interest.  For more information you should try googling "Epiphyllum".
 

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