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.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants

See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

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!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

rate this answer

1 rating

Wednesday - January 28, 2009

From: friday harbor, WA
Region: Northwest
Topic: User Comments
Title: Thank you Mr. Smarty Plants
Answered by: Damon Waitt

QUESTION:

Hi, this is a note of thanks, powerful thanks, for your answer to my question about carolina laurel. Our disappointment was more than made up for by your recommendation to check out OSU's wonderful plant site.

ANSWER:

You are most welcome - Mr. SP

More User Comments Questions

Comments on white-flowered Mountain Laurel from Austin
December 23, 2012 - Following up on the August 23, 2012, question from Driftwood about the white-flowering mountain laurel, I have found a few more leads to explore. First, there are four more images of white-flowering m...
view the full question and answer

Are agaves really native from Pacific Palisades CA
April 30, 2013 - I just replied re agave issues, and mistakenly asked the source of your information. I see that you clearly noted it, apologies. I would note, however, that the Riverside area is very much a hot,...
view the full question and answer

User comment on native grass mixes from Robstown TX
March 21, 2014 - As a followup to my question on seed spreaders, native grass and prairie seed mixes seem a good fit for my location in far western Nueces County which is more semi-arrid than 30 miles away in Corpus w...
view the full question and answer

Would like a "try instead of" list for non-native plants in Austin, TX.
June 19, 2012 - It would be so helpful if, when asked about a non-native plant, you would do a "try instead of" list. I have about 45 plants to reseach from my landscaping firm, and it's wearing me out to try to...
view the full question and answer

Articles on landscaping with native plants in Kansas
August 18, 2004 - I work for the Kansas Department of Transportation in Topeka, Kansas and would like to receive information on growing native wildflowers. I have a catalog titled "Wildflower Favorites" that was pub...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.