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

Not Yet Rated

Friday - February 13, 2009

From: Schertz, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Propagation
Title: Native plants for sale end of April in Schertz TX
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

I am trying to raise some native plants for a fund-raiser .They need to be salable by the end of April. Something with flowers would be nice. Any suggestions?

ANSWER:

It may be a little late to start on your project. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center has a plant sale the second weekend in mid-April, and our Plant Nursery has been busy all winter seeding and taking cuttings, progressing the plants from the greenhouse to the sheltered yard to the sun yard. In Texas, most plants grown from seed are planted in the Fall to benefit from Fall rains (when we have any) and cold temperatures to help the seeds break dormancy and begin germination.

About the best we can suggest is that you inspect your own garden and perhaps those of generous friends for perennials that clump and can be divided and potted up. This is a good time to do that anyway. Whether they will be blooming by the time of your sale is not something we can determine. We are going to go to our Recommended Species section, click on Central Texas on the map, NARROW YOUR SEARCH, and select "Herbs" (herbaceous blooming plants) under Habit and "Perennial" under Duration. Then we'll take a look at the Propagation Instructions on the webpage on each individual plant, and select some of our favorites that can be propagated by division. You will need to get them potted up quickly in good potting soil and give them sun and water appropriate to their needs. Those requirements are also listed on the individual pages. Here is an article from [email protected] on Plant Propagation by Division which will help you decide what plants you can divide and how to care for them.

PLANTS FOR DIVISION IN CENTRAL TEXAS

Asclepias asperula (spider milkweed)

Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly milkweed)

Conoclinium coelestinum (blue mistflower)

Coreopsis lanceolata (lanceleaf tickseed)

Echinacea purpurea (eastern purple coneflower)

Engelmannia peristenia (Engelmann's daisy)

Melampodium leucanthum (plains blackfoot)

Monarda fistulosa (wild bergamot)

Salvia engelmannii (Engelmann's sage)

Salvia farinacea (mealycup sage)

Salvia roemeriana (cedar sage)