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.

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Sunday - April 12, 2009

From: Possum Kingdom Lake, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Deer Resistant
Title: Is old fashioned Hollyhock deer resitant?
Answered by: Jimmy Mills

QUESTION:

Is Old Fashioned Hollyhock deer resistant?

ANSWER:

There are over 60 plants that bear the name Hollyhock. One is known as the largeflower wild hollyhock Iliamna grandiflora (largeflower wild hollyhock), but this is probably not the plant you are talking about. Another plant known as the Common Hollyhock (Alcea rosea) is an old garden standard that is not native to the U.S., but was introduced from Europe. Here at the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center our emphasis and our expertise is in plants that are native to the United States.

However, Mr. Smarty Plants was able to locate three commercial nurseries who claim that Alcea rosea is deer resistant.

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