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
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Wednesday - May 13, 2009
From: Grove City, OH
Region: Midwest
Topic: Herbs/Forbs
Title: Plants to compliment pine trees in Ohio
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
We just moved into a new home, the backyard has a above ground island with 5 pine trees (fairly young ones, not big) between the trees are some piney looking shrubs, there is a lot of open space on the island to add other plants or flowers. I am not particularly fond of the pine trees and shrubs..but not in a hurry to uproot anything. What can I plant that will compliment the trees and the piney shrubs. I love color. Also, it is a huge island, takes up about a 1/3 of our yard..any thoughts?ANSWER:
First, please go the our Recommended Species page and choose Ohio from the map or pull-down menu and you will get a list of over 140 native plants that are commercially available for landscaping in Ohio. You can modify that list by choosing the NARROW YOUR SEARCH option and choose your own preferences from the various categories. For instance, you might want to choose "Herb" or "Grass/Grass-like" from the Habit (general appearance category and/or "Part shade - 2-6 hours of sun per day" from the Light requirement category.
Here are a few of Mr. Smarty Plants' choices that can be found in or adjacent to Franklin County, Ohio—you can find many more on the list:
Aquilegia canadensis (red columbine)
Campanulastrum americanum (American bellflower)
Conoclinium coelestinum (blue mistflower)
Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda (shrubby cinquefoil)
Echinacea purpurea (eastern purple coneflower)
Monarda didyma (scarlet beebalm)
Phlox divaricata (wild blue phlox)
Symphoricarpos orbiculatus (coralberry)
More Herbs/Forbs Questions
Error on message from Rogue River OR
July 25, 2011 - Previous message regarding sweet peas and how to get them growing was submitted with wrong state - It went out Rouge River, Rhode Island -- Should have been Rouge River, Oregon
view the full question and answer
Fragrant perennial plants for shade in Dallas
July 11, 2011 - I am looking for shade-loving perennial plants to provide fragrance in my garden. What plants would you recommend for my North Texas (Dallas) garden that is fully shaded by huge pecan trees? My curren...
view the full question and answer
Converting a Texas backyard to grow Xerophytic native plants
January 09, 2015 - I am planning the conversion of our backyard, about 4000 sq ft of largely St Augustine, into a grassless landscape of hardscaping and native plants. I’ve been an avid gardener of rock garden plants i...
view the full question and answer
Forget-me-nots choking a spring in Bethlehem PA
June 20, 2013 - Hi Mr. Smarty Plants,
I am restoring a native plant area along a spring that feeds directly into our local creek.
Right now the spring is becoming choked with forget-me-nots, that I am trying ...
view the full question and answer
Appearance of Viola lanceolota after controlled burn
March 28, 2009 - Oh Great Green Guru,
I just recently found Viola lanceolota (bog white violet) on a portion of Brazos Bend State Park’s prairie that was burned about 2 months ago to control for woody growth. (I wou...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |