Native Plants
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Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers Nan Hampton, Jimmy Mills and Barbara Medford to be the culpable and capable parties. Yet, others think staff members Damon Waitt, Joe Marcus and Philip Hawkins might 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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Questions From Near You
Watertown, TN
Planting native blueberry bushes in Tennessee
I have long wished to have wild blueberry bushes at my home. They are native to mountainous regions of my state, but I don't know whether or not it is reasonable to expect to be able to grow them wh...
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Woodbury, TN
Plant identification
Need to identify multi branched plant, feathery appearance, approx 6' tall stalks, grows in clusters. Tiny whitish/pink flowers at top of stems. Very similar in appearance to milfoil, only these grow...
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Woodbury, TN
Plant ID in Woodbury TN
Please help identify this unusual plant.
I am in Middle TN, Cannon County.
This plant comes up every year and looks like something tropical. It has huge leaves about 16 + inches wide. and grows abo...
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Murfreesboro, TN
Propagating Magnolia grandiflora from Murfreesboro TN
There are several Magnolia grandiflora (Southern magnolia) that have been planted in my neighborhood in middle Tennessee by a landscaping company, and now that they all appear to be producing seeds, ...
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Granville, TN
Plants for a steep lot in Tennessee
I have built a home on a very steep lot (approx 1 1/2 acres)in Northern Central Tenn in Jackson County. The lot is too steep to mow and some of it is too steep to stand on comfortably. My question is...
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Gallatin, TN
Identification of shrub with red berries in Tennessee
Hello,
I've got a shrub in my backyard; it has leaves off in groups of 3 and it has multiple reddish berries in groups by the dozens. I'm not sure what plant it is. The shrub is stick-like and appr...
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Gallatin, TN
Smarty Plants on Echinacea paradoxa
What kind of habitat (soil, sun, water etc) does Echinacea paradoxa like to live in?
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Gallatin, TN
Native plants for roadside in Gallatin TN
What native plant would you suggest that we try to establish on 100 feet of road frontage which gets full afternoon sun? The soil is mostly clay, and it's on a rather sleep hill about 10 feet high. ...
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Antioch, TN
Identity of white flowers, 6 petals and 5 yellow stamens
Have white flower with 6 petals and 5 yellow stamen in middle . Looks like yellow stamen star cluster. Could be Gladious or Star of bethleham but Star has 6 yellow stamen in middle right? Can you id...
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Antioch, TN
Identification of vine with 4-petaled purple flower
Does anybody know what vine has a purple four petaled flower with small bulb in middle??
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Hendersonville, TN
Is the fruit of Bradford Pears toxic to dogs?
I need to know if the little Berries on the Bradford Pear trees are toxic to dogs? My labrador loves eating them.
Thank you,
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Old Hickory, TN
Insect pests in Gaillardia aristata in Tennessee
Dear Mr. Smarty Plants,
I have a couple of 'Oranges and Lemons' blanketflower plants in a butterfly and hummingbird native flower garden that is the foundation planting of my house. They bloom prol...
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Madison, TN
Need help identifying shrub with large thorns in Tennessee.
A shrub?with very large thorns. Main stock of plant woody
with a gray and white splotchy bark at base. Branches are
green and shiney and have very large heavy thorns spaced
several inches apart on...
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Nashville, TN
Plants for a Narrow Fence Line in TN
I have a very specific and difficult planting question. I have a narrow strip (about 2 feet at the widest) between my back privacy fence and a wire fence that marks the edge of my property. It is dire...
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Nashville, TN
Identification of vine with translucent red berries in Tennessee.
During the month of November I have seem in Nashville, TN
a vine which appears to be native or a handed-down
plant growing behind a restaurant site on a chain link fence. It was loaded with cluster...
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Nashville, TN
Distance from existing oak trees to place paving
We are designing an expansion for an existing veterinary office and the desired side for expansion will require addition to the parking and drive aisle to the back side of the property. My question i...
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Nashville, TN
Difference beteen two non-native photinias from Nashville TN
What is the difference between red tip phontinias and fireball phontinias. I read that fireballs are also called red tips but I thought that red tips grow to like 12 ft. and the tag on the fireball I...
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Nashville, TN
Source of black cherries for Tennessee
I need to know where black cherries grow in TN. I need a source of black cherries in TN. Do they grow easily and can the trees be bought?
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Nashville, TN
Native vine for privacy fence in Tennessee
I am looking for a vine for privacy that grows in width not up; thru a standard 4' chain link fence. Colorfull. Can you help?
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Nashville, TN
Arisaema triphyllum as an insect eater
Is the Jack in the Pulpit an insect eater?
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Nashville, TN
What happens when plant shoot apex is removed from Nashville TN
What happens to the plant when a shoot apex is removed?
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