Native Plants
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
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
Questions From Near You
Krugerville, TX
Making a pollinator garden
Hello, I have a ditch right by my house and I want to turn it into a pollinator garden using native plants. My problem is, right now it's so full of weeds that we have to mow those down so soon. For ...
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Aubrey, TX
Rhizobium Source for Bluebonnets
Trying to find a source for rhizobium for bluebonnets.
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Pilot Point, TX
Grasses for shady areas
I would like to know which grasses would grow in mostly shady part of the house.
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Pilot Point, TX
Smarty Plants on chile pequin
I cannot find plants or seeds for the chile pequin (birds eye chile) plant. Do you have any or know of any business or person from whom I may purchase them?
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Pilot Point, TX
Evergreen perennials for a pond bank in Texas
We want evergreen perennial plants for the banks of our small pond. The banks are eroding and we need to help keep them strong. We have ducks in the pond and lots of turtles. We would love something ...
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Little Elm, TX
Identity of yellow thistle-like plant
Dear Mr.Smarty Plants,
I see this flower along the road but I can't seem to find it on your website. It looks like a yellow thistle and it is a panicle and a head. It is about a foot tall. Do you kn...
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Little Elm, TX
Five-eight foot hedge for north Texas
I am looking to find a fairly large (preferably flowering) shrub / hedge to go along 100 feet of fence. The plants will be facing Northeast, but will be for the most part under the branches of crape m...
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Denton, TX
Identification of a plant with winged stems in Texas
Dear Mr. Smarty Pants,
We live in Denton Texas & our backyard is being taken over by a very woody type weed or bush. The most distinguishing characteristic is that long thin vertical ridges or fins...
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Denton, TX
Why are there no monarch butterflies feeding on my milkweed
I brought a milkweed from LA that has orange and yellow flowers. I live in Denton, TX. I haven't seen any eggs from the monarchs yet. Do the monarchs live on different milkweed in TX? I looked up ...
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Denton, TX
Oak trees shedding leaves in Denton TX
In Denton, TX we have two mature Quercus buckleyi. It is May 11th 2012 and one of these trees has been shedding green leaves for the last week. The only changes we have made are: planted English ivy...
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Denton, TX
Cherry trees in the North Texas area
Will cherry trees grow well in the North Texas area?
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Denton, TX
Small shrubs for flower bed in Denton, Texas
I have a small flowerbed that faces south on the front of my house. What small shrubs would be best in that situation?
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Denton, TX
Native flowers from bulbs from Denton TX
I am slowly converting my landscaping to as much native regional plants as possible. Are there any flowers from bulbs that you could recommend?
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Denton, TX
Post-bloom period care for Pink evening primrose
Hello,
I live in Denton, TX. I introduced pink evening primrose as a ground cover to a xeriscaped section of my property a few years ago. I have pretty much left it alone and let it do its thing an...
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Denton, TX
germinating Gulf coast penstemon and purple coneflower
I'm interested in propagating gulf coast penstemon (penstemon tenuis) from seed. Do I have to mascerate the 'berries' to remove the pulp from the seed, and do I have to stratify the seed to get th...
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Denton, TX
Perennial vine for full sun, Denton, TX
I would like to grow a perennial vine that would tolerate full sun during the day. A flowering or non-flowering is fine. I do NOT want anything that is poisonous, i.e. Carolina jasmine, since this w...
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Denton, TX
Native plants in Denton Co. TX pollinated by bats or hummingbirds
I am looking for a list of Denton Co. TX native plants that are pollinated by bats? Do we have any? How about hummingbirds?
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Denton, TX
Hanging flowering plants in part shade in Denton, TX
Dear Mr. Smarty Plants,
I'd like to hang 4"-6" pots with flowering plants from north-facing eaves. That area gets an hour or so of late-morning/noon sun. Also, my apt. faces a large courtyard so...
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Denton, TX
Where are the Gulf Fritillary butterflies?
I have a beautiful passiflora plant that more of a bush than a vine, and I expected to see more Gulf Fritillary butterflies than I have seen this season (I've seen only a few over the months). My qu...
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Denton, TX
Puppy-proof plants in Denton TX
I recently got a couple of puppies that stay outside in a fenced off area of the backyard. Of course, they love trying to dig under the fence and get out. I placed cement landscaping border stones alo...
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Denton, TX
Plants to disguise plastic rainbarrels in dry shade
What plants would you recommend to disguise blue plastic rainbarrels in dry shade?
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