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
Redrock, TX
Plant identification
Can't i.d a small aroid, arisaema(?) sp.;
5" tall. tuber 12" tall by 1" beginning 8" beneath the soil level. flowers are black spathes with white spots. leaves are alternate. common plant but d...
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Sattler, TX
Starting desert willow from seeds
Is it better to sow or start desert willow seeds in pots? If sowing is effective, is fall or spring the best time to sow in the Canyon Lake area of Central Texas?
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New Braunfels , TX
Will wildflowers planted in late December bloom this year?
I have a home near Canyon Lake and seeded wildflowers on the property in late December. I have since read that the ideal time to seed them is before December 1st. Do they have a chance to bloom this...
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New Braunfels, TX
Problems with red oak in New Braunfels TX
One of my red oaks still doesn't have all its flowers. The main bark has some dark stuff oozing out and one of the branches has a fine powdery substance on it. HELP!!!!
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New Braunfels , TX
Plant database correct!
Wrong taxonomy for bald cypress tree family in your plant database?
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New Braunfels, TX
Do pecans and bluebonnets only bloom every other year from New Braunfels TX
Is it true that bluebonnets only seed every other year? I know we see bluebonnets every year, so this is quite a mystery to us.
Also, is it the same with pecan trees?
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New Braunfels, TX
Pruning Leggy Santolina
We are members of the society and have loved your section offering advice. We have green santolina that is becoming quite leggy. I would like to prune them to get them more compact come spring and sum...
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New Braunfels, TX
How can I distinguish Hibiscus laevis from Pavonia braziliensis in New Braunfels, TX?
How can I distinguish Hibiscus laevis (Halberdleaf Hibiscus) from Pavonia braziliensis (Brazillian Rock Rose)? Earlier this year I was given the former by a friend and former NPSOT chap...
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New Braunfels, TX
Butterfly and medicinal plants for New Braunfels
I am in zip code 78132 and we just put in a garden at our front steps- so my choices for plants need to fill a need for beauty and function. I want to include plants that will host and feed butterfli...
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New Braunfels, TX
Forage plants for deer in Central Texas
Looking for best forage plants and seed for deer forage, Canyon Lake-New Braunfels, Tx. Have searched listings, but areas are NE or other and not relevant to my location. Your time much appreciated. ...
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New Braunfels, TX
Where to find Horseherb seed
I would like to purchase some Horseherb seeds. Can you tell me where I can do that? Either locally or on line.
Thank you.
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New Braunfels, TX
Plant identification of vine with hard brown bulb-shaped fruit
I was given a brown hard bulb-looking ball with rough tiny dots on it and told it comes from a vine that changes to beautiful colors and these balls hang off the vine. A lady in Houston grows them a...
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New Braunfels, TX
Moth using Agarita as its larval food in New Braunfels, TX
What moth uses agarita as its larval food? It is a perennial problem that can nearly defoliate the specimen and severely limit its flower production.
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New Braunfels, TX
Leaf problems on Arizona ash in New Braunfels, TX
I have an Arizona Ash tree that is 10 years old. The leaves have brown spots all over and then eventually the leaves curl up and fall off the tree. Is this a fungus or a bacterial infestation? What...
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New Braunfels, TX
Final size of a Texas mountain laurel
I have purchased a Texas Mountain Laurel. The plant tag says it will grow 25 to 35 feet. LBWF plant data base says 10 to 15 feet. Which data should I go with? It's either plant close but not close to...
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New Braunfels, TX
Will my wildflower seeds reseed by themselves?
I have planted wildflowers from seed throughout the several acres of my property in the Hill Country near New Braunfels. Once estalished will they reseed without any help from me? The flowers includ...
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New Braunfels, TX
Deer resistant, deciduous plants for New Braunfels, TX
I have three acres of filtered sunlight/mostly shade. What deer resistant, flowering, deciduous plants are best for the New Braunfels area. I have had split leaf phyladendruns for twenty years, but th...
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New Braunfels, TX
Should I use wound paint when pruning my live oak tree?
When trimming live oak branches, is it best to coat the wound on the tree? I have been doing this but have recently heard that it can actually be bad for the tree.
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New Braunfels, TX
Source for Guayacan (Guajacum angustifolium) in Texas
Do you know where I can purchase guayacan (soapbush) or is it impossible to transplant?
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New Braunfels, TX
Will the native turf grass be a habitat for chiggers?
"Researchers create perfect Texas lawn"—Article.
No mention was made of insect issues with this new type of lawn installation. Will 'chiggers/red bugs' still be an issue?
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New Braunfels, TX
Companion plants for non-native Santolina virens
Can you recommend companion plant options for Santolina virens? The companion plant would be planted randomly and interspersed with the santolina and needs to be no taller than 12 inches because of th...
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