Native Plants
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Smarty Plants Question Topics
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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| Dog-safe Privacy Screen for Ocala, FL June 25, 2015 Am desperately searching for fast growing privacy that would be non toxic to dogs in Ocala, Florida (zone 9 I think). Wanted Leland cypress but due to toxicity it won't work. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Need help with dying clumps of Cedar Sedge June 24, 2015 Carex planostachys. This grass was planted 2 years ago in light shade. It grew well until this year. Now some clumps are dying. Others in same area look fine. No insects can be detected. Why are... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Why are large numbers of leaves falling from my Live Oak trees in Driftwood, TX? June 24, 2015 Today is June 6, 2015 and I have noticed that for the last week and a half, only a few live oaks out of many, have been losing large numbers of green leaves and turning brown on the ground. I cannot ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Butterfly and Pollinator Plants for Indianapolis Garden June 23, 2015 I live in Indianapolis, IN and would like to have a native garden. I'd be especially interested in plants that help butterflies and bumble bees. There's a fairly dry area on the west side of the hou... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Native Plant for Containers in Delaware June 23, 2015 I live on the East Coast. I have a large covered porch that only gets some afternoon sun. I have tried full sun, partial sun and shade plants, and had no luck with them thriving. Can you recommend any... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Native Texas Plants for SC June 22, 2015 I just visited your beautiful facility for the first time and loved it! I'm planning to move to Charleston, SC and would love to replicate some of the wildflower and walkway areas I saw. Would the fo... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Container Plants for Lubbock, Texas June 22, 2015 Hello! I am looking for plants suitable for container gardening for a west facing porch in Lubbock. Plants need to be super tough to endure the baking sun, constant wind, dry air, extreme temperatures... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | | |
| Difference between Oxalis debilis and Oxalis violacea June 22, 2015 There are two species of pink oxalis reported to grow here in Jefferson County, Oxalis debilis (introduced) and O. violacea (native). How can I positively identify which one I have growing in my yard? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Vine with 5 pointed deep lobed leaves and small white flowers June 21, 2015 I recently happened upon a very peculiar vine. It has 5 pointed very deep lobed leaves, that are semi hairy on both the top and bottom with small white flowers that emerge from the same part of the st... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Can Crataegus viridian be grown in Houston, TX? June 21, 2015 I am looking to plant Crataegus viridis (species or cultivar "Winter King") at a location in full sun in Houston. Many places I've found online say that it is hearty through Zone 9, but others have... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Invasive vine with yellow flowers in Austin June 21, 2015 What is the invasive vine in Austin that has wire like stems and small leaves. It just blossomed huge yellow flowers this spring. It climbs cliff, trees, bldgs., etc. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of plant with speckled green leaf June 21, 2015 I have a purple (or brown) speckled green leaf plant with tiny yellow daisy-like flowers. The leaf is fuzzy looking on the edge. Self seeds freely in my shady garden. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Source of dry molasses near Mason, Texas June 21, 2015 Can you guys point me to a local source of dry molasses? I can get 50 lb bags from Amazon but shipping cost is almost double the cost of the product. I want to try it as a supplement to mechanical con... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native flowering aromatic trees for Frisco, Texas June 21, 2015 Dear Smartplants, I live in Frisco, Texas. Could you please suggest me good native flowering aromatic trees from 12 to 50 feet. Thank you so much View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plants for strip between sidewalk and street June 21, 2015 Dear Sir, My name is Brandon. I live in Leander TX (just North of Cedar Park). I have an area that is in the "street strip" (in between sidewalk and asphalt) of my home that I would like to d... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identity of plant friend bought at plant sale June 20, 2015 Can you Please Identify this plant? A friend had bought it at a plant sale and she thinks it was called a money tree. I am curios as to what it really is because it has jagged edges on the leaves and ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identity of fleshy three-leaved vine in Central Texas June 20, 2015 I have a 3 leaved evergreen vine, that I assume is a central Texas native, growing in my yard in a non irrigated mostly shady spot. It has a strong odor when touched and looks and feels like a succule... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Evergreen perennials for a pond bank in Texas June 18, 2015 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 ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Pollinators for Palm Springs, CA June 18, 2015 Just moved to Palm Springs, California. Hot and dry, desert region. What bee and pollinator-friendly plants would do well with full afternoon sun? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Poolside plants for East Texas June 18, 2015 What are the best plants, shrubs, ornamental trees, etc. for poolside planting in East Texas? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Pruning non-native peach in Austin, TX. June 18, 2015 I planted two five gallon Texas Star peach trees last February but didn't have the nerve to prune them back to knee height. After having been convinced that this is a good thing to do, I'd like to k... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Dying Damianita in Blanco, TX. June 18, 2015 My Damianita bloomed its heart out and since all the rain here in Blanco the biggest plants turned brown and look dead. I've trimmed back some and do see green stems. Will they come back? How far ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Various landscape problems in Omaha, NE. June 18, 2015 Thank you for your time, sorry i cant sort this out because my issue seems to fit many but also none of the issues I've read about. Some patches of grass in my lawn have yellow spots and dying and/or... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Spacing of Trees near a House Foundation June 18, 2015 Can you recommend non-invasive shade tree that can be planted 6 to 7 feet from foundation. We are buying a new home in zone 8a and choices that are given are: Live Oak, Lacebark Elm, Cedar Elm, and B... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Need fast growing shade tree in San Diego County, CA June 17, 2015 I am looking for a fast growing tree that provides great shade. The reason being, is I need shade for three horseshoe pits and the sooner i get shade, the better. I live in San Diego county, zone 9b. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Will Crossvine damage stucco walls? June 17, 2015 The Crossvine I planted about a month ago is doing well. It is growing up a stucco wall and its little tendrils are sticking to (or into?) the stucco. Is this going to grow into the stucco and damage ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Red oak leaves have a swelling along the veins June 17, 2015 I have red oaks in my back yard, approx 30 or more have a disease that are wilting the leaves. Looking at the back of the leaf there is swelling along the spines. I've gone to one nursery in town ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Cutting back a Rhododendron in Maryland June 17, 2015 I have a planting of six shrubs across the front of my house (alternating azalea & rhododendron). All have died except for one huge rhody & a small azalea next to it. Can I cut the huge rhody back to ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Native Plants by Soil Type June 17, 2015 Can't find an appropriate place to ask this - would love to be able to search for plants that do best in acidic soil (soil pH) another filter on the search screen. May not be there because the data... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Brown spots on native oak trees June 16, 2015 Hi, My native live oak trees are declining. The leaves have small brown spots that increase in size until the leaf dies and falls off, then the branch and then the entire limb. I have not watered the... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Driveway through a cluster of Oak trees June 16, 2015 Construction of a cement driveway through an 8 tree cluster of escarpment oaks is going to require removal of 2 trees in the center. How can this be done without causing damage to remaining trees? Als... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Blue Mist Ageratum Shrub? June 16, 2015 Is there a shrub version of Blue Mistflower Ageratum? I believe we saw some at the Butterfly Center in MacAllen. Would it survive in Georgetown, TX? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| A blue-eyed grass with salmon-colored blooms? June 16, 2015 Has anyone heard of a blue-eyed grass variety that has salmon-colored blooms? I have a photo if needed. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Twist-leaf Yucca flowering in Burnet County, TX. June 16, 2015 I recently moved to Burnet County and our property is full of twist leaf yuccas which are now blooming, but not all are blooming. Why do some twist leaf yuccas bloom and others don't? Are they m... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native vine for a privacy fence in Austin, TX. June 16, 2015 I have a vacant lot in Greenshores that has two 6' iron fences. Neighbor planted some sort of vine that grows up and along fence for privacy, white flowers when in bloom, I assume its Jasmine? On ne... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Recommend a plant similar to Corkscrew Willow for Austin, TX. June 16, 2015 Do corkscrew willows do well in Austin, TX? If not, can you recommend a willow like tree to plant along the banks of a creek? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Transplanting wildflowers slated for destruction in Buda, TX. June 16, 2015 TXDOT has recently informed our church that they will be taking a sizeable amount of natural area fronting a ranch road for lane expansion. We are devastated to lose an are we have planted and nurtur... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| When do Habiturf® grasses make seeds? June 16, 2015 I planted Habiturf seeds last year near Dripping Springs. It looks like the Buffalo grass has had seeds on it for a week or 2. How long does it need to remain on the live Buffalo Grass before it can b... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Shade Trees for Flagstaff AZ June 14, 2015 I live in Flagstaff, AZ and in need of good shade trees all around the house. We live in the Doney Park area (east of Flagstaff) and it is very windy in the spring time. We need the trees for priva... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Butterfly Bush Alternatives in New Egypt NJ June 14, 2015 I have a Non Native Butterfly Bush near my house. I heard that it could be invasive. What alternative plants could replace this bush as it is a butterfly magnet in late summer. Swallowtales and monarc... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Desert Willow size question from Austin, TX June 12, 2015 Dear MSP, I have a desert willow named Edith. We got her from the CoA a couple of years ago for recycling our Chirstmas tree. She's doing well except her three little trunks are teeny-tiny. We wan... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| How to Overwinter Texas Sage in PA June 12, 2015 I live in northeast PA. I just bought a Texas sage tree. How do I care for it in the winter? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| How to Deal With Goutweed? June 12, 2015 Hi, I'm wondering what plants (groundcover) would best compete against goutweed. It's coming up all around some existing potentilla shrubs and some nice bulbs and prairie perennials. I would hate to... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Will cochineal insects washed from cactus plants harm adjacent Oleander? June 11, 2015 Will mealybugs (cochineal insects) power washed off prickly pear cactus harm adjacent oleander plants if the white fluff gets on the oleander? My neighbor asked me to power wash my prickly pears and t... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Aquatic Plants for a Small Pond in Missouri June 11, 2015 We have a small backyard pond (4' x 5' x 2' deep) with a shelf for marginal plants, and a pump that feeds a nice little creek and waterfall into the pond. We don't really want fish, but we'd lik... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Are Desert Willow Leaves Fragrant? June 11, 2015 I have a pink Desert Willow and have noticed that the leaves are fragrant; no flowers are yet present. I cannot find any sites that agree with this finding? Is this unusual? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Is Evolvulus nuttallianus native to Central Texas and Deer Resistant? June 11, 2015 The website doesn't have much information about blue daze (Evolvulus nuttallianus. Is this plant native to Central Texas? Is it deer-resistant? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Why doesn't Diervilla lonicera bloom in Wisconsin? June 11, 2015 I have had a Diervilla lonicera in southeastern Wisconsin for at least 5 years. It has never bloomed. Why? It appears healthy. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Is Canna glauca invasive? June 10, 2015 How aggressive is Canna glauca? I'm interested in planting one near a gutter downspout, but I'm afraid it will crowd out groundcovers (heartleaf skullcap and fall obedient plant) in the two location... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Can you grow wildflowers on a Zoysia greenroof? June 09, 2015 I have a 700 square foot zoysia grass roof with irrigation on a pool cabana that I would like to sprinkle with wildflower seeds (bluebonnets, indian paintbrush etc) Is this possible? What is the best ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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