Native Plants
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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 is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
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Tuesday - May 20, 2014
From: Houston, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Invasive Plants, Non-Natives, Problem Plants, Herbs/Forbs
Title: Removal of thistles from Columbus TX
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
I am sorry if you have an answer in FAQs but I could not find it. We recently cleared property near Columbus Texas of many cedars (ash junipers). This spring we experienced a profusion of thistle - big and many. How do we remove them?ANSWER:
It's okay, we can't remember where previous answers are ourselves, even though we answered them ourselves. Begin with this previous answer on thistles in Central Texas. In cases like this, we don't worry about native and non-native, if they are obnoxious, you want to get rid of them. When you get to that answer, you will find another, Native and Non-native Thistles, that we recommend you follow, also, along with any other links. Finally, for the nuts and bolts of thistle removal, Mr. Smarty Plants has addressed this exact question before and, even though this previous answer is from Ohio, it tells you exactly what we would say again, and we are getting lazy. Easier for the same answer to be read twice than for us to type the same answer twice. We do warn you, this is not going to be easy, native or not, these plants take care of themselves.
These solutions are not easy, a lot of hard work is involved but we never promised you a rose garden, did we?
More Invasive Plants Questions
Non-native citronella mosquito plant wintering inside in Charlotte NC
October 20, 2011 - Can I bring the citronella mosquito plant in the house over the winter, or should it be planted outside. I live in Charlotte, NC.
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Maintenance of Blue grama in early stages
July 06, 2007 - I am seeding my large back yard with blue grama - 30-45 minutes of almost daily hand weeding for two months keeps me from falling too far behind on the green foxtail, bindweed, elm tree seedlings, pig...
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Difference between invasive Chinese and Japanese wisterias and native wisteria
September 12, 2014 - Dear Mr or Ms Smarty Plants,
Is there any way I can tell for sure if my wisteria is native? I bought it at a place when it was in bloom that sold a lot of native plants. I Would like to know for sure...
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Smarty Plants on vitex
May 12, 2005 - I recently purchased a vitex tree and I don't know anything about it other that it blooms. Can you tell me everything there is about this tree?
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Skunk cabbage to repel rabbits in Wichita KS
May 22, 2011 - I would like to find a skunk cabbage plant or oil of skunk cabbage to drive away rabbits from my garden.. It does work for several yrs ago I purchased a plant from a garden shop but can not find it no...
view the full question and answer
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