Native Plants
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
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Monday - March 02, 2009
From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Non-Natives, Herbs/Forbs
Title: Moving School House lilies in Austin
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
I live here in Austin in zipcode 78729. I have a clump of School House lilies in the back of the garden. I would like to move them to another bed under a tree. Is this a good time to move them? Should I put bone meal on them when I do move them?ANSWER:
Rhodophiala bifida is a native of Uruguay and Argentina and thus does not appear in our Native Plant Database. It is, however, an heirloom plant in Texas, brought here by German settlers. We learned it is referred to as a "Schoolhouse Lily" or "Hurricane Lily" because it begins to bloom in early Fall, hurricane and school season. Another common name for it is Oxblood Lily, because of the very deep red of the blooms. According to the sources we found, Zanthan Gardens Rhodophiala bifida seeds and Pacific Bulb Society Rhodophiala, the ideal time for planting is September 1 to November 15, and it does best in partial shade to full sun. It blooms around September, followed by long blade-like foliage which remains green all winter. Apparently, the Oxblood Lily is not particular about soils, and we never saw any mention of placing bonemeal in the hole with the bulb.
More Herbs/Forbs Questions
Flowers for an August wedding in Driftwood TX
March 25, 2012 - For an August 4th wedding in Driftwood, Texas we want fragrant flowers and wildflowers that we can grow in our garden. We have four raised beds (12 ft. x 6 ft.) in a fenced area in which we've grown ...
view the full question and answer
Is straggler daisy deer resistant from Austin
October 08, 2012 - Is straggler daisy (horseherb) deer resistant? We have lots of deer in our NW Hills, Austin neighborhood, and a lot of shade where not much will grow. Is that plant a good candidate for ground cover...
view the full question and answer
Groundcovers & Shrubs for Shade in North Carolina
April 30, 2013 - Mr Smarty Pants,
My neighbor planted cypress trees as a border between his yard and ours and it is sucking up every drop of water and nutrient. We also have a purple plum in the area which creates ...
view the full question and answer
Flowers or plants for no-sun area in Nova Scotia
March 14, 2009 - What kind of flowers or plants can I plant in my rock garden that gets virtually no sun? I have wasted so much money on plants that were guaranteed to grow.
view the full question and answer
Native plants for full sun and low maintenance
May 13, 2006 - I have volunteered to plant flowers/bushes around a sign at my church. I want to plant indigenous plants so the maintenance is low but I also want attractive plants. The soil is clay and the locatio...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |