Explore Plants
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.
Can't find the answer in our existing FAQs, submit a question to Mr. Smarty Plants.
Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.
rate this answer
Tuesday - January 18, 2011
From: Athens, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Grasses or Grass-like, Herbs/Forbs, Shrubs, Trees, Wildflowers
Title: What plants grow well in Athens, TX?
Answered by: Jimmy Mills
QUESTION:
Athens, Texas, we have very sandy soil mixed with clay, what plants grow well here?ANSWER:
Mr. Smarty Plants is going to suggest three avenues to approach this question. The first is to go out and look around Athens to see what is growing well. As someone once said, " You can see a lot by just looking around." Some of the plants that you see may not be familiar to you, so to get help with the names of plants, visit the East Texas Arboretum and Botanical Society there in Athens. You could also get information from the Native Plant Society of Texas. This link has contact information for the chapters located in East Texas as well as the whole state.
Another avenue is to check out our Native Plant Database. At this time, it is not searchable by soil type, but if you look in the Combination Search box, you see that the categories include general appearance, lifespan, light requirement, and soil moisture as well as bloom characteristics. By selecting "view the Recommended Species page" and clicking on East Texas, you will get a list of 133 commercially available native plant species suitable for planned landscapes in East Texas. Clicking on the name of each plant will pull up its NPIN page which contains information about the plant's characteristics and growth requirement along with images.
Hopefully this will introduce you to some plant friends in Athens.
More Wildflowers Questions
Native, non-invasive plant seeds for each region in U.S.
June 09, 2006 - I need to identify a wildflower from each region that we can package in custom packaging to use as giveaways at our member zoos and aquariums. Our project this year is called Conservation Made Simple...
view the full question and answer
Butterflies attracted by Pink Evening Primrose from Burnet TX
July 30, 2012 - I see information on Pink Evening Primrose that says it attracts 'many butterflies'
Please tell me which butterflies and name them? I've looked everywhere and am just exhausted and frustrated with...
view the full question and answer
Eliminating Claytonia virginica in Varna IL
April 13, 2010 - How do I get rid of or control Claytonia virginica? It is starting to take over my lawn.
view the full question and answer
Bluebonnets in pots in New Caney, TX
April 25, 2009 - My mother in New Caney (Texas), would like to plant Bluebonnets in some lovely terra cotta containers on her porch (and will hopefully mail me some dried pressings of my beloved state flower). Other t...
view the full question and answer
Will recent freezes delay wildflowers from Dripping Springs TX
February 15, 2011 - What effect will the recent freezing temperatures have on the Texas Hill Country Wildflowers? Will it delay blooming?
Thank you!
view the full question and answer
 |
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. Mr. Smarty Plants wants you to be his Facebook friend. Click the Facebook icon to add yourself to Mr. Smarty Plants list of friends. |
