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
Austin, TX
Leaf color in non-native sago palms
I have two sego palms planted in my front yard. Lots of sun. The fronds have turned a lime green color instead of the dark green color. Please help...(alkaline soil)
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Austin, TX
Suggested plants for between flagstones in Austin, TX
I would like to plant something between my flagstones on patio. I am taking up the cement mortar and want something that doesn't require a lot of water, low growing, and can stand a little traffic. ...
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Austin, TX
Evergreen shrubs for blocking car noise in Austin
I live on Bee Caves road and was wondering what is the best tree/shrub I could use to block noise from cars? I've seen evergreen mentioned, is this the right one to plant? Also, if there are existing...
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Austin, TX
Privacy and noise screen in Austin
Mr. Smarty, I purchased a home and notice that my neighbors seem to hang outside their garage on the weekends and thus causing some noise. I need some major privacy from this neighbor and I was think...
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Austin, TX
Photograph of seedling or pigeon berry (Rivina humilis) seedling
Where can I find a photograph of a pigeon berry seedling?
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Austin, TX
Proximity of male possumhaw to female
Mr. Smarty Pants,
In regards to fertilization, how close by must a male possumhaw be located to a female possumhaw?
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AUSTIN, TX
Native grasses as low-water option for ranch yard
We have a weekend ranch in LLano Texas and are looking for a grass to plant in the front yard. (approx 3/4 acre) The house is very small and cute but not a real big fancy house. We do have a fence aro...
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Austin, TX
Invasive common giant mustard
I have been seeing a lot of a small shrubby plants with yellow flowers all over Austin, mainly along roadsides. Back in my day the first wildflowers of Spring were the paintbrushes and the bluebonnets...
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Austin, TX
Buffalograss as lawn replacement in Austin, TX
Mr. Smarty Plants,
I have just moved into a house that has a yard full of weeds. I was planning on killing the existing ground cover and starting buffalo grass, when I came upon several articles on...
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Austin, TX
Possible reasons for non-fruiting wild plum
My grandfather has land in Lee County with thickets of wild plum, I believe creek plum is another name. However, they never seem to produce plums while thickets nearby on the roadside less than one mi...
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Austin, TX
Care of non-native Primrose jasmine
I have 4 large primrose jasmine shrubs that were transplanted about 4 years ago. They were cut back fairly harshly at that time. Since then, the centers remain very woody... no greenery... but the l...
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Austin, TX
Locating native plant landscaper in Austin, TX
Help ! I have a 9 year old native landscape -- river rock areas with beds of native plants which include lantana, salvia greggii, rosemary, coreopsis, brazos penestemon , Russian sage, Jerusalem sage,...
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Austin, TX
Removal, spread of native mistletoe
My neighbor has a lot of mistletoe growing in a tree in her front yard. I have a tree in my yard that has mistletoe in it. Each winter I have the plant removed so birds won't spread it around. Do you...
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Austin, TX
Removing St. Augustine from flower beds
We just had new landscaping put in at our house. We had planting beds prepped and mulched and had Zoysia sod installed outside the beds. The yard before had small areas of St. Augustine growing and no...
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Austin, TX
Yellowing of fronds on Sago Palm
Our Sago Palm now has all yellow fronds from the Winter frosts.
Should they be cut off? Will the plant grow new fronds from the bottom to replace the ugly looking ones that are there? And why do I se...
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Austin, TX
Muscari neglectum image
I am doing a school project and found a native plant on the native plant information network image gallery. It is plant NPIN Image Id 524. What is it's name?
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Austin, TX
Will Texas kidneywood grow in dappled shade?
Will Texas Kidneywood be successful as an understory plant in dappled shade? There is a location near the house, under a small grove of established live oaks and cedar elms, that needs an airy screen...
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Austin, TX
Texas native plants that absorb air-borne pollutants
hello mr. and mrs. smarty, I'm looking for native Texas plants that absorb pollutants and trap air-borne particulates. I found a list (below), but don't think they're native. Could you give me ad...
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austin, TX
Deer resistant plants for large pot in light shade in Austin
For an Austin yard, please suggest a shrub or a mixture of plants for a 15 gallon clay pot. The area has dappled light and deer. I would prefer a deciduous plant if possible.
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Austin, TX
Looking for juniper trees (Juniperus ashei) for sale
Does anyone know anyone that sells Juniper trees in pots - the central Texas kind.
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Austin, TX
How to search the Wildflower Center website
How the heck do I find a list of local native low-growing plants that are shade tolerant on this web site? The search functions don't seem to be specific enough. I searched specifying Texas, subshr...
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