Native Plants
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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.
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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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| Oak trees shedding leaves in Denton TX May 27, 2012 In Denton, TX we have two mature Quercus buckleyi. It is May 11th 2012 and one of these trees has been shedding green leaves for the last week. The only changes we have made are: planted English ivy... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Yellow in pin oak leaves from Allen TX May 25, 2012 I have two pin oaks and one is completely yellow - a sign of iron deficiency and the other is starting to turn completely yellow as well. I've a proposal for iron deficiency but it is quite expensiv... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Need options for smaller trees in neighborhoods in Austin, TX. May 25, 2012 Please discuss smaller tree options for typical Austin neighborhood yards. These houses are built close together on the sides, and only have smallish back yards. They just don't have space for big 50... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Shade trees for Tucson AZ May 25, 2012 I need to plant some "fast growing" trees or shrubs on my southwest yard in order to reduce the heat in my bedroom. What do you suggest? I live in Tucson, Arizona. Thank you in advance. I'm... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Huisaches in pots from Houston TX May 20, 2012 I have special (and probably weird) affinity to huisaches (acacia farnesiana). As a child I used to admire the three that elegantly guarded our backyard looking almost like fingers reaching for the s... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Adding Wildflowers to Corpus Christi May 20, 2012 I have a dry sandy yard, full sun in Corpus Christi with lot's of stickers mostly, want to transform to wildflowers. When should I plant, how should I prepare soil, should I dig out stickers? Which w... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Growing a Texas Mountain Laurel in Pennsylvania May 20, 2012 Can I grow a Texas Mt. Laurel in Lancaster, PA? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Cultivar of Cercis Canadensis from Haskell OK May 16, 2012 We have a Hearts of Gold Redbud that first had dark edges to many of its leaves (about 2 weeks after planting). It now has multiple leaves w/ medium-dark brown spots on them. Are we looking at some ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Pollinator garden for Belen NM May 16, 2012 Trying to set up a flower garden to attract bees and butterflies. Can you tell me what would be best to grow. I live in Belen, NM. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Problem with magnolias and yaupon in Prosper TX May 13, 2012 Problem with Little Gem magnolia - 3 little gems planted next to a fence, in Prosper, TX. Planted 3 years ago, 2009, one of the trees is now withering. The other 2 are doing fine, the one has leaves... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| A year and a half old live oak tree is doing poorly in Nevada, TX. May 08, 2012 We planted a live oak tree about a year and a half ago. the tree is still rather small. The leaves are of a vibrant green, however the leave have only grown through the center of the tree and not out... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Restoring the woods in Central Austin. May 08, 2012 I live in Austin, south central between Red Bud trail close to the low water bridge and Bee Caves road. My question: I want to make the wooded sections of my yard attractive. They have filtered sun... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Problems with evergreen sumac in San Antonio May 03, 2012 I planted 5 5-gallon (approximately 2 feet tall) evergreen sumac in early January. Since that time they have sprouted out new shoot with new leaves several times - every time the leaves have wilted a... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Steep slope from Charlotte NC May 03, 2012 I live near Charlotte, NC and I have a very steep sloped area from the edge of our front yard down to the road. It's a huge eyesore mainly because it is red clay dirt and has nothing growing on it. W... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Live oak wobbling in the ground from Austin May 02, 2012 I have a live oak that was not planted firmly in the ground by the subdivision builder's landscapers. The entire tree is wobbly to the touch and it has come close to dying as result of windy condit... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Scorched leaves on Red Maple from Lufkin TX April 30, 2012 I have a Red Maple that we planted in Lufkin, TX about a month ago and fertilized about 2 weeks ago. We water the tree often. The leaves have become scorched looking on the outside of about 1/3 of t... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Construction problems on site in Mansfield OH April 28, 2012 Last year we had a rectangular above ground pool put in the person who "leveled" for use did a terrible job and basically dug a huge hole for us to put our pool in. The back side of the pool is abou... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Male and female possumhaws for berries from Georgetown TX April 23, 2012 Do I need to plant two ilex decidua (possumhaws), a male and female to have red berries on the tree in the winter? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Shrub that will grow outside in Zone 5 from Millbrook NY April 21, 2012 Is there any shrub, tree or other sort of plant that will grow well in zone 5 in a very large container outdoors? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Moving a large red horse chestnut tree in Jackson MI April 20, 2012 I have a red horse chestnut that is maybe 12 inches around, can I move it after the sap goes down about 10 miles to our new place? Sadly, I cannot afford to hire a tree truck. What are its chances? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| When do you put out bluebonnet seeds in Bastrop, TX? April 17, 2012 When do you put out bluebonnet seeds?? I hear fall but don't the seeds pop out of dried up plants in early summer? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Progress of Habiturf lawn from Round Rock TX April 12, 2012 I sowed Habiturf seeds almost two weeks ago in well prepared soil--no grass or weeds, well tilled with compost. After sowing, I lightly raked the soil. I have watered twice/day, allowing it to dry s... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Need plants for new wrought iron planter in Spicewood,TX. April 10, 2012 I live in Spicewood, Texas, and have just purchased some really nice wrought iron window boxes for my patio railing. What would be the best and prettiest plants to use? Thank you View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Transferring a palm tree from Florida to Pennsylvania from Reading PA April 06, 2012 Is it legal to transport a small palm tree (12" high) from FL to PA? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Replacing non-native invasives with native grasses and wildflowers from Round Rock TX April 04, 2012 I have a small piece of property (1.5 AC) East of Austin, Texas that get's overgrown with weedy vegetation (johnson grass, dandelion, and some tall yellow flowering plant that I see all over the medi... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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