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.
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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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| The most common wildflower in the United States July 29, 2014 What is the most common wildflower in the United States? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification July 29, 2014 I have a plant in my yard about 3' high, narrow pointy smooth leaves covered with small berries that are turning purple. What is this? a weed? should I eliminate it from my xeriscape garden or wel... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of vine with feathery leaves and deep pink flowers July 28, 2014 I have growing up my porch what appears to be a vine with feathery leaves and small deep pink flowers. There is no water sources near by. Can you tell me what it is? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Larkspur with pink and white flowers July 26, 2014 Hi - I have been photographing larkspurs (mainly D. bicolor) in Montana for years now and I found one that I can't identify. The leaves and flower structure all appear to be D. bicolor, but the flow... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Ripe fruit of Melothria pendula (Guadaloupe cucumber) July 22, 2014 I see the pictures of the guadualupe cucumber plant. The fruit is still green. When it matures does it look like a small tomato? I have noticed the vine when the fruit is ripe. This is in McLennan C... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Tall plant with bell-shaped upside-down white flowers July 18, 2014 2 tall plants grew outside my suburban New York house in June, blossomed late June. They looked like giant asparagus stalks, and the flowers were white, bell shaped, upside down, look like fairy skirt... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Why is Mentzelia oligosperma called chickenthief? July 15, 2014 Could you tell me why Mentzelia oligosperma is sometimes called chickenthief? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification July 10, 2014 I am trying to identify a wildflower that has popped up after a big rain. It is under a foot tall---blooms a yellow bloom in the evenings. It has long narrow leaves sort of like a rosemary. It grows f... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identity of vine with orangish flowers July 09, 2014 I am looking to ID what I believe is a vine growing plant that blooms orangish flowers. I have pictures of the plant, and have attempted to use multiple plant ID websites. But have been unsuccessful. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of plant with white spike blooms and red berries July 06, 2014 I just came back from a hike in Dallas and found large areas where a lanceolate- to acuminate- leafed herb was blooming spikes of white, 4 petal flowers that quickly turn to bright red berries, someti... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| How to solve a search problem on the Native Plant Database! July 01, 2014 When I use the LBJ Wildflower Center's Plant Identification Guide, it ALWAYS comes up with no results. It also ALWAYS comes up with Family: Acanthaceae. Could this be why NO question EVERY produces A... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native flowers versus non-natives June 30, 2014 Native flowers versus non-natives. What guidelines do use for identification. I come across flowers in different habitats and can't identify them as natives. Also, how do you attach a image to a ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of possible toxic plant in Austin, TX June 20, 2014 When we hike with our dogs along Turkey Creek in Austin, they seem to make a bee line to a small green leafy plant when they find it along the trail and eat a few leaves of it. We assume it's not dan... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Differences between Desmodium and Lespedezda June 19, 2014 i am trying to determine the difference between lespedeza and desmodium in my full sun wildflower and tall grasses meadow. There appear to be a number of different types of these plants, and they are... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Key for Verbesina virginica June 16, 2014 Are the stems of Verbesina virginica hairy? My in-laws have what I believe is Verbesina virginica (blooms in September here in VA) and another wild flower that blooms before it and is yellow. I'd l... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of a vine in Tennessee June 14, 2014 I have a beautiful vine with clusters approximately 70 feet All the way up a tree in a heavily wooded area. It seems to be evergreen or semi- evergreen. Can you help identify? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification June 12, 2014 We live in Magnolia TX and have a shrub we can't identify. It's evergreen and has waxy leaves with a serrated edge that are about an inch in length. They have pink flowers and they grow to ab... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Need to identify hemp-like plant in Bastrop, TX. June 09, 2014 What is the large stalky, hemp-like plant that populates our creek bottoms and ditches here in Central Texas? It has large 5-6 in. lobed leaves, and a fibrous central stalk that gets up to 7 ft tall. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant ID from San Marcos TX June 07, 2014 My dogs love to eat the leaves of a certain little orange wildflower. It might be Wedelia or Texas creeping oxeye. Have you ever heard of this? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Giant Thistle-Like Plant from Elgin, TX June 01, 2014 I have a giant thistle like plant in my field we have been unable to identify. It looks like a milk thistle but it is short..only about a foot tall..stocky...and the flowers are giant..about 6 to 8 i... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant ID from Richardson TX May 24, 2014 Need to send a pic for id. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Unidentified stalk, possibly manfreda, from San Marcos TX May 23, 2014 I had a very weird stalk pop up in my yard in San Marcos TX this month (May 2014) It bloomed very quickly and appears to be a manfreda but there is no rosette, or leaves of any kind - just the thick o... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Non-native astilbe resemblance to non-native poisonous castor bean from Tomslake BC May 21, 2014 I have a plant that looks like a castor bean but it has flowers like a Younique Silvery Pink Astilbe. Need to id because castor bean is poisonous. This plant grows up to 5 feet in height. Thank you ! View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of tree with round purple leaves May 14, 2014 What is tne name of the purple leaf tree whose leaves are spherical? Maybe 1 to 2" in diameter? A neighbor who has moved now, had one but cut it down before i could find out or rescue it. It wasnt ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant Identification May 13, 2014 I am trying to identify a plant. The leaves looks like cannabis, (I know its not) its has red flowers and grows a green seed pod that turns yellow and falls off. It usually contains 3 or 4 seeds in th... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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