Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

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.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

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.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Sunday - November 29, 2015

From: Buda, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: ID for two flowers blooming in November in Buda TX
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

two different plants growing in my wild area. 1. springs of tiny yellow flowers atop almost foot tall woody stem. 2. Clump of tiny near white bud like flowers. clump about 6 to 8 inches across on single short stem. leaves dark green with deep cut edges I will forward pic from this same email address.

ANSWER:

Mr. Smarty Plants thinks the description of your first plant sound like Amphiachyris dracunculoides (Prairie broomweed).

The description of the second plant, however, is a little confusing.  I'm not sure how large the overall plant is.  However, here are some suggestions of plants with small white flowers that are in bunches and bloom in October and November:

Stenaria nigricans var. nigricans (Diamondflowers or Baby's breath)

Ageratina havanensis (Shrubby boneset)

Eupatorium rotundifolium (Roundleaf thoroughwort)

Eupatorium serotinum (Lateflowering thoroughwort)

If none of these are the flowers you saw, you can do your own search in our Native Plant Database.  Using the COMBINATION SEARCH option, choose "Texas" from the Select State or Province slot; then, under Bloom Characteristics, select "Oct" and "Nov" under Bloom Time and "White" under Bloom Color.  This will give you a list of more than 260 plants.  You can narrow that list by making other appropriate criteria choices from the NARROW YOUR SEARCH option in the sidebar.

 

 

From the Image Gallery


Prairie broomweed
Amphiachyris dracunculoides

Prairie broomweed
Amphiachyris dracunculoides

Diamondflowers
Stenaria nigricans var. nigricans

Shrubby boneset
Ageratina havanensis

White boneset
Eupatorium serotinum

White boneset
Eupatorium serotinum

More Plant Identification Questions

Identification of orange flowering tree in West Virginia
May 21, 2008 - I was wondering if you might have any suggestions as to what small tree-like plant I saw over the last two weeks (mid May) in West Virginia, in the woods, in the mountains. With honeysuckle-like leav...
view the full question and answer

Plant identification
July 31, 2010 - I have this shrub looking type plant with leaves that smell like lemons. The plant has a very small white flower on it. This shrub shows up in my yard every year in the summer. We are curious as to we...
view the full question and answer

Identity of recently purchased plant from Somerset MA
March 29, 2011 - I just bought a plant at Home Depot but it came with no tag. It has fairly large greyish green paddle shaped leaves, the leave stalks are pretty thick. Can you tell me what kind of plant do I have? I ...
view the full question and answer

Identifying a plant/weed blooming in Feb. in Texas
February 24, 2010 - Can you help me identify a flowering plant I have found growing in my yard? It is a tiny green plant most months of the year, with very tiny deep to pastel blue flowers on it in early spring ( it is i...
view the full question and answer

Plant identification
August 13, 2008 - Can you identify a shrub in my backyard? It has odd looking seed pods with three chambers and hard black seeds inside roughly 1/8" in diameter. The pods themselves are brown, hard shell, and hang d...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.