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.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Sunday - October 21, 2007
From: Waco, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Identifying plant
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
What plant is usually found growing in low-lying freshwater marshy places with a single, straight-stemmed plant that grows to about one-to-two feet in height. The branches and leaves are sparse with prickly spines from the ground upwards. The blooms are light blue star-shaped flowers. The root is about one-fourth the height of the plant and is nearly white in color, used in processing a cough remedy.ANSWER:
Mr. Smarty Plants loves to identify plants; however, doing so from a description is very difficult. Hopefully, if we have a picture and perhaps the locality of the plant, we can figure it out. For instructions on how to submit photographs, please visit the Ask Mr. Smarty Plants page and read about "Plant Identification" in the lower right corner.More Plant Identification Questions
Plant identification of vine in Virginia
September 01, 2011 - Have vine that has small 3 pointed leaves somewhat like a grape but only an inch or 2 long. Adult fruit is black or purple egg shaped and only 3/4 of an inch long. Fruit is single in the middle of th...
view the full question and answer
Instructions for Plant ID
August 28, 2008 - Hi- I have an unidentified small white flowering plant photo to try to identify. Would you be willing to see what you think it is or refer me to someone to whom I could send it? It was photographed on...
view the full question and answer
Plant ID from Foster RI
April 05, 2012 - I have a weed flowering plant in bloom in a moist semi-shaded area. I would like to send a photo but I do not know how to upload.
view the full question and answer
Origin of sticky, smelly substance on dog in Southern California
August 27, 2011 - I just took my dog out (mid August) in Aguanga, CA (high desert) and, after coming back in, noted that his feet and legs were covered in a very sticky substance that STINKS - there is some kind of pla...
view the full question and answer
Identification of yellow blooming plants near Temple, Texas
November 07, 2011 - This question may be a challenge. We noticed fields of
yellow blooming plants in the fields east of Temple. They
appear to be about 4 inches tall. (we were on a bus and
could not stop to look cl...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |