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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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Thursday - April 03, 2008

From: Edgewood, PA
Region: Northeast
Topic: Herbs/Forbs
Title: Arisaema triphyllum and Phlox stolonifera native to Pennsylvania
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

I asked and you answered my question about PA wildflowers. I have two more questions: is jack-in-the-pulpit a native PA wildflower? and is creeping white phlox a native PA wildflower?

ANSWER:

We found five sub-species of jack-in-the-pulpit in our Native Plant Database, of which four are native to Pennsylvania. We had quite a few pictures of Arisaema triphyllum (Jack in the pulpit) in our Image Gallery, so we have given you two of those below. The other Pennsylvania natives are Arisaema triphyllum ssp. pusillum (Jack in the pulpit), Arisaema triphyllum ssp. stewardsonii (Jack in the pulpit), and Arisaema triphyllum ssp. triphyllum (Jack in the pulpit).

We found one plant referred to as "creeping phlox" that is native to Pennsylvania Phlox stolonifera (creeping phlox), which can have flowers that are lavender, blue or white.


Arisaema triphyllum

Arisaema triphyllum

Arisaema triphyllum ssp. triphyllum

Phlox stolonifera

 

 

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