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

Monday - April 25, 2005

From: Lowell, AR
Region: Southeast
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Smarty Plants on Plant Identification
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

We bought our house last October and there were beautiful pink flowers blooming along our sidewalk. They bloomed until past Thanksgiving. They resembled Azaleas but we don't know what they were. They stood about 8 or 10 inches tall. Do you have any idea what would bloom for us like that? We are rather new to the area and have never been in an area where we were able to successfully have a flower garden. Any help you could give us would be greatly appreciated.

ANSWER:

From just your description I am afraid we can't really give you an identification. We would be very happy to try to identify the flower if you could send us a photograph. You can learn how to submit a photograph electronically on the Ask the Expert page. If it is a native plant, you could also try to find it by doing a "Combination Search" on the Native Plants Database. Under "Bloom Characteristics", select "pink" and the month. Under "U. S. Distribution" select "Arkansas". Selecting "November" as the month I didn't find anything that resembled the azalea, but you might try other months you know that it was blooming and search the images. It is possible that it is an introduced nursery plant and not a native plant and wouldn't be in our Native Plants Database. You might contact someone at Arkansas Home & Garden, from the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service or a local garden center to help in its identification.
 

More Plant Identification Questions

Plant identification, possibly genus Lonicera
September 30, 2007 - My friend found a plant growing in her timber (in Iowa). It has round green leaves with groups of green balls (seed pods?) growing in the center of the leaves. The stems appear to attach to the cente...
view the full question and answer

Identity of ball-shaped purple flower in Connecticut
July 13, 2015 - I am trying to identify a ball shaped purple/light purple flower with opposite leaves that look fern like. It has been in bloom since late May or early June. I have found it growing with what appear...
view the full question and answer

Dodder
April 06, 2012 - I was driving around Llano, Texas and saw patches of orange amongst the wildflowers. From afar the patches seemed like dying plants. On close inspection, they are orange tendrils that are overrunnin...
view the full question and answer

Identification of vine in New York
May 15, 2012 - I have a flowering vine that grows against my home and I'm not sure what it is, but it's beautiful with a delicate scent. The flowers look like clusters of mini purple pea pods hanging downward befo...
view the full question and answer

Identification of lily in Florida Savannas Preserve State Park
December 19, 2013 - I found a lily blooming in the Savannas Preserve State Park in Martin County Florida. It is similar to a Michaux lily but doesn't have apparent spots. The foliage is also different from photos I ha...
view the full question and answer

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