Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

DONATE TODAY

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

Wednesday - May 06, 2009

From: Guyton, GA
Region: Southeast
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Identity of a plant in SE Georgia
Answered by: Jimmy Mills

QUESTION:

Identity of a plant- This plant is growing wild in SE GA, but I have never seen it before until this year. The plant has a stolon "root" system it forms an upright stem and a cluster of flowers begin to bloom, the cluster is in a cone shape, about 5 to 6 inches long. The flowers are small,individual and each are colored both white and purple. The leaves are about 2 to 4 inches long and have a velvet feel. I hope you can help, Thanks, Karen

ANSWER:

Mr. Smarty Plants loves doing plant identifications; however, doing them from a description alone is difficult, if  not impossible, no matter how thorough the description.  Please send us photos and we will do our very best to identify your plant.  Visit the Ask Mr. Smarty Plants  Plant Identification page to read instructions for submitting photos for identification.

 Another approach is to go to the Native Plant Database page and scroll down to the COMBINATION SEARCH box. Enter the information that fits your plant in the each of categories. Click on the "submit combination search" button, and you will get a list of plants, along with images, that match your criteria. Clicking on the name of each plant will pull up its NPIN page with details about it, and  often more images. You can get other lists by changing your criteria.
 
A source of information closer to home is the Georgia Native Plant Society.
 
 

More Plant Identification Questions

Name of algae on ground that swells after a rain
March 12, 2009 - What is the name of the algae looking stuff on the ground that swells up after rain. I thought it was "nostock" but I can't locate that name anywhere. Thanks!
view the full question and answer

Identity of grass-like plant with white or cream flowers in The Woodlands, TX?
May 16, 2015 - What is the name of the tall grass-like plant with small white or cream flowers that is planted in most esplanades in The Woodlands, TX.?
view the full question and answer

Need identification of a bush with red bumpy berries in PA.
October 02, 2009 - Pennsylvania - We are trying to identify a bush that has small red bumpy berries. The berries are the size of a crab apple or a cherry. Can you tell us what it is?
view the full question and answer

Identification of a cucumber-like vine with fruit
November 16, 2011 - We found tiny, grape-size white melon-like fruit on a vine, with tomato-like/cucumber-like seeds. The leaves on the vine were similar to grape or cucumber leaves, but not spiny. They were behind our...
view the full question and 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 the full question and answer

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