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

Friday - August 05, 2005

From: East Point, GA
Region: Southeast
Topic: Non-Natives, Trees
Title: Smarty Plants on dogwoods
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

I am interested in the worldwide distribution of the dogwood family/cornus. Specifically, I am interested in whether or not there are indiginous species on the Indian Subcontinent. Is there a resource I might access for this information? Thank you.

ANSWER:

Our area of expertise and interest is the native plants of North America. You can find listings of the members of the Genus Cornus in the Family Cornaceae (Dogwood Family) in North America in the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) database and the USDA Plants Database.

For members of the Family Cornaceae on the Indian sub-continent I searched the internet and found reference to a botantical field guide The Flora of Presidency of Bombay. Volume 2. Cornaceae to Chenopodiaceae that suggests that there are at least some members of the family found there. You could try a search in the Global Biodiversity Information Facility by country of interest for members of the genus or family.

 

More Non-Natives Questions

Problem with non-native peach tree in Willingboro NJ
September 02, 2009 - I have a peach tree in my back yard. The tree was in the yard when I bought the house. I have lived at my address almost six years. This year the peach tree is dripping a thick jelly-like sap from ...
view the full question and answer

Fruiting of non-native fig trees
September 30, 2007 - Regarding a Fig Tree that I have, it's about 3yrs old. Last year it gave us about a handful of figs and they were good. This year the small tree is full of figs and they remain green. This summer I h...
view the full question and answer

Flying insects eating leaves of non-native Brugmansia in Aline CA
October 17, 2013 - I have an Angel Trumpet tree. We live in Aline, California 30 miles east of San Diego. Little yellow and black flying bugs eat the leaves. Do you have a remedy for this problem.
view the full question and answer

Treatment of leaf curl on non-native peach in Camano Island, WA
April 26, 2009 - How to treat peach leaf curl?
view the full question and answer

Eliminating invasive, non-native chameleon plant from Omaha NE
April 11, 2011 - I have been attempting to eradicate the chameleon plant in my gardens for 3 years. I have sprayed Round Up and covered with newspaper then mulch and it is coming back again this year! I am wondering...
view the full question and answer

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