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
2 ratings

Wednesday - April 07, 2010

From: Eidson, TN
Region: Southeast
Topic: Trees
Title: Trees blooming white in East Tennessee in April
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

What kind of tree is blooming now, 4\6\10 in the mountains of east TN. They have white blooms?

ANSWER:

We went to our Native Plant Database and searched for trees that bloom white in April in Tennessee. We got 39 results. Since knowing whether or not any particular tree grows in Hawkins County, the northeastern tip of Tennessee, requires a pretty extensive search, and we are already inundated with gardening questions for Spring at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, we have some suggestions for how you can figure it out on your own: (1) Go to our Native Plant Database, and do a Combination Search, selecting Tennessee, then "tree" under General Appearance, white under Bloom Color, and April on Months of Bloom. When we did this, we got 39 possibilities. However, in order to determine if we have found the tree you are looking for, we have to go to the USDA Plant Profile on that plant and see if it grows in your part of the state, but you could try that first. (2) Contact the Tennessee Native Plant Society to see if they have a list of the trees blooming in April. (3) Check with the  Hawkins County, TN Extension Office; they could probably tell you easily, they are a lot closer than we are, and (4) Go to our Mr. Smarty Plants Plant Identification site to Submit a Photo. Be sure to follow the instructions closely, and we will try to identify it. Of course, if it is an escaped non-native, we may not know, anyway.
 

More Trees Questions

Dwarf golden cypress outgrowing their space
December 28, 2008 - I planted two dwarf golden cypress on opposite sides of a dwarf alberta spruce in a small bed by the front door. After 4 years I have to severely prune back the dwarf cypress in spring as they will sp...
view the full question and answer

Texas Redbud Suddenly Died in NM
November 06, 2014 - We had a Texas redbud, approximately 5 1/2 years old. It had been doing great then all of a sudden after it bloomed this spring, the leaves appeared but then shriveled right away. We noticed the trunk...
view the full question and answer

Trees native to North Georgia
September 26, 2008 - What trees are native to North Georgia, (Blue Ridge Mountain, Elijay, Helen) area? Need info. for daughters school report.
view the full question and answer

Life expectancy of Desert Willow in Tucson, AZ
April 06, 2013 - What is the life expectancy of a Chilopsis linearis under ideal circumstances.
view the full question and answer

Small tree for yard in Columbia TN
November 16, 2009 - I have a somewhat small yard but the construction workers put a water and sewer drain in the middle of my yard. The sewer main is located on the far side of my property my width of yard is 60 feet wid...
view the full question and answer

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