Native Plants
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.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Thursday - July 22, 2010
From: Hempstead, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Seed and Plant Sources
Title: Source for Orbexilum from Hempstead TX
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
I am looking for a source of plants or seed for a Texas native plant: Mountain Pea, orbexilum sp. (nova). Thank you,ANSWER:
The only species of the genus orbexilum found in our Native Plant Database is Orbexilum pedunculatum (Sampson's snakeroot). It is a member of the Fabaceae (pea) family, and we saw it referred to in another source as "mountain pea," although most of the sources call it "Sampson's snakeroot."
From a website called Sagebud, we extracted the following information about this plant:
"Orbexilum Pedunculatum, or more commonly known as Sampson’s Snakeroot, is a forb/herb (a forb/herb is a non-woody plant that is not a grass) of the genus Orbexilum. It’s duration is perennial which means it will grow year after year. Orbexilum Pedunculatum or Sampson’s Snakeroot‘s floral region is North America US Lower 48, specifically in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia."
According to our page on this plant Orbexilum pedunculatum (Sampson's snakeroot), this plant is commercially available. So, we tried our usual go-to mail order seed supplier for natives of this area, Native American Seed. No luck. Next, we went to our National Supplier's Directory and put Hempstead TX into the "Enter Search Location" box, which gave us a number of native seed companies and nurseries in your general area. All have information and contacts; if the specific businesses you get in touch with do not have the seeds for this plant, they may be able to give you information on how to find it. Apparently, this plant is native to East Texas, it is probably growing in your fields somewhere in Waller County. We would also suggest you contact the Texas A&M AgriLIFE Extension Office for Waller County. They may know a locale where it is growing and you could gather seeds.
Images of Orbexilum pedunculatum (Sampson's snakeroot) from Google
More Seed and Plant Sources Questions
Source for Native and Adapted Landscape Plants: an Earthwise Guide for Central Texas
March 18, 2010 - Do you know where I could get a copy of the publication, "Native and Adapted Landscape Plants: An Earthwise Guide for Central Texas"? I believe this was a joint effort between the City of Austin an...
view the full question and answer
Smarty Plants on Yerba de la Negrita
August 22, 2005 - I would like to know where I can get Yerba de la Negrita "Scarlet Globemallow". For what can I use it? What is it like? I have a rancho in Chihuahua Mexico and I wonder if it grows there.
view the full question and answer
Sources for Paronychia virginica in Virginia
May 16, 2007 - Greetings,
I noticed that you have Paronychia virginica for sale in your spring plant sale. Despite the plant sharing the name of my fair state, I've been unable to find a source for it. Given...
view the full question and answer
Propagation of Aesculus parvifolia from Rochester MI
February 11, 2011 - Aesculus parvifolia. I purchased one plant in spring 2010---it's about 3 ft tall. How might I propagate from this one plant, or should I buy another?
view the full question and answer
Source for seeds of non-native poinsettias from British Columbia
March 19, 2010 - Hello,
I would like to grow my own Christmas poinsettias from seed. Do you know where I may be able to purchase seeds?
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |