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
Saturday - July 24, 2010
From: Berkley, MA
Region: Northeast
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Plant identification
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I was wondering if you could help me identify a plant in the carrot family that has invaded a portion of my property that I fear may be toxic. It looks most like the water hemlock plant (leaf-wise, not quite as "ferny" as most of the other plants I've seen in that family, including hemlock plant). Its about 4-5 feet high. Two things that appear to be different though is that there are single bluish black huckleberry-like berries on the ends of each of the starbursts (after flowering) and also the roots have long runners that spawn other plants. Most of the pictures on the web I've seen show brown seeds, not berries. Matter of fact I cant find one picture of a berry anywhere that is a member of the carrot family. I also don't see any hollow chambers in the root, and the 1st several inches of stem above the ground are brown and "hairy" . Almost thorny. It seems to have characteristics of both the hemlock and water hemlock but not all of each. It does have some pinkish purple striations on the stems of most of the plants (but not all). I did pull up quite a bit but noticed a lot more in another part of the property so want to make sure it's not one of the toxic members of that family. I'm hoping the berries and the running roots may help identify which one it is. Thanks.ANSWER:
The thing that will help the most in the identification of the plant is to send us photos showing all the various traits you have mentioned—the entire plant, closeup photos of leaves, of berries, and of the stem. Please send photos that are in good focus and of high resolution. Please read the instructions for submitting the photos on Mr. Smarty Plants' Plant Identification page.More Plant Identification Questions
Plant identification
September 04, 2010 - Please identify this tree: has leaves like a catalpa, blue/lavender flowers on a long flower spike at the end of the limb, green fruit/seed about the size of a pecan it is fuzzy like a peach with a h...
view the full question and answer
Smarty Plants on Hesperaloe parviflora
August 02, 2005 - On the home page of this website (right of center) there is a plant with the long stems and pink flowers and with green pods or seeds, also. Could you please tell me the name of this flower? We have ...
view the full question and answer
Help identify a plant.
February 21, 2008 - Could you help me to identify this plant?
view the full question and answer
Identification of mystery tree in Huntington Beach, CA
March 25, 2015 - Have a "tree" that has grown from about 18" tall to about 10' tall in a little over a years time. It has a central trunk that is about 3/4" in diameter at it's largest. It has short thin branch...
view the full question and answer
Plant identfication
August 14, 2009 - a vine plant with small white flowers with a small red flower on the end of the bloom,looks like a little red bird sitting on the flower.It is beautiful.
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |