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

Saturday - July 24, 2010

From: Kingsland, GA
Region: Southeast
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Plant identification
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

Purchased foliage plant - no one knows its name. Leaves (stems) are bright green and 10" tall. Has "babies" like a spider plant but leaves (stems) are wider and thicker. Has a "rib" to them in the center of the stem.

ANSWER:

Our focus and expertise at the Wildflower Center are with plants native to North America.  A purchased foliage plant that has babies that look like a spider plant doesn't sound like any North American native plant that I can think of.  If you really think it is a North American native, you can send us photos and we will do our very best to identify it.  Please visit Mr. Smarty Plants' Plant Identification page for instructions on submitting photos.  Otherwise, your best bet for having your plant identified is to submit photos to the UBC Botanical Garden Plant Identification Forum.  They do an excellent job identifying non-native plants.
 

More Plant Identification Questions

What is the plant called wingspan?
September 21, 2014 - I have a lot of environmental allergies and saw a positive result for "wingspan" yet I cannot find ANY information online about that particular plant. I was told it's "tumbleweed" by the medical ...
view the full question and answer

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

Identification of Skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) in Virginia
April 15, 2006 - Hi, I am very curious about a bulb growing wild plant in our back yard. We have recently moved to the Woodbridge, VA area. There is a stream running trough our property. The plant looks almost like la...
view the full question and answer

Identifcation of four o clock-like flower
August 25, 2007 - I've run across a flower I cannot find any information on. I saw it in West Virginia. I know that a pix might be needed to identify, but, since this is somewhat unusual, I thought possibly you might...
view the full question and answer

Plant identification
May 11, 2008 - Can you identify a plant in a shady part of our yard. I have a pictrure I would like to send and I don't see a way to do that here. Can you provide that assistance? Perhaps a direct email address so ...
view the full question and answer

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