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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.

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Wednesday - October 13, 2010

From: Chardon, OH
Region: Midwest
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Native plants for Ohio with common name beginning with U, X or Z
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

Hi Mr. Smarty Plants, Are there any plants native to Ohio or the Northeast that have common names starting with the letter "U" "X" or "Z"? I'm sewing a cross-stitch sampler using the alphabet with corresponding Ohio plants. Those 3 letters have been impossible to find flowers/names to match. (I.e. Umbrella Palm isn't native to Ohio and that's all that comes up for a search on the letter "U") Thanks.

ANSWER:

This sounds like an interesting and fun project.  I can provide you with several common names each for the letters "U" and "Z" that are native to Ohio, but, alas, I couldn't find any plants with a common name beginning with "X".   I did find one with a short botanical name beginning with "X", however, that you might consider.

For the letter "U":

Cyperus diandrus (Umbrella flatsedge) and here are photos

Magnolia tripetala (Umbrella tree)

Proboscidea louisianica (Unicorn plant)

Mirabilis nyctaginea (Heart-leaved umbrellawort)

For the letter "Z":

Zizia aurea (Golden zizia)

Zizia aptera (Meadow zizia)

 Iris brevicaulis (Zigzag iris)

Solidago flexicaulis (Zigzag goldenrod)

Tradescantia subaspera (Zigzag spiderwort)

For the letter "X":

Xyris difformis (Bog yelloweyed grass) and here are more photos and information

Here are photos from our Image Gallery:


Magnolia tripetala


Proboscidea louisianica


Mirabilis nyctaginea


Zizia aptera


Zizia aurea


Iris brevicaulis


Solidago flexicaulis


Tradescantia subaspera


Xyris difformis

 

 

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