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 - March 05, 2011

From: Pleasanton, CA
Region: California
Topic: Herbs/Forbs
Title: Care for Monardella undulata var. frutescens from Pleasanton CA
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

Inquiry about care of the plant Monardella undulata var frutescens "Jokerst." Full Sun? Soil? etc Thanks, Smarty!

ANSWER:

You nearly had Mr. Smarty Plants stumped there. There are 9 species of Monardella listed in our Native Plant Database; this is not one of them. We did find one article from Annie's Annuals Monardella undulata var. frutescens, which answers some of your questions. Since we found no mention of a selection 'Jokerst,' we tried searching on that name alone. This website on the Jim Jokerst Field Botany Award, named after a field botanist in California, is about the best clue we could find on where that name came from.  The first website we referenced says it has been considered a rare plant in California since 1997, and we would have no idea where you could obtain them, if you were interested in growing them.

 

More Herbs/Forbs Questions

Planting Suggestions for a Lake Home in Wayne County, MO
April 03, 2014 - We have a lake home in Wayne County, MO at Lake Wappapello. The soil is very rocky. We recently cleared an area around our home of assorted dead trees, some cedars and what seemed like tons of vines. ...
view the full question and answer

Getting rid of rain lilies in Aledo, TX
August 24, 2008 - How do I get rain lilies to stop growing in my yard?
view the full question and answer

Propagation of quincula lobata from Alleyton TX
July 20, 2011 - Quincula lobata..how to propagate and when?
view the full question and answer

Interesting native orchids in MS.
August 21, 2012 - I have a stand of 18 Cyp. parviflorum orchids which I tell only few people about. I've been an hobby grower for over 15 yrs. Recently, I noticed I has some Spiranthes growing which thrilled me. Now, ...
view the full question and answer

How to Deal with Leggy Artemisia 'Silver Mound'
October 03, 2015 - I have two Artemisia (I think 'Silver Mound') in full sun in West Austin. They have been happily growing there for the past 10 or so years. Both were hard-hit by last winter's cold weather and did...
view the full question and answer

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