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 - June 21, 2012
From: Baltimore, MD
Region: Mid-Atlantic
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Identification of small plant with white flowers in Baltimore, MD
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
It's a small plant, has flowers in June, four white petals with large, tall conical center, about no more than an inch in diameter. The leaves are alternating with branched veins. It stays at about 6" high, grows in deep shade, comes in variegated as well. It is spreading through the lawn by its roots. One of my tenants planted it. It puts up with a lot of abuse. Baltimore is famous for its acidic clay soil.ANSWER:
Since you said that one of your tenants planted it, Mr. Smarty Plants is very suspicious that this isn't a native plant. However, I did do a COMBINATION SEARCH in our Native Plant Database choosing "Maryland" from the Select State or Province option, "Herb" from Habit (general appearance) and "White" from Bloom color. You could do the same search on your own and look through the photos and read the descriptions. I found the following four plants that partially fit your description:
Cornus canadensis (Bunchberry dogwood). Here are more photos and information from Plants of Wisconsin.
Cardamine concatenata (Cutleaf toothwort). Here are more photos and information from Connecticut Botanical Society.
Cakile edentula (American searocket). Here are more photos and information from Connecticut Botanical Society.
Mitchella repens (Partridgeberry). Here are more photos and information from Duke University.
Diodia virginiana (Buttonweed). Here are more photos and information from Missouri Plants.
I suspect that none of these is the plant that is growing in your lawn. However, if you have—or can take—photos, you will find links to several plant identification forums on our Plant Identification page that would accept your photos of the plant to be identified.
From the Image Gallery
More Plant Identification Questions
Plant identification
January 08, 2012 - When we moved in to this house, we planted many plants in the front landscaping. After they grew, it became too crowded. We had to move some plants to the backyard. The problem is, we have a plant tha...
view the full question and answer
Plant identification
July 07, 2008 - I live in NE PA and have two plants that are growing under our pine tree. One has 2 leaves and and looks a lot like lily of the valley and the other has 6-10 leaves with white berries on the end. I wa...
view the full question and answer
Smarty Plants on Plant Identification
April 25, 2005 - We bought our house last October and there were beautiful pink flowers blooming along our sidewalk. They bloomed until past Thanksgiving. They resembled Azaleas but we don't know what they were. Th...
view the full question and answer
Identification of ivy-like plant with large purplish leaves.
March 27, 2015 - Can you ID this ivy-like growing plant with a big purplish elephant ear type leaf and a big green stem pouch?
view the full question and answer
Non-blooming orange bell plant
June 15, 2008 - My orange bell plant is not blooming. I live in Central Texas where it is hot. The plant has part sun, part shade. Is there any way to help it bloom?
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |