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

Thursday - October 04, 2012

From: Queens, NY
Region: Northeast
Topic: Plant Lists, Water Gardens, Planting, Grasses or Grass-like, Herbs/Forbs
Title: Propagation information from Queens NY
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

Hello. I would appreciate information on when to plant the following plants. I found on the USDA website that all these plants could withstand the cold. ALthough they can withstand harsh weather, can they all be planted only at certain times? These plants are schedule to be planted in mid-October. Plant names: 1) Calamagrotis canadensis 2) Iris virginica 3) Scripus cyperinus 4) Peltandra virginica 5) Sagittaria latifolia 6) Saururus cernuus 7) Scirpus validus 8) Nuphar luteum 9) Scirpus acutus 10) Sparganium eurycarpum 11) Typha latifolia 12) Cephalanthus occidentalis THank you and I very much appreciate your response.

ANSWER:

Since these are all wetland plants, we assume they are being planted by someone who specializes in wetland plants. If they say the plants can be planted in October, who are we to argue? What we have are dryland plants in Texas. Anyway, the way that you can find all that we know about the various plants is to follow each plant link to our webpage on that plant. Most have Propagation Instructions, but if you are not satisfied with what they tell you, scroll down that webpage to Additional Resources, and click on the link to Google on that plant. You will find a great many more links there. These all appear to be native to North America and to New York. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, home of Mr. Smarty Plants is dedicated to the growth, propagation and protection of plants native not only to North America but to the area in which they are being grown, so if we discover any of these that are not in our database, we will link you to information on them.

To save you waiting for our answer, if you wish to research a list of plants native to North America, go to our Native Plant Database. Type the common or scientific name into the Search Native Plant Database box, click on GO, and you will get our webpage on that plant. If you misspell by even one letter or it is not a plant in our database, you will get a message saying you have zero results. You can then try going to Google, which forgives mistakes and will take you to sites with information on that plant. We find that the Wikipedia website can usually tell if your plant is non-native to North America.

1) Calamagrostis canadensis (Bluejoint)

2)Iris virginica (Virginia iris)


3) Scirpus cyperinus (Woolgrass)


4)Peltandra virginica (Green arrow arum)


5)Sagittaria latifolia (Broadleaf arrowhead)

 

6) Saururus cernuus (Lizard's tail)


7) Scirpus validus - This is not in our Native Plant Database, but we believe it is native  to New York, so follow the link to another website on it.

8) Nuphar lutea (Yellow pond-lily)


9) Scirpus acutus - not in our database, but native to North America

10) Sparganium eurycarpum (Broadfruit bur-reed)

11) Typha latifolia (Broadleaf cattail)

12) Cephalanthus occidentalis (Common buttonbush)

 

From the Image Gallery


Virginia iris
Iris virginica

Woolgrass
Scirpus cyperinus

Common buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis

Broadleaf arrowhead
Sagittaria latifolia

Lizard's tail
Saururus cernuus

Yellow pond lily
Nuphar lutea

Broadfruit bur-reed
Sparganium eurycarpum

Broadleaf cattail
Typha latifolia

More Planting Questions

Taproot tree to replace willows by pool
June 23, 2008 - Installing Pool with bomanite decking all around it. We're in process of cutting down 18 year old Weeping Willow due to root invasiveness and small messy leaves. Can you recommend a good shade tree w...
view the full question and answer

When to plant non-native red-tip photinia
November 17, 2011 - When do you plant the Red-Tip Photinia Flowering Shrubs in Roanoke VA?
view the full question and answer

Brown, dry leaves on weeping willow tree
May 01, 2008 - We live in central TX and have just planted a weeping willow tree. Our back yard has a retention pond and ravine that parallels our property and we were told that the weeping willow will do perfectly ...
view the full question and answer

Finding a source of Straggler daisy
October 14, 2015 - I've decided on Straggler daisy but am having trouble finding it. It would be perfect for me. Do I have to wait until next Spring for it to show up? Can it be ordered through a nursery or a landscape...
view the full question and answer

Pollinator garden for Belen NM
May 16, 2012 - Trying to set up a flower garden to attract bees and butterflies. Can you tell me what would be best to grow. I live in Belen, NM.
view the full question and answer

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