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
Tuesday - January 08, 2013
From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Plant Identification, Wildflower Center
Title: Identification of pink flower photographed at the Wildflower Center
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
Last August I took a photo at the Wildflower Center and now I'm trying to identify it. The flower has many pink petals that either stick straight out or downward and the center has pink frills edging white. Within the white area are dark spikes with pink at the ends. A stem of the flower may be split with several flowers at the end. The stems have fine hairs on them. What is the best way to identify this flower?ANSWER:
If you visit our Recommended Species page, you will find a section, WILDFLOWER CENTER: GARDENS, with links to a master list of all plants grown at the Wildflower Center and a list for each of several of the named sections of our gardens. When you open one of the lists you can use the NARROW YOUR SEARCH option to search the list by flower color and for other criteria (such as bloom time) that you think will help you find your flower.
I did such a search and the best match to the description you give is:
Palafoxia callosa (Small palafox)
Here are more photos of Palafoxia callosa from School of Biological Sciences at the University of Texas, Ozark Edge Wildflowers, and Missouri Plants.
In case that isn't the flower you photographed, here are a few other possibilites below that match your description somewhat. You should also try the search yourself to be sure I didn't miss your flower.
Dalea purpurea var. purpurea (Purple prairie clover)
Gaura lindheimeri (Lindheimer's beeblossom)
Mimosa roemeriana (Roemer's mimosa)
Monarda citriodora (Lemon beebalm)
Monarda fistulosa (Wild bergamot)
From the Image Gallery
More Plant Identification Questions
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
Identification of a plant similar to wild lettuc
March 24, 2008 - I have a plant that was growing by my swimming pool last summer. Its some sort of wild lettuce, but i have been unable to identify it with the resources i have.
view the full question and answer
Plant identification of bamboo-like plant in California
January 10, 2014 - We just bought a house in Cambria, CA. The plant I'd like to ID grows like bamboo -- spreading fibrous stalks abt 6' high with beautiful orange blossoms that protrude out the top of the stalk. The...
view the full question and answer
Instructions for sending photos for identifying plants
October 23, 2007 - I purchased a plant in Athens, GA at the trial garden at UGA. I have two pictures that I can email. It's growing really tall (over 6"). It has big, dark green leaves that are rough to the touch. It ...
view the full question and answer
Searching for a dye made from a French weed
June 09, 2009 - Dear Mr smarty plants, I watched a gardening show on cable and they talked about a place in France where they use a weed called Wod to make dye and dye fabric and several other items to sell. It was ...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |