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.
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Smarty Plants Question Topics
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
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| topic | question | |
| Plant ID from Villa Hills KY April 21, 2013 Hello I have this plant but I don't know what it is. I want to know if it's edible or what it is. I think it's catnip. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Submitting photos to assist with an ID April 17, 2013 How do I submit images to assist with an ID? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of red/yellow/black flower in California April 15, 2013 Plant found, April Mount Diablo CA 6 symmetrical petals red with a pattern of a yellow flower with black edge in the centre, I can not identify, please help. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of fragrant, white-flowered bush in Arizona April 14, 2013 I'd like to identify a flowering bush which has white sweet-smelling flowers. It is growing in the Coconino National Forest in the area near the Airport vortex/Airport mesa in Sedona, Arizona. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of non-native Grape Hyacinth April 13, 2013 Mr Smarty Plants, can you tell me please, what is the name of the flower in the attached link? I see numerous references to it as blue bells or bluebells, but when I check the USDA Plants database, no... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identity of plant that looks like green onions April 06, 2013 I have what looks like green onions growing in my lawn. They have small white flowers. Are they edible? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identity of plant at funeral that smells similar to honeysuckle April 04, 2013 What plant or flower smells similar to honeysuckle? I live in Ohio and I smelled some kind of flower or plant at a friends funeral last spring that smelled similar to honeysuckle. It was... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identity of Dalea plant April 03, 2013 While in Austin recently (I live in Dallas), I visited Jardinero on Cesar Chavez and purchased a shrub identified only as "Dalea". It is 3-4 feet tall, upright habit, typical tiny pea family foliag... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of tiny blue flower blooming in February March 18, 2013 There is a very small four petal flower that appears near the end of Winter. (This year they appeared in late Feb). These little flowers are a "Light Blueish" hue. They are around a quarter inch ac... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of pale blue flower near Big Bend, TX March 14, 2013 I have looked almost everywhere in order to ID this bloom with no luck. Some blooms do arrive close but not quite. I live just outside of Big Bend National Park in Terlingua, TX. On a hike into Dog Ca... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| How to tell the difference between native and non-native thistles March 13, 2013 It's thistle time already. There are many plants in the aster family with thistle in their common name. Are "real" thistles only those in the genus Cirsium, or are there others as well? We are tryi... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of bush with red berries March 11, 2013 bush? grows along fence lines in rural areas; sheds foliage in fall; berries appear; colors vary from red to orange, depending on soil? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of plant with seed heads like goat head February 17, 2013 Sir, I collected some bizarre seed heads from some rough weeds around a stock tank in SE New Mexico. They resemble goat heads, with two long curving horns. I have photos but couldn't figure out how ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plant identification February 14, 2013 Please help identify a flower I saw growing in the woods in central Arkansas last week.It had a light yellow flower growing out of a very flat basal rosette made up of grey-green spade-shaped leaves. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of plant with red beans Catalina Mts., Arizona February 05, 2013 While hiking at the base of the Catalina Mts. near Tucson in Jan., I came across a plant, the pods of which were open, displaying a bright red bean. I took some of the beans to plant in my yard. I was... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of vine with large leaves and blue-black berries January 15, 2013 I visited a creek with a limestone seep spring that supplies it. Around the creek is growing some kind plant that has leaves that are very similar to a briar, or snailseed. However, the leaves of the ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of pink flower photographed at the Wildflower Center January 08, 2013 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... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of vine with hair-like prickles January 04, 2013 Trying to find out what kind of vine I ran into yesterday while climbing a deer stand. While pushing limbs and vines down from around me, I noticed hair-like thorns stuck in my sleeves and hands. This... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of yellow fruit with many fingers December 24, 2012 This is a yellow lemon smelling fruit with many fingers. Yellow in color. Looks like an octopus. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Dyes from native North American plants November 29, 2012 Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, I have been working as a textile designer for many years and am now interested in harvesting native North American plants in order to create natural dyes. Which plant ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of a tree in Florida with bell-shaped red flowers November 23, 2012 A friend in Florida has asked about identification of a tree with a flower none of us have ever seen. It starts with a green pod, then flowers into, what looks to me like a Chinese lantern, or bell. I... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of a vine in El Paso, Texas November 23, 2012 I live in Del Rio Texas - Zone 8/9 and I have a vine which can't be identified. It looks like a morning glory white flower with crimson throat, but the leaf pattern is like a 5-7 fingered hand with d... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identity of milkweed vine with smooth seedpod November 23, 2012 I believe the vine I am curious about may be Matelea reticulata. However, most of the pictures I have seen of that vine show bumps on the exterior of the seed pod, and the pod I have is green and smo... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Eliminating unwanted vine on arbor in San Francisco November 20, 2012 There is a vine growing on our arbor, it has sickle-shaped pods and is crushing the arbor, how do we get rid of it? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Mystery tree with yellow fruit in MN November 12, 2012 There is a tree at my workplace, about 8' tall, with small, pea-sized yellow berries right now (Oct. 2012). The berries are attractive to Cedar Waxwings, and the tree has small leaves that are simple... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
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