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 identification June 07, 2011 Please help me identify this volunteer plant in my back yard in Austin, TX. It has long thorns. Thank you. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Summer fragrance from Naples FL June 07, 2011 Ever since I was a little girl growing up in Naples, Florida, there has been something that blooms in the summer. I smell this every day into the evening and it isn't a flowery fragrance, it was a li... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of plant from Tennessee June 06, 2011 I was trying to find the identity of a plant my Grandmother grew around her house in West Tennessee. It was a nonflowering plant, about 12-24 in tall, had thornless leaves similar in shape to holly l... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of a mushroom in England June 02, 2011 I have a fungi I cannot recognize. It has a whitish soft pithy stem about 2/3 mm wide and approximately 6-10cm long. It has no leaves just a white flower/seed case on the top of the stem. This head is... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identity of yellow thistle-like plant June 01, 2011 Dear Mr.Smarty Plants, I see this flower along the road but I can't seem to find it on your website. It looks like a yellow thistle and it is a panicle and a head. It is about a foot tall. Do you kn... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of small plant May 31, 2011 Hi, Mr. Smarty Plants, We are doing a biology project where we have to identify certain plants found in our area. We encountered a infinity symbol-shaped light green plant, about 4 cm high, and light... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Ivy with holes in its leaves May 31, 2011 Mr. Smarty Pants, Please help me, I was given an ivy (origin unknown). It is peculiar. It has holes in the leaves, not from bugs or from bacteria, etc. It is natural, the holes develop in some type... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Looking for the identification of spice or cinnamon bush May 30, 2011 My grandmother had a flowering bush that had little yellow flowers on it and smelled like cinnamon to me. She called it a spice bush. Could you help me name that bush? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of plant in wildflower show May 29, 2011 Was in Julian California yesterday for a wild flower display. Had a bad stomach ache as I was walking around looking at the flowers. Saw this one. About 6 inches tall. Instead of leaves, it had wh... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of small tree in McKinney TX with puffy red/pink bloom May 23, 2011 Looking for info on McKinney area sm/med size tree found at water's edge that has a puffy rd pink bloom. Thanks. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Visual difference between Yarrow and Queen Anne's lace in Austin, TX? May 16, 2011 What is different, visually, between yarrow and Queen Anne's lace? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification for Beeville, TX May 15, 2011 Hi, Mr. Smarty Plants, I just saw this question on your web site: "Today in Beeville, TX I came across a plant that looks like a grass, but has a small black and white dotted flower. The flower lo... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification for Beeville, TX May 14, 2011 Today in Beeville, TX I came across a plant that looks like a grass, but has a small black and white dotted flower. The flower looks like an orchid. Could you identify this or give me direction as t... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Mystery small tree with many large thorns May 09, 2011 In a small spot on over 2 acres, we have this strange tree/shrub. It is a single, straight stem with no branches, and has profuse, large thorns from top to bottom. At the top of the stem, the leaves... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of small plant with lavendar flower May 07, 2011 I have something growing in my yard and pasture that for some odd reason is growing all over the place. I never noticed it being this abundant before. I'm not sure if it's listed as a wild flower or... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Mystery plant in VA May 06, 2011 We bought a new house with an established garden bed last fall. We have a tall single stemmed plant with long slightly twisted leaves that looks like a tall tulip plant. However, it is just starting... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification for West Virginia May 01, 2011 Looking for the name of a wild flower in West Virginia, small golden colored petals..resembles a daisy. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of volunteer tree April 28, 2011 I have a volunteer tree in my yard that has a mixture of serrated, non-serrated, and partially-serrated leaves on it. My tree identification guides all assume either serrated or non-serrated. How do... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of trees in Georgetown and Austin area from Chilton TX April 24, 2011 I recently visited Georgetown,Texas and the Austin, Texas area. There were many multi-trunk trees in yards and in landscaping at the hotel we stayed at. What kind of trees are these multi-trunk tr... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of plant from childhood April 23, 2011 I am trying to locate and identify a plant from my childhood (I'm 65). It was either a small tree or possibly a tree formed hedge like plant. It had small roundish leaves scattered on tiny limbs simi... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of plants from India April 20, 2011 Where can I find identification of a plant that is from India. It climbs up trees and has beautiful small orchid type flowers. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of purple flower near Ft. Worth April 20, 2011 I'm doing a Flower Project for my Biology class. My partner and I have found a flower that we cannot identify and neither can our teacher. I found it on Interstate 35 going through Ft. Worth, Texas. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification April 07, 2011 Comal County, Texas. Trying to identify a plant found growing in Comal Co. It was growing along the ground, with long, spiky leaves, and a ball of green flowers with a dark purple/brown 5 pointed sta... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification April 06, 2011 I'm trying to figure out the name of a plant/shrub purchased a couple years ago. It was a shrub (about medium sized) with yellow blooms that smelled like lemon. I don't think it was lemon balm or le... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of tree along Austin highways April 01, 2011 I am trying to identify a large tree seen along many Austin Highways. The best ID can find is Western Soapberry, but the articles all specify white blooms. The trees I see have purple clusters of bloo... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification from Round Rock, TX March 31, 2011 Although I do not believe the tree to be native I would like to identify it if possible. This tree was found in the Round Rock area. The blossom has five white (lite pink?) petals and a "spray" of... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identity of recently purchased plant from Somerset MA March 29, 2011 I just bought a plant at Home Depot but it came with no tag. It has fairly large greyish green paddle shaped leaves, the leave stalks are pretty thick. Can you tell me what kind of plant do I have? I ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Taxonomic question about Viola missouriensis and Viola affinis. March 28, 2011 I have tentatively identified a violet as either Viola affinis or V. missouriensis. However, the pages for those species are dated 2007 and 2009, respectively, in the NPIN, while it read... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of plant along Austin's Hike 'n' Bike Trail March 28, 2011 Can you identify the tall (5-6 feet) lanky woody shrub which is growing on the south side of the Hike'n'Bike Trail in Austin? It is in a small garden, adopted by Maggie and Karl Key, near the new p... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identity of plant at Zilker Botanical Gardens March 22, 2011 I am trying to identify a large flowering shrub I saw at Zilker Botanical Gardens. The bloom looks like a small chrysanthemum bloom that has been ruffled. The bloom are yellow, white, or pink. We h... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification March 15, 2011 I don't know where this plant is from! I hope you can still help! I was given a plant,about 8in tall,stem and limbs are yellow it doesn't grow leaves it just has thorns do you have any idea what it ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of spiny plant in Yucca Mesa, CA March 02, 2011 I have a very prickly bush on my property near Yucca Mesa, CA, (high desert). 2 to 3 feet high. Branches mostly starting from the center near ground. Lots of 1 to 2 inch spines on branches. Dormant in... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant similar to painted buckeye in Stewart Co., GA February 26, 2011 My neighbor said that she saw a plant in Providence Canyon in Stewart Co, GA that was similar to the painted buckeye, but bloomed later in the summer. Do you know of this plant? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of low growing plants with flowers that resemble a bunch of grapes in Graford, TX February 10, 2011 I am in northwest TX and I would like to know the name of the early blooming, very low growing plant that has a single bloom on a bare stem--it is dark crimson and the blooms looks like a bunch of gra... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| No, you are not crazy. February 06, 2011 Has the family classification for Coral Yucca changed recently? I was going through some old notes and expanding them for a class I need to teach for some homeschoolers, and it appears that Coral Yuc... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Houseplant identification. February 03, 2011 Please help me identify a houseplant that flowers a yellow flower at the base of plant. Its leaves are narrow, pointed and green on the topside and burgundy with small hairs on the underside of the l... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identity of plant called 'Bell-flowered Yucca' associated with Lynn Lowrey January 20, 2011 Please help identify a plant, the seeds of which are labeled "Bell Flowered Yucca" and " H. lowyrii" (or, presumably, some variant of Lynn Lowrey's name). I believe that this seed was collected ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of tall dry, stalk plant in Central Texas January 19, 2011 I'm trying to identify a plant from my childhood in Central Texas, as I'd like to evaluate its potential as a biofuel crop. It is a stalk-plant, growing quite tall, 7-8' on average, with knobbed... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification November 30, 2010 I have had a plant for 37 years! It is a vine with leaves that grow in groups of three and they typically have 5 points. The leaves are dark green and shiny. I would love to know what this old friend ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification November 04, 2010 I am trying to figure out what this plant is..It has light feathery leaves like dill. It is an annual in the midwest. Height 5-6 feet tall. Stalk is about 3 inches wide with branches that are 2 feet l... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification November 02, 2010 Near Abilene State Park, a plant's leaves turn purple and it seems to have a pineapple looking growth. We call it the purple pineapple? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of two Solanum species in Thorndale, Texas November 01, 2010 Hi. NE of Austin in the Taylor/Rockdale area with sandy loam I have two kinds of nightshade. One has the deep rhizomes and stickers and is relatively small and weedy. The other, very similar in app... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant Identification from Round Rock TX October 26, 2010 I am looking for the name of a ground cover I saw that looked like large bur oak leaf in a silvery green color. It was in the shade. I tried a search with no luck. Thanks! View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification of yellow daisy-like flowers blooming in Austin October 25, 2010 What is the name of the yellow daisy-like bush that is blooming now all over the Hill Country of Texas? The plant varies from 3 to 5 feet. The petals on the bloom vary from 8 to 10. The flowers are... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification October 20, 2010 Need to identify multi branched plant, feathery appearance, approx 6' tall stalks, grows in clusters. Tiny whitish/pink flowers at top of stems. Very similar in appearance to milfoil, only these grow... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of thorny tree with lemon-like fruit October 14, 2010 What would be a small lemon like fruit that grows on a bush with large thorns? The fruit is about the size of a golf ball, kind of fuzzy yellow skin like a lemon and smells like a cross between an or... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native plants for Ohio with common name beginning with U, X or Z October 13, 2010 Hi Mr. Smarty Plants, Are there any plants native to Ohio or the Northeast that have common names starting with the letter "U" "X" or "Z"? I'm sewing a cross-stitch sampler using the alphabet ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Need an ID on a wisteria in Austin October 12, 2010 I bought a different type wisteria several years ago, before I started trying to grow native plants. It is the same type wisteria as the one planted at Threadgills on Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX.... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification October 12, 2010 Have two clippings from Monday the 11th that were growing out of small stumps. Tried to send you pictures of both cuttings of leaves. If you could tell me what you think they are, I would be thankful... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification September 30, 2010 My husband brought home a plant which I have not been able to id. It is a bush, has 2 ovate to ellipse leaves, whorled, with 4 (2 pairs) smooth thin skinned (you can see white veins under the skin rad... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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