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 September 29, 2010 What is the name of the beautiful pink flowers with tiny Orchid-like blossoms occurring now all alongside the highways in the Bee Cave, TX and hill country area? Is it "slenderleaf false foxglove",... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification September 23, 2010 There is a vine that grows at my child's daycare that has been taunting me day and night, because I have no idea what it is and I typically have no problems identifying plants. Description: Vine- L... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification September 22, 2010 I live in Austin. Texas. My garden has been lying fallow for several seasons and earlier this week I started clearing the weeds and wild flowers in hopes of getting our vegetable garden started again... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification September 21, 2010 Dear Mr. Smarty Pants, Hopefully you can help identify the following plant. I've had a bush type of weed growing near my hay feeder for the cows this year that's about 2' tall has massive spikes o... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| What is the correct genus name for Fringe flower in North Myrtle Beach, SC? September 14, 2010 Is it Laura Pedlum or lorapetalum? I saw this shrub last week, and finally found a picture of it. The search engine listed about three different names for it! So what is the correct name, and does i... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification, possibly Phytolacca americana (American pokeweed) September 07, 2010 What wild growing plant has dark purple berries with a pinkish stem? The purple berries grow on their own stem and not in among the leaves, the leaves are green. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Information about a red-flowered Pavonia lasiopetala in central TX. September 07, 2010 I have grown Pavonia for years and just let it re-seed where it wants (and remove if I don't want it where it falls). This year I created a new 6 inch raised bed amended with compost and some manure... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification September 04, 2010 Please identify this tree: has leaves like a catalpa, blue/lavender flowers on a long flower spike at the end of the limb, green fruit/seed about the size of a pecan it is fuzzy like a peach with a h... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Need Plant Identification from Bon Aqua, Tennessee? September 01, 2010 By a creek, I found a plant that I have never seen in my life. It has a tall stalk and has leaves like a weed or grass, and the flower looks like a pine tree. The plant looks like a mix of a grass, a... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification of ethereal plant in Colorado August 28, 2010 We live in the south central mountains of Colorado in the upper Arkansas River valley near Salida, Colorado. During the past few weeks we have noticed a very mystic looking plant (flower/grass?) alon... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification August 28, 2010 I have a very distinctive vine accompanying morning glory in invading my beds - it is Prickly! (on the vine, underside of leaves, leaf stems). The leaf is not arrowhead, but a triangle; I've not seen... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification, possibly Datura wrightii August 25, 2010 I have a plant in my back yard, it had big white trumpet flowers, and now it has huge green pods. Doesn't smell very nice. Could you tell me what it is? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification from Sarasota, FL. August 23, 2010 Hi I recently went to Discovery Cove in Orlando Florida and saw a purple flowering tree/shrub that had branches similar to okra shape or starfruit shape, the leaves were very grainy similar to alligat... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification, possibly Phytolacca americana (American pokeweed) August 20, 2010 I have a patch of plants I can't find what they are, could you help? The plant is a tuber (resembles a carrot when it is small), the stalk is red and fibrous, comes back each year bigger, has green ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant ID from Bloomsdale MO August 19, 2010 I have found a plant growing on the side of the road in a weedy area, looks like a poker flower, the plant has Red/orange seed pods growing to a point. no flowers right now. grows on a stem very much... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant ID from Chicago August 18, 2010 This plant is VERY common along highways across the entire midwest, and often other parts of the country. It has a long stem with a cluster of white flowers usually only on the top of the stem. The le... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant ID from Chicago August 18, 2010 When I was hiking in Portland, OR, my friend had me eat a leaf off of a trail-side plant. It tasted very much like sour apple, it was delicious. It has average-sized green leaves and in July it had no... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant ID from Rigin TX August 18, 2010 I have noticed a low growing plant with slick geranium shaped leaves. Today (August 17) I found a tiny- about half inch five sided pod on it. Each side is shaped like a heart! Have not noticed any f... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant ID from North Carolina August 16, 2010 Hi Mr. Smartyplants, I know that you can identify blue cohash in a neat way: 3 stems which easy branch to 3 more stems which each branch into 3 more and then 3 leaves attached to each. Well, do you... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant ID from Beaumont TX August 13, 2010 I live in Beaumont Texas and have some trees on the land I hunt that look like a yaupon but put on a small blue berry that the deer devour in December. I have looked and searched the Internet but hav... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification from Tamaqua PA August 08, 2010 I live in PA, have a plant growing in my geranium planter, was told it was a moonflower, but it is not a vine. The flower is a white trumpet, six star, with purple in the middle. leaves look like ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification July 31, 2010 I have this shrub looking type plant with leaves that smell like lemons. The plant has a very small white flower on it. This shrub shows up in my yard every year in the summer. We are curious as to we... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification July 28, 2010 I am trying to identify a plant that was given as a gift.It is growing outside in a pot, it is about 20 inches tall. Has green leaves on top, purple underneath and lovely purple flowers. Seems to lik... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Does goldenball leadtree (Leucaena retusa) have thorns? July 26, 2010 I have a plant that I am told is a native Texas plant, but the person I got it from could not remember its name. They said it was very hardy and drought tolerant. It looks a little like goldenball lea... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification July 24, 2010 I was wondering if you could help me identify a plant in the carrot family that has invaded a portion of my property that I fear may be toxic. It looks most like the water hemlock plant (leaf-wise, ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification July 24, 2010 Purchased foliage plant - no one knows its name. Leaves (stems) are bright green and 10" tall. Has "babies" like a spider plant but leaves (stems) are wider and thicker. Has a "rib" to them in... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification July 22, 2010 Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, (love the name), I have found a plant in my yard. Underground it looks like a green onion, above ground it has a broad leaf, a thin 8-12 inch stalk and the top 2" of the stalk... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification July 18, 2010 My daughter is working on a wildflower collection for her Biology class, we have found a flower, that, for appearances sake, is identified in books as Selfheal. This flower is taller than pictures we... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification July 15, 2010 I bought a double knock-out rose bush and planted it in my yard. A year later a weed-like plant started growing beside it. It has very thorny leaves, stems and stalk. Little purple flowers are grow... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification July 08, 2010 Found in a cedar swamp near Wolverine Michigan. Large dinner plate size flat green leaf on a mottled green and brown fleshy stem of about 8 or 10 inches. I first thought it was a tri-leaf plant but it... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification July 07, 2010 This should be an easy one. I would like to identify a plant that grows along river banks, usually up to the edge of the water and within 50' of water course, and is very common. It is up to 8' in ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants indigenous to Sedona, AZ July 07, 2010 I live in Sedona AZ and I want to plant indigenous plants in my garden. Is there a list of AZ native plants shrubs and trees that are indigenous to Sedona? If there is no list that is specific f... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification from Griffin, GA July 05, 2010 We live in Georgia and we found a mystery plant growing next to our garage. It is a short tree with non-waxy, oblong, dark green leaves. The fruit or berries are not clustered and start out green but... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification--vine with spiny pods in California July 05, 2010 I came across a vine while hiking in Orange County, CA. It didn't have flowers on it but has 3 or 4 inch spiny pods. What is it? The vine itself looks similar to a Morning Glory vine. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification June 29, 2010 I live outside of Cincinnati and I have a bush that has long yellowish leaves that grow like a spider plant. Just recently long purple things have grown in the middle of them. Is this normal or should... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Baby in a manger plant from Rock Hill SC June 28, 2010 I'm looking for the correct name for baby in a manger(It's a plant.) View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| plant identification June 27, 2010 I don't know if this plant is native, but it is a volunteer. It is a spiny , cane producing bramble . It produces tight clusters of inconspicuous fluffy reddish pink flowers about a centimeter acros... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of shrubs with red berries in Connecticut June 24, 2010 In my yard there are bushes about 4 1/2' tall with red berries. The berries are bright red and somewhat translucent with striations visible through the skin.I thought they were gooseberries perhaps, ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant ID from Bracketville TX June 23, 2010 A volunteer plant, 3 feet. 4 to 5 Dark green leaves from a central point, diamond shaped very serrated leaves with dark spots within the the leave. Stem is reddish. flowers are pinkish, small and clus... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Is the Ashe juniper native from Round Mountain TX June 23, 2010 Some friends and I disagree on something, and I hope you will settle the argument. Are the cedars found in the Texas hill country (ashe juniper) native or not? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant Identification June 19, 2010 Hi there. I have a plant in my garden I'm trying to identify. It started out looking like a cabbage but now is huge, It has a large stalk going up the middle with purple bell looking flowers coming... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Clarification for botanical (Latin) names for Herbertia June 17, 2010 I am looking for a clarification of scientific names. In the classic wildflower book 'Wildflowers of Texas' the author, Geyata Ajilvsgi, attributes the plant Herbertia with the name Alophia drummon... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of plant from wildflower mix in Radcliff KY June 17, 2010 I bought a wildflower mixture from local store; after planting, there is a 2 ft bush or plant with flowers that are yellow, and small like those on a cantaloupe, leaves that look like a watermelon, bu... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant Identification in Montfort WI June 15, 2010 There is a small orange flower plant that grows wild along highways and in uncut yards in northwest Wisconsin--We are visiting in Siren, WI and have tried to dig some up and take home to SW WI. They d... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification June 11, 2010 Dear Mr Smarty Pants.I hope you can help to save my sanity! I am a true believer in using native plantings, having a yard that is 99% native. I hope that fact provides me a little extra credit towar... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification June 10, 2010 I have a tall leafy green plant growing in my garden. It has long flowering limbs that bear a pod that looks like a tiny green pepper. It then turns purple and falls off. The flower that remains is... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification June 07, 2010 There are large trees with brilliant orange flowers around Naples FL. Can you tell me what this is? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| How to distinguish white-flowered Baptisias? June 07, 2010 How can I tell the difference between Baptisia alba and Baptisia alba var. macrophylla View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant that smells like cinnamon in Milford OH June 07, 2010 Wanting to know what wildflower/weed would be so aromatic and smells like cinnamon? Always enjoy this wonderful smell when my husband and I ride the motorcycle, but don't know what it is. Would like ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of night-blooming yellow flower June 03, 2010 My Nonna used to have a plant that was a night bloomer. It had leaves that looked like a dandelion, and bloomed a bright yellow flower at dusk. I have never seen anything like it although they were pl... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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