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 August 07, 2008 I have discovered a vine growing in my boysenberry patch, perhaps spread by birds, but I can't find it in any books. It has 5 smooth leaves with burgundy, pinkish racemes, much like snap dragon flow... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification, possibly Actaea rubra, red baneberry August 06, 2008 I came across a plant that has leaves similar to the astillbe shrub, stands about 3 feet high, and instead of a flower spire, has a chunk of bright red berries the size of medium-sized pearls atop its... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification August 06, 2008 Mr. Smarty Plants, I have some plants I cannot identify. They were given to me after a funeral. I love them, i would like to know WHAT THEY ARE??? Here are descriptions. I can get photos. (PS I liv... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant with red berries that grows near the Warner River August 04, 2008 We live next to a river, the Warner River, and every year these plants with red berries appear next to the river. we have search for name to no avail: the leaf is unique with one large spade shaped ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identifcation of fragrant, white camellia-like flower August 04, 2008 My friend describes a beautiful, unusual smelling flower. It was a white camellia-like bloom, but was not a camellia. It was flowering in June or July in the Alabama and Mississippi region. It had ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification August 03, 2008 6 2 ft. spikes appeared in an infertile part of my garden. They have a huge quantity of very tiny ochid-like flowers, mostly white with pink tinge. I took it to the master gardeners here and no one co... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification of red flower in Austin August 02, 2008 What is the plant I have seen in urban landscapes in Austin, Texas, that have bright red flowers at the terminus of what looks like a spray of green, jointed, drooping branches (or stalks). It forms ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| How to have Mimosa and Yucca identified. July 30, 2008 Hello, I have recently come across what I believe to be Mimosa microphylla in a very southwest corner of Mississippi. The only thing different about this patch is its brilliant white blooms! I can no... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification July 29, 2008 I have found what resembles a gooseberry growing from what appears to be a grapevine trellising on a fence beside a lake in East Texas. The stems are smooth and slender, nad as I stated before vine up... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification July 29, 2008 Greetings, Sir/Madam! What is the name of that weed that grows ubiquitously in St. Augustine, Fl (literally overnight when it rains) and has two skinny "arms", with little greenish beads on the arm... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identity of red raspberry-like berries in Connecticut July 28, 2008 I found some edible berries today in the woods that look like raspberries, are red like raspberries, but don't taste like them at all. They're very shiny red, remove easily from the bush. The flavor... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| How to get rid of plants spreading fluffy seeds July 27, 2008 I live in Blaine, MN next to a Lake. The "buffer zones" next to the lake are filled with native grasses, weeds & wildflowers. We are trying to identify a plant that blooms July with lavender flowe... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| What is gelatinous plant in a Missouri lake July 25, 2008 Q what is gel like plant floating in lake looks like a bag filled with green living plant and is see thru and has red. when touched feels like piece of fat but seems to be living in water. Missouri View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Purple bellshaped flowers in Washington state July 16, 2008 on Larch mountain, in the state of Washington, I saw purple, bell shaped flowers growing on a stalk. what are they? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Is Tagetes lemmonii a Texas native? July 15, 2008 Is the Copper Canyon Daisy (Tagetes lemmonii) a native Texas plant? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Mystery plant in hay fields in Tennessee July 13, 2008 I found plants growing in my hay fields that are about 4 feet tall, large leaves and blooms (ball shaped) bell flowers.That is, the blooms looks like a pom pom with about 50 to 80 small flowers "hang... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Pink flower in South Carolina, perhaps poisonous July 09, 2008 I saw a beautiful plant while touring Charleston, SC. I do not remember the name - the tour guide talked about a long time ago women giving it to their husband's in tea (maybe?) to kill them. Of co... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Strange growths in flower bed in Virginia July 07, 2008 What in the heck are these strange growths in my flower bed?I can't even describe. May I send you pictures? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification July 07, 2008 I live in NE PA and have two plants that are growing under our pine tree. One has 2 leaves and and looks a lot like lily of the valley and the other has 6-10 leaves with white berries on the end. I wa... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant Identification July 06, 2008 I am trying to identify a small tree or large plant here in Indiana. I have seen it from 6 ft to as tall as 15 to 20. It is a green leaf with pink cone shaped growth at the ends of a branch. The co... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification possibly red buckeye July 06, 2008 I encountered a shrub-like plant in the Edwards Plateu noth of Bracketville, and could use your help with identification. It's most distinguishing charactaristics are the seed pod, which has three c... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Orange and fuschia flowers on bushes in Maine July 01, 2008 I recently visited Portland,ME from end of May to the second week in June. many of the homes had these beautiful flowering bushes next to the houses. The flowers grew in clusters similar to hydrangeas... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Moonnflower native to North America June 30, 2008 Is the plant called moon flower a native plant to North America? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification June 27, 2008 A friend brought back pictures of plants from a recent trip which included the center. It didn't have an identification sign on it and no one was around at that moment for him to ask. I can send th... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification June 25, 2008 Identification of woodland plant in a rual area ? we have bears britches and another plant simaler, but the leaves are flat and smooth, each leaf is on a seperate stalk and each plant has 3 stalk... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification June 23, 2008 Hi, I live in southeastern PA, and want to identify a wildflower . It about 36" tall, with a showy red spiked flower at the top, appox. 2" in diameter. Thanks, Robin View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Looking for pink star grass (Rhodohypoxis milloides) June 23, 2008 I am looking for a wildflower/plant called Pink Star Grass (common name). I am not sure what the proper name is. Can you help me with this? I would like information on it, and also would like to pu... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification June 23, 2008 Hi from Baton Rouge, I was out in Livingston Parish a week ago and saw a small tree that I had never seen before. I can't paste a picture here. It's sort of like an Osage Orange but the flowers a... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of cattail look-alike, except red June 21, 2008 I would like help identify the wildflowers growing beside the highways in my area so I can plant some at my house. We live in Sherwood Arkansas which is just north of Little Rock.The Highway where ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of thorny plant in Michigan June 16, 2008 i live in southern michigan and have a thorny plant with oval leaves growing in my flower beds. this used to be a grassy area how did it get there. i live on the edge of town. what plants in my area h... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Non-blooming orange bell plant June 15, 2008 My orange bell plant is not blooming. I live in Central Texas where it is hot. The plant has part sun, part shade. Is there any way to help it bloom? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification June 14, 2008 I have a plant or weed that is a five leaf leave and it is greenish-red and shinny. I have been searching the internet and can't seem to find what it is. It is spread throughout my back yard an... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification June 12, 2008 We are trying to identify a plant that looks a lot like elephant ear, but has round leaves not heart shaped. It is growing in a wet area that gets good morning sun. It is not a native. It returns e... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification June 11, 2008 I have a green plant given in memory of my mom, and I have no idea what it is. It has rounded smooth leaves, green on front, purple on back. Inside each leaf is the impression of another leaf then an... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification June 10, 2008 Mr. Smarty Plants, My neighbor gave me a plant that is about 3 foot tall, has a main stalk, and leaves that produce small “baby” plants at the edge of the leaves. These plants grow roots and once dev... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Care for Vauquelinia angustifolia (Chisos Rosewood) June 08, 2008 Hello, I have another question for you. A friend has given me a plant called "Chisos Rosewood" which they bought on a whim but decided they couldn't use. It's said to be evergreen. It's about... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of plant with large furry leaves June 07, 2008 I have 4 huge plants in my flower garden that I cannot identify. They look like an unfolding cabbage with large furry leaves. They also have tiny stickers on them. This a.m. I went out to check on ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Mystery plant in Scotland June 01, 2008 Hi I have a plant which has self seeded - I think from a packet of mixed salad leaves planted last year. The leaves are green turning to purple, about eight inches long and a bit like a savoy cabbag... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Are Yucca and Spanish dagger the same? May 30, 2008 We have Yucca, and we have Spanish Dagger. We don't think they are the same thing. Are they? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| What is it? May 29, 2008 We have two bushes about three ft. high that have narrow leaves that are about one to two inches long and glossy green on top side with soft green on back. They are fairly close together on stems with... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of orange flowering tree in West Virginia May 21, 2008 I was wondering if you might have any suggestions as to what small tree-like plant I saw over the last two weeks (mid May) in West Virginia, in the woods, in the mountains. With honeysuckle-like leav... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identity of 50 ft. tree May 20, 2008 I live in Austin and I have a tall (50-ft) tree outside my window. It's deciduous and has shiny, deep green, spear-tip, serrated leaves that vary in size from about hand- to dinner-plate size. I've ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Wildflower in southeastern Pennsylvania May 20, 2008 I live in southeastern Pennsylvania and want to identify a wild flower that is common along small town and rural roads and highways. It is blooming now (Mid May), has a flower spike similar to a larks... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Mystery plant in Vicksburg, MS May 20, 2008 I have a strange plant that has come up by a ditch next to my house. I've lived here 23 years and have never seen anything like it. I can only guess that it came up from a packet of wildflower seed... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of possible wild plums thickets May 19, 2008 I have several "thickets" of small shrub/bushes on my land that I hunt on. These small trees are usually 5-7 feet tall, always grow in thickets of ten to up to sixty or so bushes. They are always lo... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Instructions for sending photos for identifying plants May 18, 2008 Mr. Plants, Does your Ask.... form allow photo attachments, so you can see the uncommon native plants that interest us. Thanx. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Herb used in treating stomachache May 14, 2008 Growing up in St. Petersburg, Fl my father had an herb or plant that he pronounced kee-low and I always thought it was spelled kilo. He would take it and pick it, dry it out and then make tea with it.... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Tall skinny plant with tubelike flowers May 14, 2008 I already posted a question regarding a skinny plant with tiny tube like flowers and you gave me 6 possibilities unfortunately it is not one of them. I happened to see the plant again in my neighborh... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Hummingbird plants and Indian Hawthorn May 13, 2008 I live in The Woodlands in a new section of homes. I planted some hummingbird plants in full sun and they did ok last year for 4 months, then lost all their leaves and died when the winter came. At ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification May 11, 2008 Can you identify a plant in a shady part of our yard. I have a pictrure I would like to send and I don't see a way to do that here. Can you provide that assistance? Perhaps a direct email address so ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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