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 May 07, 2008 I have a green bush that us come up in the old garden spot it has littl green balls all over it with seeds like in them, what could it be? Thanks View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of plant with long skinny stems and red flowers May 07, 2008 I keep seeing around this very pretty plant that has long skinny stems and bright red flowers that are tube like and skinny too. I would love to get this plant but do not know what it is called. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification May 07, 2008 I have a plant growing in my yard that I would like to know what it is. It has two very different leaf types on the same plant. One set of leaves is thick and oval in shape, the others look very much ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of low plant with like waterlily pad May 04, 2008 Mr. Smarty Plants, I have a low growing plant with leaves the shape of a waterlily pad, approx.1" growing all over my yard. I actually like them but would like to know the name of the plant. Thank y... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Correct photos of Cynoglossum virginianum April 30, 2008 I recently found some "wild comfrey" (Cynoglossum virginianum) growing in woodlands in Atlanta,GA. When I used the photos on Wildflower Center website to ID this plant, I found what appears to be t... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of a flower, perhaps a yarrow April 27, 2008 There is a a flower blooming now on the roadside and in fields here in Waco. It really looks like Yarrow, but I don't want to harvest any and make a mistake. Can I send a pic to you guys and see if... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Good website for identifying wildflowers April 27, 2008 What is a good website to identify wildflowers? I have done Google searches and none of the websites seem to help. Where should I go? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Locating Rhododendron calendulaceum April 26, 2008 Trying to locate Rhododendron calendulaceum View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| What is difference between Rhododendrons and Azaleas April 23, 2008 I am replanting my entire front yard as a native woodland garden (I am on Long Island, NY). I am having a hard time finding native rhododendrons and/or azaleas. I would prefer to remain true to the ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Looking for rattlesnake flower April 22, 2008 I taught school for many years. The students and I identified wildflowers. I had one I call Rattlesnake Flower. It was small and had a little blue flower. On the leaves were little seed cases that... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of plant with purple leaves and yellow flowers April 21, 2008 I'd like to know the name of a plant that has purplish leaves and sends roots out underground to make new plants. It can be invasive. It has yellow flowers. Leaves are oval in shape. Almost looks lik... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of orange hydrangea-like flower April 19, 2008 I am trying to identify a tree...It is a tree like bush if that makes any sense...It has tree limbs and it is bushy like a bush...I thought it might be a hydrangea bush that grows straight up instead ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Backward blooming Jack-in-the-pulpit April 18, 2008 why does my jack in the pulpit plant bloom backwards View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identity of maroon flower taking over bluebonnets April 14, 2008 there is a maroon colored flowering weed at my ranch in Oakwood Texas. It is taking over the bluebonnets and indian paint brushes. Can you tell me what it is and how to get rid of it. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plant identification from photos April 11, 2008 I have 3 photos of the same plant, and no one knows what it is. Can I send you the photos, they are small jpegs, for identification? Thank you. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of pink flower near Austin April 10, 2008 My mother found a flower early this spring at Chrystal Falls park just outside of Austin. It was between red and salmon pink in color, tubular in shape and about 4 inches long. It smells very bad, a... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of wildflower in Illinois April 03, 2008 I have a similar question to the one asking about the blue/lilac wildflower in Illinois. Every year here in IL a blue, stragly, petal-ed flower/weed blooms - particularly along the edge of curbs alon... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of Spaeralcea sp. Globe Mallow March 31, 2008 Let's do it again....my computer had some "issues" and I lost your answer.... I purchased a mallow from the WFC about two years ago...I was told at the time they had not yet identified the plant... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Nomenclatural puzzles March 25, 2008 Hi Mr. Smarty Plants. I have been looking all day for this information. I am look for a plant that is in the genus Cucumis but not in the family Cucurbitacea. A plant that is in the family Cucurbit... View Mr. Smarty Plants' 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 Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of growth on possible oak tree March 24, 2008 We have photographed a very unusual bloom or growth on a tree we suspect may be an oak, and would like to submit photos of the bloom, bark, and (leafless) tree to someone for identification. My wild ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Distinguish between Huisache and Goldenball Leadtree March 23, 2008 How do you distinguish between Huisache (Acacia farnesiana) and Goldenball Leadtree (Leucaena retusa)? Thanks! View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Origin of name Bluedicks (Dichelostemma capitatum) March 21, 2008 Why are Blue Dicks called that? I do a weekly wildflower update on the radio and I don't know the answer! View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Books for plant identification of native California species March 14, 2008 When I was going to college, many years ago, there was a field book for plant identification for California native species. I am trying to find that book again or at least a good pocket book on plant... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of a Globe Mallow March 14, 2008 Mr. SP, Two or three years ago I purchased a mallow at the Wildflower Center that (I was told) had not yet been identified. I have looked at your pictures of Sphaeralcea hastulata which has the same ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of maypop north of Houston March 08, 2008 I have some land in the country an hour north of Houston, Texas. There is a wild plant which grows in clusters from 10' to 20' wide. These plants grow about 6" or 12" apart.They are approx. one fo... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of plant purchased as desert willow February 29, 2008 Purchased a plant at Chappel Hill, Texas and was told it was a desert willow. The bloom cluster and pink color are very similar, but leaves resemble the wisteria. Very pretty. What is it? Can it be r... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Instructions on posting photos of plant for ID February 29, 2008 I need help identifying an adopted tree. How do I post the picture so I can show you? It's a odd one I've never seen. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of old plant called pinks February 28, 2008 For years my mother had a pretty pink flower in her yard. It was in a little cluster of green leaf like bush. She just called them pinks. They would close in the sun and open in the morning or afte... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Information about native aconitum February 27, 2008 There was a picture of a plant in our local newspaper this past week. In the photo ID they called this plant an aconite, a member of the buttercup family. My questions are: is there such a plant? is i... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of plant that looks like a spider plant February 25, 2008 Okay Mr. Smarty Pants, I have an identification for you. I have no pictures, but I've been staring at this plant for weeks trying to figure out what it is. I got it as a cutting from a friend who got... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Help identify a plant. February 21, 2008 Could you help me to identify this plant? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of native Texas plants from a list February 09, 2008 Please identify Texas Native Plants from the list below: Cotoneaster, Bi-color Iris, Greencloud Sage, Dwarf Wax myrtle, Nolina, Spineless prickly pear, Gulf Muhly, Bamboo Muhly, Big Muhly, Maiden Gra... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Is there a variety of bluebonnet called black gumbo February 04, 2008 I live in Grimes County, Texas on the eastern edge of the Blackland Prairie. A few years ago my hillside of Bluebonnet seed was harvested. I was told it was a rare 'black gumbo' variety of bluebon... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Is there a Salvia azurea var. alba? February 03, 2008 Is there a Salvia azurea var. alba? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of plant, possibly giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida) January 30, 2008 I am trying to identify a weed that was prevalant where I grew up in North Central Texas. It grows in low spots and along creeks. It has woody stalks with short spines, grows 3'- 6' tall, the leaves... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Looking for name of fragrant, night-blooming plant with flower resembling gardenia January 05, 2008 The plant that I am looking for is a night bloomer, strong scented and has leaves and flowers similar to gardenia. I have seen a picture of the plant but not the actually plant. Can you give me an id... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of plant with bell-shaped flowers January 03, 2008 Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, I am in need of a plant name to purchase. It is absolutely beautiful. The plant has light green leaves, the flowers that bloom look like bells (of course they hang upside down... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification December 24, 2007 I have a question about a plant that looks like a fern that has small red looking flowers and has thorns. Also it is very small (probably 2-3 inches tall). I'm just wondering what it is cause it grow... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification December 06, 2007 I had a coworker bring back a branch of tree from San Antonio and the end of the branch fans out into a drapery type structure about a foot long with bud looking things all over it, almost fungally lo... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of an Australian tree. November 29, 2007 i have a tree i cant seem to find any info on, the tree has large almost heart shaped leaves with pinkish veins running through them, its not shiney anywhere, sort of a mat finish,the edges of the lea... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification November 18, 2007 We were at some friends' ranch in Bandera Co. last week and found a plant with 1 inch pea-like pods of a matchstick girth with square black seeds. There were no leaves left only smooth green stems w... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification November 01, 2007 I am trying to identify a wild flowering plant. It grows in pastures near Rhome Texas. How can I email a digital photo to you to look at it?? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of plant, probably Eryngium leavenworthii (Leavenworths eryngo) October 26, 2007 burr like bloom shaped like small pineapple,purple in color,grows in a cluster on single stem,dries well View Mr. Smarty Plants' 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 Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identifying plant October 21, 2007 What plant is usually found growing in low-lying freshwater marshy places with a single, straight-stemmed plant that grows to about one-to-two feet in height. The branches and leaves are sparse with ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of plant, probably Datura. October 15, 2007 We currently have in bloom a very leggy, about 2 foot high volunteer plant in Fredericksburg, TX that has a segmented stem, single large trumpet shaped flowers that stick straight up about 4 inches in... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of giant lilies October 12, 2007 I have giant lilies that I can't identify. The bulbs are about 4" in diameter, the leaves are 4 ft long. The flowers of the pink emerge only in the early summer, the flowers of the red emerge in s... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of plant known as mosquito plant (Agastache cana) October 11, 2007 I received some seeds from an annual plant that came from Bowie, Tx. It has square stems, like mint plants, medium size leaves turns purple when in the sun and had a strong odor when brushed against. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Information about plant called Josephs tears, possibly Jobs tears (Coix lacryma-jobi) October 08, 2007 I recently received a plant and was told it was a succulent called Joseph's Tears. According to the individual who gave it to me, during the month of September it develops a little growth at the tip... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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