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 | |
| Cottage pink October 07, 2007 What is the flower cottage pink? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| plant identification, Portulaca pilosa, Kiss-me-quick October 02, 2007 There is a small plant with clusters of red-purple flowers and tubular succulent leaves on branching stems I found in the flower boxes at the top of the look-out tower there at the center. I forgot to... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Fungi in the flower bed October 01, 2007 Found a strange thing in my flower bed, while tilling. It was egg shape, white, with a little purple, soft but tough like leather on the outside, with a small 2 inch root. Curiosity got me so I cut it... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identifcation and wants to know about weeds September 30, 2007 My son planted some seeds in pots before he left and I don't know if I am watering weeds/plants??? One plant has green & red (lateral) striped stalks with something on the end that to me from Texas ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification, possibly genus Lonicera September 30, 2007 My friend found a plant growing in her timber (in Iowa). It has round green leaves with groups of green balls (seed pods?) growing in the center of the leaves. The stems appear to attach to the cente... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification September 30, 2007 We found this plant or something or other in our yard, in the area we found it usually stays wet and it was behind a old tree that was done. It has three big green leaves with a white stem that kind ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification request September 15, 2007 I took a trip to Arizona in 9/06. While out walking through public land I encountered a beautiful plant with very distinctive leaves, color of woody stems and flowers. I have scoured the USDA plant ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification, possibly Datura September 07, 2007 I have a wide green-leafed plant that has white flowers. This plant also has some thorny fruits in the shape of mines that float on the ocean. At the moment it is 2 feet high. I'm beginning to wo... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification, Chinese Lantern September 06, 2007 I have a plant growing along my fenceline that I am unsure of what it is. Some ppl have said it is a rare Chinese Lantern plant. I looked that up and it doesn't match. The plant right now sits about ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identifying September 01, 2007 i have a tree that i cannot identify. the leaf looks like a "pot plant"(yes, cannabis!!), but the leaf does not have serrated edges. it has a long bloom of numerous small white flowers that form a s... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identifcation of four o clock-like flower August 25, 2007 I've run across a flower I cannot find any information on. I saw it in West Virginia. I know that a pix might be needed to identify, but, since this is somewhat unusual, I thought possibly you might... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of plant in Illinois August 13, 2007 I've found a plant that I cannot identify. The plant is is very short, 2 inches tall maybe, and has very fragile, thin leaves and stem. The leaves about 1" long, are pinnate, with about 20 leaflets ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of Monotropa uniflora August 09, 2007 I found a peculiar flower in Nopoming Provincial Forest, Manitoba last weekend (August 4th). I found it growing in moss on top of rock (the Canadian shield). It was in shade. About 3 or 4 were clum... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Botanical name for \ August 05, 2007 A friend gave me a garden flower plant called "clown face". What is the botanical name and where can I get info about it? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of rose campion August 04, 2007 My friend shared a plant with me and I cannot identify it. She said that it was Rose Campriow? or something like this. It has very small pink/purplish blooms with grey green foliage. It is a perenn... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of plant growing in Plumbago August 01, 2007 Help - I have a strange looking plant that recently shot up in a potted Plumbago. I planted the Plumbago in its pot with Miracle Gro potting soil, and have been fertilizing with Miracle Gro as well. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identificaation of volunteer plant in Maine July 31, 2007 I have a volunteer in my garden in Maine that I have been unable to identify. It is a perennial that grows in full sun. It has formed a thick mat of plants whose leaves are about and its leaves are d... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of July 23, 2007 I'm trying to identify a plant and I'm having trouble doing so. The plant was called moss by my mother,but it looks like a succulent. It grows on the ground and looks like small vines with pink stem... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of possible edible huckleberry in Central Texas July 20, 2007 I'm trying to identify a plant in my backyard, and in particular, I'm wondering if it's an edible huckleberry of some kind. Given all the rain Austin has had this summer, I wonder if it's not bey... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Possible identification of native white buddlejas in Austin July 18, 2007 I am desperately trying to identify a plant. It looks perennial, is in full sun, is about 7 ft. tall, bloomed white blossoms (similar in form to buddleia) in June, which have now changed from rose-co... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of wildflowers in Wyoming July 15, 2007 I have taken some photos of wildflowers in Wyoming and although I have looked in several books and this website, I am still unable to identify a few. 1) very small white and lt. blue flower with 5 sep... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Possible identification of common mullein in New York July 06, 2007 OK I have a monster size plant, growing beside my patio, looked weedlike similar to a burdock when young, but different and interesting. So we let it grow its now about 7'2" tall grows about 2-3" ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of Cercis canadensis or Cornus florida July 03, 2007 I have what I think is a dogwood tree of some sort but I'm not sure. I wondered if I sent you a picture you could identify it. So far no one has. It's different because of its branches. They are red... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Mimosa pudica or \ July 02, 2007 I don't have a picture of a flower but I'm looking for a flower that I was told was called earthquake flower. It blooms at night. Could you help me? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Possible identification of Hydrocotyle bonariensis July 01, 2007 I went to Pedra Island two years ago I saw a plant that grew around the beach. It has a perfectly round leaf that has the stem in the middle of the back side of the leaf. It has small yellow flowers. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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