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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| Identification of a vine in Tennessee June 14, 2014 I have a beautiful vine with clusters approximately 70 feet All the way up a tree in a heavily wooded area. It seems to be evergreen or semi- evergreen. Can you help identify? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification June 12, 2014 We live in Magnolia TX and have a shrub we can't identify. It's evergreen and has waxy leaves with a serrated edge that are about an inch in length. They have pink flowers and they grow to ab... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Need to identify hemp-like plant in Bastrop, TX. June 09, 2014 What is the large stalky, hemp-like plant that populates our creek bottoms and ditches here in Central Texas? It has large 5-6 in. lobed leaves, and a fibrous central stalk that gets up to 7 ft tall. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant ID from San Marcos TX June 07, 2014 My dogs love to eat the leaves of a certain little orange wildflower. It might be Wedelia or Texas creeping oxeye. Have you ever heard of this? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Giant Thistle-Like Plant from Elgin, TX June 01, 2014 I have a giant thistle like plant in my field we have been unable to identify. It looks like a milk thistle but it is short..only about a foot tall..stocky...and the flowers are giant..about 6 to 8 i... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant ID from Richardson TX May 24, 2014 Need to send a pic for id. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Unidentified stalk, possibly manfreda, from San Marcos TX May 23, 2014 I had a very weird stalk pop up in my yard in San Marcos TX this month (May 2014) It bloomed very quickly and appears to be a manfreda but there is no rosette, or leaves of any kind - just the thick o... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Non-native astilbe resemblance to non-native poisonous castor bean from Tomslake BC May 21, 2014 I have a plant that looks like a castor bean but it has flowers like a Younique Silvery Pink Astilbe. Need to id because castor bean is poisonous. This plant grows up to 5 feet in height. Thank you ! View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of tree with round purple leaves May 14, 2014 What is tne name of the purple leaf tree whose leaves are spherical? Maybe 1 to 2" in diameter? A neighbor who has moved now, had one but cut it down before i could find out or rescue it. It wasnt ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant Identification May 13, 2014 I am trying to identify a plant. The leaves looks like cannabis, (I know its not) its has red flowers and grows a green seed pod that turns yellow and falls off. It usually contains 3 or 4 seeds in th... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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