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.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Tuesday - April 08, 2014
From: Midland, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: General Botany
Title: How are full sun, part sun, etc, defined?
Answered by: Joe Marcus
QUESTION:
Hello, I have a question about sun requirements. Does saying something needs "full sun" mean a particular number of hours? Does it mean 6 or more hours / day? 8 or more? Is there an agreed upon numeric value for full sun, part sun, and shade? Given that we can fairly accurately model sun conditions now on a site, just curious where the line is drawn. Thanks so much. Love your work.ANSWER:
There are specific definitions for full sun, part sun, part shade and full shade, but with these definitions there is a healthy dose of art that's thrown in with the science of it. We define full sun as an area that receives more than six hours of direct sunlight each day. Part sun is defined as receiving four to six hours of sun each day, while part shade areas get two to four hours of sun daily and full shade areas are defined as receiving fewer than two hours of direct sunlight each day. However, the mitigating circumstances can be a bit tricky. For example, afternoon sun tends to be more intense than morning sun. Sometimes, reflected sunlight can play a significant role in light quality and intensity. Finally, geography also affects light intensity with desert areas and high-elevation regions having generally more intense sunlight than other places.
More General Botany Questions
Information about Erigeron annuus and Erigeron philadelphicus
January 10, 2015 - Hi!
I am looking for information about the specific leaf area of Erigeron annuus and Erigeron philadelphicus. Do you know of anyone who is working with any these species, who might be able to provide...
view the full question and answer
What caused purple heartwood in my Tuliptree?
June 15, 2009 - My Tulip tree was hit by lightning and all bark from the base of the tree up to 50 feet was blown off. The tree also sustained a significant crack through the trunk.
When the tree was cut down, we...
view the full question and answer
Clover in grass in Marysville WA
March 05, 2009 - I noticed clover growing in my grass and know that this is a sign of poor nitrogen in my soil.
I would like to know of some native plants / shrubs that I could put near my house in Washington that ...
view the full question and answer
Smarty Plants on plant names
March 16, 2005 - I want to learn what the scientific names of plants indicate about the plant physiology, its namer, its evolutionary relation to other plants, etc. Could you give a print or web source for looking up ...
view the full question and answer
Gardening books for Austin and Central Texas
June 09, 2008 - Hi,
I'm looking for a book for my wife. She is a beginning gardener here in Austin. Do you know of an ideal book or two that covers vegetable gardening and gardening in general in Austin/Central Tex...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |