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
Saturday - June 20, 2015
From: Paron, AR
Region: Southwest
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Identity of plant friend bought at plant sale
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
Can you Please Identify this plant? A friend had bought it at a plant sale and she thinks it was called a money tree. I am curios as to what it really is because it has jagged edges on the leaves and after looking up Money Trees, their leaves don't look the same?ANSWER:
The only plant I could find called Money Tree is Pachira aquatica, a native of Central and South America and it doesn't have leaves with jagged edges. Our focus and expertise here at the Wildflower Center are with plants native to North America and I suspect, like the Money Tree, the plant your friend bought at the sale is NOT native to North America—thus, we are not the right organization to ask to identify it. If you have photos or can take photos of it, please visit our Plant Identification page where you will find links to several plant identification forums that will accept photos of plants for identification.
More Plant Identification Questions
Assistance in photographing Turnera diffusa in Rio Grande Valley
March 20, 2006 - Do you know where I can photograph a specimen of Turnera diffusa Willd. ex J.A. Schultes var. aphrodisiaca? I'll be in Texas in May and it is on my list to try and locate. I understand it grows in ...
view the full question and answer
Smoketree not flowering in Beverly Hills CA
June 29, 2011 - Why is my Smoke tree not flowering? It is big and the leaves are beautiful but no blooms.
view the full question and answer
Wildflowers that grow in woodlands
June 22, 2011 - Please tell me the names of wildflowers that grow under your oak trees in Texas. I am only familiar with those open meadow plants, not those that live under the deciduous trees. Thank you for your t...
view the full question and 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 the full question and answer
Wild onions and garlic in Genus Allium
June 25, 2006 - My husband and I found a strange bulb like plant that when broken open it smells and tastes like strong onion or garlic. The heads are at the top of the plant though not at the root base like most wil...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |
