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 - May 23, 2015
From: Valley Falls, NY
Region: Northeast
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Identity of cinnamon-scented bush from Pennsylvania
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I had a "bush" in PA that the woman who sold it to me called a cinnamon bush. It had long branches with large (approx 5" long and 3" wide) dark green leaves attached evenly along each side of the branch. The buds opened to many petaled, 1/2 flat, dark purplish brown, about 4-5" diameter flowers that smelled cinnamonish. It grew from 12" to 6' in a couple of years. It was very leggy and we trimmed from the top. I live in NY now and I would love to get another one or three! Can you help?ANSWER:
Mr. Smarty Plants thinks the identity for your shrub is Calycanthus floridus (Eastern sweetshrub). Here are more descriptions of it from Missouri Botanical Garden, North Carolina Cooperative Extension and Clemson University Cooperative Extension. The USDA Plants Database distribution map does show it occurring in Pennsylvania and New York and you appear to be located in Zone 5 of the USDA Hardiness Zone Map and the Missouri Botanical Garden site says that it is hardy in zones 4 through 9. You can check our National Suppliers Directory for nurseries near you that carry native plants for possible sources of this plant.
From the Image Gallery
More Plant Identification Questions
Plant identification, orange honeysuckle
December 14, 2009 - I have two potted trees in my yard. They have honeysuckle-shaped, orange flowers that bloom year long and the leaves also resemble those of honeysuckle. There were no identification tags on them whe...
view the full question and answer
Grapevine at the Wildflower Center
November 05, 2013 - Hello :)
I recently visited the Lady Bird Wildflower Center for Goblins in the Garden. I'm curious if you all know exactly what type of grape is growing in the back of the garden near the "Heali...
view the full question and answer
Removing faded flowers from plants in Georgetown, DE
July 28, 2012 - I bought a chamase rose quartz that was in bloom. now the buds are dead, should i remove them or just leave them on the plant. they wont just fall off. and the tips of the plant has new growth.
view the full question and answer
Identification of perennial with dark red/purple flowers
November 17, 2011 - Need to identify a lovely perennial here in Norfolk, Virginia. It reseeds itself, spreads, and lingers into the late fall. It has rather thick, dark green, alternate spatulate leaves at the base wit...
view the full question and answer
Plant identification--vine with spiny pods in California
July 05, 2010 - I came across a vine while hiking in Orange County, CA. It didn't have flowers on it but has 3 or 4 inch spiny pods. What is it? The vine itself looks similar to a Morning Glory vine.
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |