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
Thursday - October 22, 2015
From: Deville, LA
Region: California
Topic: Plant Lists, Poisonous Plants, Herbs/Forbs, Wildflowers
Title: Indoor and Outdoor, Fast Growing Plants for California
Answered by: Anne Van Nest
QUESTION:
I’m looking for the best plants for me. I have small kids so they would have to be safe. I would like them to be able to grow inside or outside. I would love for them to grow fast and reproduce fast.ANSWER:
There are some native California plants that will grow indoors as well as outside such as Adiantum capillus-veneris (Southern maidenhair fern), but looking for the ones that will grow fast and reproduce fast as well as those that are non-toxic and safe for children really narrows the list. Also there are several California native cactus (in the Ferocactus, Escobaria, Opuntia and Mammillaria genera) that will grow indoors as well as in the garden but they have nasty spines and could be a hazard for small children.
Other ferns to try include Athyrium filix-femina (common lady fern).
Perhaps one of the native Salvias might grow well indoors as well as outdoors for you. Try Salvia spathacea (hummingbird sage) to see if it will work indoors. I could find no reference to this plant being poisonous (unlike some other Salvias). Good luck.
From the Image Gallery
More Poisonous Plants Questions
Palm tip wound in Sacramento CA
June 25, 2009 - My husband was stuck in his calf with a palm leaf, he is now complaining of stiffness where it went in, is there any kind of poison in it?
view the full question and answer
Memorial Tree Safe for Horses in Oregon
March 28, 2013 - Hi! I just lost my 33 year old beloved mare, Glory! She was my childhood horse and we have had her basically her whole life. We are looking for a special tree out in the pasture for her! She is bu...
view the full question and answer
Are the seeds of Texas ebony poisonous to dogs from Chandler AZ
October 30, 2009 - Please tell me if it is dangerous for my puppy to eat the seeds of a Texas ebony. She seems to be attracted to them.
view the full question and answer
Identification of plant with red berries toxic to dogs
August 29, 2011 - I recently retrieved my poor doggy from the Vet. He had eaten a berry from an invasive-commonly seen brushy plant growing along my neighbors fence line. We try to keep our side clear-but the small lar...
view the full question and answer
Identity of plant with thorns in Maryland
August 27, 2013 - I live in Maryland and was walking in the woods one day when I accidentally stumbled in to a thorn bush. I don't remember what color the thorns where or very much about the plant in general but I do ...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |