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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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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.

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Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
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Sunday - May 27, 2007

From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Shrubs
Title: Identification of small shrub
Answered by: Damon Waitt

QUESTION:

Need an identity of a small bush, probably native . There is only a single limb sticking out of a large dense evergreen holly. It is deciduous, has opposite ovate entire simple leaves, and clusters of ovate fruit. Individual fruits presently about 1 cm or less long. The fruits appear black, but when viewed closely are a very dark blue. Fruits are in clusters, one to 4 or 5, on short thin pedicils at leaf axils. Sorry, I do not know how to attach a photo in this context.

ANSWER:

Please send us an email following the instructions below.

1. Tell us where and when you found the plant and describe the site where it occurred.

2. Take several images including details of leaves, stems, flowers, fruit, and the overall plant.

3. Save images in JPEG format, not more than 640 x 480 pixels in size, with resolution set at 300 pixels per inch.

4. Send email with images attached to [email protected]. Put Plant Identification Request in the subject line of your email.

 
 

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