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 - June 19, 2007
From: Austin, TX
Region: Select Region
Topic: Managing Roadsides
Title: Identification of Monarda citriodora on roadsides
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
What is the name of the lavender wildflower so prevalent right now throughout the Texas hill country? It's an upright stalk that has lighter and darker lavender petals with rows of green leaves separating them.ANSWER:
I'm betting this is Monarda citriodora sometimes called Lemon Beebalm, Horsemint, or Bergamot. I've noticed it, too, and have never seen such a beautiful display as we have this year, thanks probably to the rains in the Fall and Spring. This native Texas wildflower can be an annual, a biennial, or a perennial. It attracts butterflies, is a nectar plant for bees and hummingbirds and is deer resistant! And, it grows well on limestone shelves. What more could anyone in Central Texas ask? It is native to this area but has been successfully introduced to other parts of the country.
Monarda citriodora is a member of the mint family. The leaves have a lemony scent, and it blooms with lavender to pink flowers from May to July.
From the Image Gallery
More Managing Roadsides Questions
Planting bluebonnets along highway
April 28, 2007 - We are in the process of fencing our land located on a main highway. We are supposed to fence 80ft. from the center of the highway. That is a lot of land just sitting there. I wanted to know since we ...
view the full question and answer
Pictures of Bastard Cabbage from Dallas TX
April 07, 2012 - HI! Re your March 12 posting:
The USDA Plants website pictures two very different looking plants identified as Rapistrum rugosum (bastardcabbage). Would you please post a photo with leaf and bloom ...
view the full question and answer
Digging wild buttercup from roadside in Mechanicsville MD
May 28, 2012 - Mr. Smarty Plants, is it illegal to dig out wild buttercup in Maryland? I see them along the dirt road or just in the ditch. Since buttercup considered weed, I'm wondering what the law say about this...
view the full question and answer
Suggestions for street trees for Texarkana TX
July 23, 2013 - Texarkana, TX, is going to replace a few and add some new street trees downtown. The engineers specified crape myrtle. When I asked if they would consider native trees instead, I was told they thought...
view the full question and answer
Managing Roadsides
March 20, 2004 - I’d like to plant some wildflowers as part of a community or roadside project. Will you provide the seeds or grant money?
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |