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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 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!

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Saturday - August 04, 2007

From: Charlotte, NC
Region: Southeast
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Identification of rose campion
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

My friend shared a plant with me and I cannot identify it. She said that it was Rose Campriow? or something like this. It has very small pink/purplish blooms with grey green foliage. It is a perennial. Can you help me?

ANSWER:

Mr. Smarty Plants thinks your plant is rose campion (Lychnis coronaria), a native of Europe, northern Africa and Asia, but widely cultivated in the US. Here are more photos and information from the Missouri Plants database and from Floridata.

 

 

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