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 is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Saturday - September 01, 2007
From: Deleon, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Identifying
Answered by: Jimmy Mills
QUESTION:
i have a tree that i cannot identify. the leaf looks like a "pot plant"(yes, cannabis!!), but the leaf does not have serrated edges. it has a long bloom of numerous small white flowers that form a spike. my home was built in 1921 and i believe the plant(tree/shrub) to be from that period.ANSWER:
There are "pot plants" and there are potted plants, and Mr. Smarty Plants would surmise that you have neither. The description of the flowering spike eliminates Cannabis and when you say its a tree, its probably not in a pot.
From the description of the leaves and the flowers, we're betting that you have a Chaste Tree, Vitex agnus-castus. This is an introduced shrub that is widely used as an ornamental throughout the southern US. While commonly referred to as the lilac chaste tree, its flower colors can also be pink and white. Although many gardeners favor Vitex for its fragrance, and the fact that it attracts butterflies and humming birds, it does appear on the Texas Invasive Plants list. This website provides alternative plants, such as Eysenhardtia texana (Texas kidneywood) should you wish to eliminate the Chaste Tree from your landscape.
Vitex berries may be used in spice mixtures , and the plant has a long history of use in various herbal remedies.
From the Image Gallery
More Plant Identification Questions
Identiication of a flower in Valentine's Day Bouquet
March 05, 2015 - I bought a Valentine's Day bouquet for my wife and one of the flowers just won't quit (with some TLC, the lillies lasted 10 days). May I send a photo of the flower in question? I'd love to grow i...
view the full question and answer
Plant identification for Beeville, TX
May 14, 2011 - Today in Beeville, TX I came across a plant that looks like a grass, but has a small black and white dotted flower. The flower looks like an orchid. Could you identify this or give me direction as t...
view the full question and answer
Bee-friendly bush with small yellow flowers in Minnesota
August 04, 2015 - I was up north in Minnesota and saw a bee friendly bush with small yellow flowers clustered so they looked like small (4"-6") flocked Christmas trees. Any ideas? Thanks!
view the full question and answer
Identification of small plant
May 31, 2011 - Hi, Mr. Smarty Plants,
We are doing a biology project where we have to identify certain plants found in our area. We encountered a infinity symbol-shaped light green plant, about 4 cm high, and light...
view the full question and answer
plant identification, Portulaca pilosa, Kiss-me-quick
October 02, 2007 - There is a small plant with clusters of red-purple flowers and tubular succulent leaves on branching stems I found in the flower boxes at the top of the look-out tower there at the center. I forgot to...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |