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
Monday - March 31, 2008
From: Weir, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Identification of Spaeralcea sp. Globe Mallow
Answered by: Barbara Medford and Joe Marcus
QUESTION:
Let's do it again....my computer had some "issues" and I lost your answer.... I purchased a mallow from the WFC about two years ago...I was told at the time they had not yet identified the plant...it is aproximtely 2 1/2 feet tall, has grey/sliver foilage with very bright orange flowers that have a yellow center. The leaf is not quite 2" with wavy margin. The plant is in full bloom right now and is stunning.ANSWER:
Sorry our first answer went astray. Here is the previous answer for you to read. We have since discussed this and can give you a little more accurate information. It may be S. lindheimeri but probably is not. Some very highly qualified experts in Sphaeralceas have been consulted, and they have conflicting ideas on what it is. The plant remains officially unidentified to species. We keep it in our collection because we know exactly where it came from (it was collected by a staff member) and because it is so gorgeous. For the time being, it will simply have to be identified as Sphaeralcea sp., Globe Mallow.More Plant Identification Questions
Plant identification of a trillium in New Jersey
June 23, 2011 - I have several Trillium grown from one seed source. The plant looks like Trillium cuneatum, but unlike that plant, the stems of these plants -- which seed freely in my Northwest New Jersey garden -- l...
view the full question and answer
Identification of fragrant, white-flowered bush in Arizona
April 14, 2013 - I'd like to identify a flowering bush which has white sweet-smelling flowers.
It is growing in the Coconino National Forest in the area near the Airport vortex/Airport mesa in Sedona, Arizona.
...
view the full question and answer
How to tell Monarda citriodora from Monarda punctata.
September 18, 2015 - Hello! I'm wondering if you could clarify the differences between Monarda citriodora and Monarda punctata. Perhaps they do a lot of hybridizing, but I have plenty of conflicting info on...
view the full question and answer
Can you identify a funny looking bulb that I bought at the grocery store? Probably not..
May 06, 2010 - I looked through your data base and did not find what I was looking for. I bought this funny looking bulb at a grocery store. It looked like a giant shriveled spider when i bought them. Due to lack of...
view the full question and answer
Plant identification
August 17, 2008 - We are trying to identify a plant we saw on a walk. It's about a foot high. About halfway up, the stem splits in two. From there up the two stems are covered with white kind of loosely trumpet sha...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |