Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

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.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

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.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

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.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Friday - May 30, 2008

From: Mont Clare, PA
Region: Mid-Atlantic
Topic: Wildflowers
Title: Rules for picking wildflowers
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

I've always heard that, if not in a park or posted area, it is ok to pick one wildflower for every 13 and therefore leave a dozen. Is this at all true?

ANSWER:

Oh, absolutely. And then the Wildflower Police, who have been following you with radar and binoculars, swoop up to count and make sure you left the required twelve.

All right, only joking. Actually, what I think you're referring to is a way to help people understand that they should leave some wildflowers, or any other wildlife, for others to enjoy. In other words, don't take everything away. Here is a previous Mr. Smarty Plants answer to a related question (also from Pennsylvania, what's going on up there?) in which we discuss the rules, laws and courtesies concerning wildflowers. Our basic message is that wild plants left where they were growing will continue to be seen and enjoyed by others, will remain to drops seeds, and then reproduce for the future. As long as you are not on private property without permission or in a protected area, certainly it's okay to pick a few wildflowers, but don't pick them all, or destroy them "just for fun." And, as we said in our previous answer, consider growing some wildflowers of your own, and contribute to your own and others' pleasure.

 

More Wildflowers Questions

More on bluebonnets
April 01, 2003 - Is there such a thing as a red bluebonnet?
view the full question and answer

Poppies on Pflugerville, TX lake
April 26, 2008 - I live on the new Pflugerville Lake. We are trying to get wildflower seed to plant around the lake in the mitigation areas. Will Poppies grow here?
view the full question and answer

When to mow after bluebonnets bloom in Brenham, TX
May 04, 2009 - I live in Brenham, TX, and thanks to spreading 80 pounds of bluebonnet seeds last fall, we had a very small but promising showing of bluebonnets this March and April. The bluebonnets still appear to b...
view the full question and answer

Neighborhood association wanting wildflowers mowed from Grand Prairie TX
July 14, 2013 - For at least 15 years, I have been fostering growth of wildflowers in 60% of my 90x400' yard which include 150' utility trunkline easement in which I can plant no trees. This year, we had volunteer ...
view the full question and answer

Native plants that do not attract any kind of wildlife.
October 19, 2015 - Hi I live in Bexar County, Texas and I was wondering what would be some good NATIVE plants that could be planted in yards that do not attract any kind of wildlife (so no berries, nuts, fruits, thick c...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.