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.

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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.

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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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Monday - June 23, 2008

From: Baton Rouge, LA
Region: Southeast
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Plant identification
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

Hi from Baton Rouge, I was out in Livingston Parish a week ago and saw a small tree that I had never seen before. I can't paste a picture here. It's sort of like an Osage Orange but the flowers are bright orange on 2" balls, not green as described and shown everywhere I've looked. Any suggestions? Is it a hybrid? HOw can I send you pics? I also purchased a plant from the Wildflower center last summer and it is still going. I'd like to know what that is too but I'm not sure that you would know it frim just a description. It is a perennial that dies down over the winter and produces continuous white blooms that resemble the bloom on a shrimp plant all summer long -till frost. Thanks for the assist. Cheers.

ANSWER: