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
Wednesday - July 16, 2008
From: Vancouver, WA
Region: Northwest
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Purple bellshaped flowers in Washington state
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
on Larch mountain, in the state of Washington, I saw purple, bell shaped flowers growing on a stalk. what are they?ANSWER:
Here are a few possibilities:Gentiana affinis (pleated gentian)
Mertensia ciliata (tall fringed bluebells)
Mertensia longlflora (small bluebells)
Mertensia oblongifolia (oblongleaf bluebells)
Mertensia paniculata (tall bluebells)
Campanula rotundifolia (bluebell bellflower)
If your flower doesn't happen to be one of these and you have a photograph of it, please send it to us and we probably can identify it. Visit the Ask Mr. Smarty Plants page and read the instructions for submitting photographs under "Plant Identification".
More Plant Identification Questions
Identity of vine in New York
September 30, 2013 - Hey there. I've recently found a "Wild Cucumber" vine in my backyard, which has been taking over our electric fence. Now I've stumbled across another very similar vine.
They fruits are clustere...
view the full question and answer
Identity of tree with pumpkin-like fruit in Florida
October 02, 2012 - Hello. I live in a small town called Molino FL. I was walking on the side of our road and found a tree with pumpkin type fruit on the limbs. I have been trying to figure this tree out for about 3 mont...
view the full question and answer
Identity of vine growing in Naples Florida
September 15, 2014 - I live on country/residential property outside of Naples, Florida. This year I have had dozens of seedlings of some type of vine popping up all over. I have posted on a couple plant blogs looking for ...
view the full question and answer
Identification of plant with long skinny stems and red flowers
May 07, 2008 - I keep seeing around this very pretty plant that has long skinny stems and bright red flowers that are tube like and skinny too. I would love to get this plant but do not know what it is called.
view the full question and answer
Plant identification called Touch-Me-Not, Impatiens sp.
July 03, 2009 - Dear Mr. Smarty Plants:
My grandmother used to have a bed of plants that would come up every year that she called "Touch Me Nots". The flower was about 1 1/2" across, orangey with flat green leav...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |