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
Thursday - August 07, 2008
From: Monroe City, MO
Region: Midwest
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Plant identification
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I have discovered a vine growing in my boysenberry patch, perhaps spread by birds, but I can't find it in any books. It has 5 smooth leaves with burgundy, pinkish racemes, much like snap dragon flowers? It reminds me of some flower, but I can't put my finger on it. The vine has crawled all over the boysenberry bushes. Thank youANSWER:
Here are some possibilities for vines native to Missouri:Galactia volubilis (downy milkpea)
Vicia americana (American vetch)
Wisteria frutescens (American wisteria)
If it doesn't happen to be one of these, please send us photos and we will do our very best to identify it. Please visit the Ask Mr. Smarty Plants page to read the instructions (under "Plant Identification") for submitting photos. Please take closeups of the flowers and of the leaves and the arrangement of the leaves on the stem.
More Plant Identification Questions
Submitting photos to assist with an ID
April 17, 2013 - How do I submit images to assist with an ID?
view the full question and answer
Identity of the mass fields of yellow flowers in North Texas
March 23, 2012 - Are the mass fields of yellow flowers we are seeing in north Texas now likely to be Indian Mustard (brassica juncea) or Charlock (brassica kaber or sinapis arvensis)?
We are teaching a wildflower ide...
view the full question and answer
Identification of tree in California
May 02, 2012 - A medium-size tree with shiny green leaves toward the bottom and garnet red ones toward the top of the tree. The leaves are narrow with saw-toothed edges. There are clustered small white flowers with ...
view the full question and answer
Seed pod of Proboscidea louisianica (Deveil's claw) in New Mexico
August 30, 2014 - I found the most amazing seed pods of the devil's claw right here in Albuquerque. I thought it was a wood skeleton of a pterodactyl (flying dinosaur, I believe), but heard it's a devil's claw. Ok...
view the full question and answer
Plant Identification
March 11, 2009 - Hello. I don't know if this is a North American native plant, but here's my question: I have a soft, low groundcover that looks like a miniature version of Foxtail Fern. Lowe's folks suggested it m...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |