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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Thursday - February 24, 2005

From: Plymouth, England, Other
Region: Other
Topic: Non-Natives
Title: Smarty Plants on Walter Ernest Jones
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

My parents are both huge gardening fans and for a mothers day present I would like to find a plant for her garden that has a connection with "walter ernest jones". Any part of this name would be great as it is in rememberance for my late grandfather.

ANSWER:

If you lived in Texas, I would have some native plant choices for you. For instance, there is Philadelphus ernestii, canyon mock-orange, and Cooperia jonesii, Jones rain lily. However, I haven't been successful in finding a native British plant with a name connected to your grandfather's name. You can view a check list of native British plants and even search the Postcode Plants Database for a native plants species list for your particular location. Unfortunately, I couldn't see any names that would link to your grandfather's name. You can visit the Royal Horticultural Society's Plant Finder and see what they can guide you to by searching on "jonesii" or "jonesiae" or "ernestii" or "walteri". Since these will not necessarily be British native plants, your mother may encounter difficulties in growing them in her garden. Several of the species I found there are native to the U. S. You can see information about them by searching the Wildflower Center's Native Plants Database and the U. S. Department of Agriculture's Plants Database, but we do not recommend growing native American species in England. Perhaps the Royal Horticultural Society can help in finding a native plant for your mother's garden that will honor your grandfather's name.

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Thursday - February 24, 2005

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