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 is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

rate this answer

Wednesday - September 24, 2008
From: Pomona, MO
Region: Midwest
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Plant identification
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I found a flower about 5 inches tall and it is Pinkish White the head of it hangs down and looks like a rose that hasn't bloomed yet. It reminds me of an Orchid like Fairy . Its Mystic like! what is it I have been looking at pictures but no Matches. I found it in the bottom of my woods looking for mushrooms.ANSWER:
From your description Mr. Smarty Plants thinks this sounds like Monotropa uniflora (Indianpipe). Here are more photos and information. If this doesn't happen to be it, here are two websites of Missouri flowers that you can search by flower color—Missouriplants.com and Missouri Wildflower Guide. And, if you don't find your flower there, please send us photos and we will do our very best to identify it. Please visit the Ask Mr. Smarty Plants' Plant Identification page to read the instructions for submitting photos for identification.
More Plant Identification Questions
Removing non-native plants appearing in Austin in early spring
March 14, 2012 - In order to know which plants to keep and which to remove, is there a source to look up and identify common non-native plants that are seen in Austin about this time of the year (late winter, early Sp...
view the full question and answer
Plant identfication
July 27, 2009 - My wife and I have our first summer garden at our new home in the Panhandle of Texas. Included within our crop are several alien large, broad stalk, broad leaved plants with an extremely pungent, offe...
view the full question and answer
Plant ID from North Carolina
August 16, 2010 - Hi Mr. Smartyplants,
I know that you can identify blue cohash in a neat way: 3 stems which easy branch to 3 more stems which each branch into 3 more and then 3 leaves attached to each. Well, do you...
view the full question and answer
Plant in North Georgia Mountains with strong fragrance
January 20, 2010 - I need to ask a question about a plant in the North Georgia Mountains which are part of the Appalachian Mountains.I need help trying to figure out what plant in the North Georgia Mountains and the App...
view the full question and answer
Identity of plant that looks like green onions
April 06, 2013 - I have what looks like green onions growing in my lawn. They have small white flowers. Are they edible?
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |