Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

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.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

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.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

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!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
2 ratings

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. 

Monotropa uniflora

Monotropa uniflora

Monotropa uniflora

Monotropa uniflora

 




 
 


 
 

More Plant Identification Questions

Herb used in treating stomachache
May 14, 2008 - Growing up in St. Petersburg, Fl my father had an herb or plant that he pronounced kee-low and I always thought it was spelled kilo. He would take it and pick it, dry it out and then make tea with it....
view the full question and answer

Plant identification
July 07, 2010 - This should be an easy one. I would like to identify a plant that grows along river banks, usually up to the edge of the water and within 50' of water course, and is very common. It is up to 8' in ...
view the full question and answer

Identification of Canopy Plant
December 01, 2008 - I recently adopted a large house plant from a neighbor who moved away. He called it a 'Canopy Plant', but I'm having no luck with that name when I search for care tips. It seems to be in poor healt...
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

Plant identification
July 29, 2014 - I have a plant in my yard about 3' high, narrow pointy smooth leaves covered with small berries that are turning purple. What is this? a weed? should I eliminate it from my xeriscape garden or wel...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.