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
Monday - April 25, 2005
From: Lowell, AR
Region: Southeast
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Smarty Plants on Plant Identification
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
We bought our house last October and there were beautiful pink flowers blooming along our sidewalk. They bloomed until past Thanksgiving. They resembled Azaleas but we don't know what they were. They stood about 8 or 10 inches tall. Do you have any idea what would bloom for us like that? We are rather new to the area and have never been in an area where we were able to successfully have a flower garden. Any help you could give us would be greatly appreciated.ANSWER:
From just your description I am afraid we can't really give you an identification. We would be very happy to try to identify the flower if you could send us a photograph. You can learn how to submit a photograph electronically on the Ask the Expert page. If it is a native plant, you could also try to find it by doing a "Combination Search" on the Native Plants Database. Under "Bloom Characteristics", select "pink" and the month. Under "U. S. Distribution" select "Arkansas". Selecting "November" as the month I didn't find anything that resembled the azalea, but you might try other months you know that it was blooming and search the images. It is possible that it is an introduced nursery plant and not a native plant and wouldn't be in our Native Plants Database. You might contact someone at Arkansas Home & Garden, from the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service or a local garden center to help in its identification.More Plant Identification Questions
Possible gourd vine growing in backyard in Camden, TN.
July 17, 2012 - I have a long green vine growing in my backyard. It's got green bulbs the size of kiwi on it and they're filled with white seeds. I would appreciate it if you guys could tell me what it is! Thanks!
view the full question and answer
Plant ID at Wildflower Center from Waco TX
June 18, 2012 - I was at the Center last weekend and no one was able to answer these two questions: 1. Where can I buy Silver Ponyfoot groundcover? 2. What is the name of the plant with coral blossoms in front of...
view the full question and answer
Identity of plant growing on deck
May 12, 2012 - I can't find the name of a plant that I had on my deck, it didn't come back this year. It was a bush like plant that grew wild, it bloomed May thru August with red small flowers. My deck gets full...
view the full question and answer
Plant identfication
August 14, 2009 - a vine plant with small white flowers with a small red flower on the end of the bloom,looks like a little red bird sitting on the flower.It is beautiful.
view the full question and answer
Plant ID from Foster RI
April 05, 2012 - I have a weed flowering plant in bloom in a moist semi-shaded area. I would like to send a photo but I do not know how to upload.
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |