Contact Us Host an Event Volunteer Join

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?

Share

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
3 ratings

Monday - March 09, 2009

From: chicago, IL
Region: Midwest
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Plant identification
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

green stemmed,whorled leaf,compound leaf, ovate shaped, hairy stemmed thing is fastly taking over my sandy rocked based soil cactus garden. what could it be? i bought my garden in florida

ANSWER:

Mr. Smarty Plants loves to identify plants, but it is very difficult—if not impossible—to do so from a description alone.  If you will send us digital photos of the plant, we will do our very best to identify it for you.  Please visit the Ask Mr. Smarty Plants' Plant Identification page to read instructions for submitting photos.
 

More Plant Identification Questions

Strange growths in flower bed in Virginia
July 07, 2008 - What in the heck are these strange growths in my flower bed?I can't even describe. May I send you pictures?
view the full question and answer

Plant Identification
August 15, 2008 - My father-in-law received seeds from a friend-- he didn't know what kind of plant it would grow. Now he questions what kind of plant it is-- it has a red stalk and 17 inch leaves, it appears to grow...
view the full question and answer

Identification of Swamp Rose (Rosa palustris) in Atlanta
May 28, 2006 - I live in metro Atlanta. I have a rose variety growing wild in the woods that resembles a Cherokee Rose except it is pink and has seven leaves on the stem. Can you identify it from this description? T...
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

Plant Identification
August 29, 2011 - Hi- I am currently am AP Biology student and have two plants left to identify that I found at a lily pool in Chicago. Can you help me identify them? One I believe is a fern, the other a flower. Th...
view the full question and answer

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