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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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Friday - April 03, 2009

From: Pineland, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Vines
Title: Identify red-flowering vine in E. Texas
Answered by: Jackie OKeefe

QUESTION:

Beside a well on an old homestead in Deep East Texas, there is a delicate vine. The leaves are heart shaped with points all the way around. The flower is a bright red trumpet shaped. I saw an angel vine which had similar flowers, but the leaves were frilly and fern like.

ANSWER:

The mission of the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center centers on the native plants of North America. A search of our database for red-flowering vines native to Texas only turns up a few possibilities, none of which match your description.

The vine you describe sounds very attractive, but to make a positive identification, more information would be useful. If you can send a photo or photos, we are better able to help you. A picture IS worth a thousand words and colloquial names, which vary widely region-to-region, are unreliable. Hazarding a guess — delicate vine, flowers red and trumpet-shaped and a similar vine with fernlike leaves — maybe this is Quamoclit sloteri, Cardinal Climber. It is a descendant of the feathery-leaved Ipomoea quamoclit, Cypress Vine, and Ipomoea coccinea, Scarlet Creeper. ...But this guess could be totally in left field, so please send pictures. Go to: Instructions for submitting a photo for guidance on sending photos to us.

Hope this helps.

 

 

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