Native Plants
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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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Sunday - April 26, 2009
From: Greenwell Springs, LA
Region: Southeast
Topic: Non-Natives
Title: Thorns on non-native orange trees in Greenwell Springs, LA
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
Navel orange tree has thorns, why is this?ANSWER:
The orange (Citrus sinensis) is a hybrid, possibly of pomelo (Citrus maximus) and tangerine (Citrus reticulata); it originated in Southeast Asia. As such, it is out of our area of expertise at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, where we concentrate solely on plants native not only to North America but to the area in which they are being grown. This Floridata website, Citrus Sinensis, has more information, and specifically says, "The twigs on many orange cultivars are thorny."More Non-Natives Questions
Non-native Bird of Paradise plant (Strelitzia reginae)
November 30, 2008 - I have two Bird of Paradise plants on my lanai (Marion County, FL) and they are both in large pots. Nobody but me seems to like them at my house and I have been asked if I could trim all the leaves o...
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Japanese Wineberry in Maryland
July 16, 2014 - Hello, we were at Cunningham Falls in Maryland and I can not identify this plant. If you could I would greatly appreciate it, thank you. It looks like a raspberry but the berries are inside small leav...
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Donation of seeds of Silphium Terebinthinaceum to India
October 03, 2009 - Hi,
I am located in India. I am planning to plant Silphium Terebinthinaceum in my garden in India. Please let me know who can donate me seeds to India. I need 20-30 seeds.
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Failure to thrive of non-native closet plant
August 26, 2008 - I have a closet plant that is not doing well no matter what I do or where I put it. What is the best way to care for one of these beautiful plants?
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Nativity of various bulbs
October 15, 2014 - Are the following bulbs native?
Chionodoxa forbesii
Camassia leichflinii
Crocus Sprint tommasinianus Barr's Purple
Hyacinthoides hispanica
Narcissus 'Actea'
Scilla siberica 'Spring Beauty' ...
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