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.

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Sunday - August 02, 2009

From: Plano, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Medicinal Plants
Title: Medicinal plants in North Texas
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

Hi, I would appreciate some sort of list for medicinal plants in North Tx. I'm a photographer wanting to photograph this type of plant life. Thanks!!

ANSWER:

Sorry, but Mr. Smarty Plants doesn't know of a ready list of medicinal plants for North Texas, nor even for all of Texas. Here are some suggestions, however, for references that you can use to make such a list. First, Delena Tull's book, Edible and Useful Plants of Texas and the Southwest, gives medicinal uses for many of the plants included in the book. You can check on the occurrence of the plant in North Texas by searching for it by its scientific name in the USDA Plants Database. Clicking on Texas on the map of the plant page will show you which counties it occurs in. For instance, Monarda fistulosa (wild bergamot), according to Tull, was made into a tea to soothe sore throats by the Shakers. If you will click on Texas on the USDA distribution map you will find that this plant occurs in North Texas. Second, you can find a list of Texas Edible and Medicinal Plants associated with Texas' First People (Native Americans). You can check those against the USDA Plant Database in the same manner as above to see if they occur in North Texas. You should note that not all the plants listed on this website or in Tull's book are native plants (N), some are introduced plants (I) that occur in Texas. The USDA Plants Database also shows that information for each plant.

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Sunday - August 02, 2009

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