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
Saturday - August 15, 2009
From: Minersville, PA
Region: Southwest
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Plant identfication
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I have this strange bright orangey-red plant growing in my yard that I have never seen before. It's about 3 inches tall that comes to a point on top and is hollow inside and very soft? What could it be. I pulled it out and a week later another one grew in the same spot.ANSWER:
Mr. Smarty Plants loves to identify plants, but it is difficult to do from description alone. If you can send us photos, we will do our very best to identify your mystery plant. Please visit Mr. Smarty Plants' Plant Identification page for instructions for submitting photos.More Plant Identification Questions
Plant identification request
September 15, 2007 - I took a trip to Arizona in 9/06. While out walking through public land I encountered a beautiful plant with very distinctive leaves, color of woody stems and flowers. I have scoured the USDA plant ...
view the full question and answer
Dyes from native North American plants
November 29, 2012 - Dear Mr. Smarty Plants,
I have been working as a textile designer for many years and am now interested in harvesting native North American plants in order to create natural dyes.
Which plant ...
view the full question and answer
Identification of tree with outrageous thorns
August 10, 2014 - Can you identify this tree? It has these outrageous thorns on its trunk. They are in clusters and are anywhere from 1" long to 4" long or so.
view the full question and answer
Plant identification
October 10, 2009 - Please try to identify a shrub growing beside a country road in Van Zandt Co this month. It had tiny, slender cone shaped fruit or "flowers" along the branches. The leaves are dark green, about 1 i...
view the full question and answer
Holly-like groundcover under live oak tree.
June 21, 2012 - I have looked and looked and cannot identify a wonderful groundcover holly growing in the shade beneath my 100 year old Live Oak here in Austin. I have looked up every possible Ilex variety and am stu...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |