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 is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Saturday - October 31, 2009
From: Pflugerville, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Wildflower Center
Title: Grass at Wildflower Center with purple glow
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
What is the clumping grass along the WFC meadow trail that has a seedhead resembling bermudagrass and a glow similar to purple three-awn when backlit by the sun. I saw it yesterday (Oct. 2) and wondered if it was Chloris verticillata.ANSWER:
Although there is some Chloris verticillata (tumble windmill grass) growing in the meadow at the Wildflower Center, Mr. Smarty Plants thinks that most likely what you saw was King Ranch (KR) Bluestem (Bothriochloa ischaemum). It is a native grass of Europe, North Africa and Asia and was introduced into the United States in the early 1900s, probably 1917 into California, for cattle food and erosion control. You can read more about the history of its introduction in an answer to a previous question. It is on the Texas Invasives list and you can read about how difficult it is to get rid of—that's why the Wildflower Center has plenty of it on its grounds. According to Dr. Kelly Lyons of Trinity University in San Antonio, the Texas Department of Tranportation's seeding of the rights of way of Texas highways with KR bluestem to prevent erosion has crowded out many of the wildflowers growing along the roadways—those that were also planted by TxDOT. KR bluestem is agressive and tends to take over and create a monoculture.
Despite all its bad traits, its seed heads do produce a beautiful purple 'glow'. These are quite evident along the roadside of MoPac on the way to the Wildflower Center. Here are photos of KR bluestem.
More Wildflower Center Questions
Souce for Glass Mulch in Austin
September 02, 2015 - Is there a special reason that broken glass is used in the courtyard flower beds? It's beautiful, wondering where to purchase some.
view the full question and answer
Epiphyte growing on oak trees in Wildflower Center
June 16, 2006 - Thank you for your response to my question on what is the epiphyte growing on oak trees.
I should have been more specific to say " the epiphyte growing on the oak trees around Lady Bird Johnson wi...
view the full question and answer
Why use native plants
March 14, 2004 - Why use native plants?
view the full question and answer
When does Ziziphus obtusifolia leaf and flower in Austin?
March 22, 2010 - Hello Mr. S.P.,
Do you know when the Texas buckthorn, Ziziphus obtusifolia (I believe), flowers (and leafs out) in Austin? Is there one at the Wildflower Center?
view the full question and answer
Flowering native plants for Evanston IL
July 12, 2009 - What flowering, native plants would be suitable for a backyard garden in Evanston Illinois?
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |