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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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.
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Sunday - October 16, 2005
From: Round Rock, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: General Botany, Plant Identification
Title: Smarty Plants on forbs
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
What kind of plant is a forb? I see the term used frequently in reference to grasses (I think), but I can't figure out exactly what a forb is.ANSWER:
A forb is any herbaceous (non-woody) flowering plant that is not a grass or grass-like (sedges or rushes). The term is usually used in reference to those plants growing with grasses in fields, meadows or prairies. Some examples of forbs are dandelions, clover, bluebonnets, columbines, milkweeds, larkspurs, phlox and many, many more.
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Information about Erigeron annuus and Erigeron philadelphicus
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I am looking for information about the specific leaf area of Erigeron annuus and Erigeron philadelphicus. Do you know of anyone who is working with any these species, who might be able to provide...
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Science Fair Question
December 12, 2011 - Dear Mr Smarty Plants,
I'm working on a project for the science fair and I need to find a plant that can survive in all climates in order for my experiment to work. What plant should I use? I hope ...
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Flower color in shooting stars (Dodecatheon meadia)
February 25, 2010 - Shooting Stars (Dodecatheon meadia) come in the colors white, lavender and purple in the eastern U.S. Is this just genetic variability or does soil chemistry affect the flower color?
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Variation in leaves for Vitis mustangensis
May 17, 2012 - Hi, I am doing a sculpture of a mustang grape vine in limestone. In seeking a good leaf image I notice that there are both roundish shaped leaves and highly divided or "fingered" shapes on your sit...
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