Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

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.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

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.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
4 ratings

Wednesday - January 20, 2010

From: Phenix City , AL
Region: Southeast
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Plant in North Georgia Mountains with strong fragrance
Answered by: Nan Hampton and Joe Marcus

QUESTION:

I need to ask a question about a plant in the North Georgia Mountains which are part of the Appalachian Mountains.I need help trying to figure out what plant in the North Georgia Mountains and the Appalachian mountains are putting off a very strong fragrance smell and when I mean strong, the smell is strong. This is a plant that you don't have to stick your nose into to smell. The plant's fragrance is so strong you can smell it from a good distance. I mainly smell the strong fragrance mostly during the hot summer months in certain parts of the mountains. Thank you and please give me some advice.

ANSWER:

There are a number of very fragrant species of plants in the North Georgia mountains and you haven't really given us enough information about the plant for us to definitely identify it.  Here are a couple of very fragrant plants that come immediately to mind, however:

Calycanthus floridus (eastern sweetshrub) and here's more information

Oxydendrum arboreum (sourwood) and here's more information

For us to be able to give you a definite identification for your plant, we suggest that next summer you follow the scent to the plant itself and take photos to send us and we will do our very best to identify it.  Please visit Mr. Smarty Plants' Plant Identification page to read instructions for submitting photos for identification.

Here are photos from our Image Gallery of the two trees above:


Calycanthus floridus

Calycanthus floridus

Oxydendrum arboreum

Oxydendrum arboreum

 

 

More Plant Identification Questions

Identification of strange dark green blobs
February 03, 2012 - In my back yard I have a type of plant with no roots only around in the summer and when it rains. It looks like a person took a piece lettuce and put way too much water into it and wadded it up. It ...
view the full question and answer

Plant identification for shrub in Florida
September 03, 2011 - On our street we have ornamental shrub planted in the median that has small waxy green leaves, produces small fragrant white flowers, and red berries with white pulp and small seeds on the inside. Th...
view the full question and answer

Plant Identification from Cold Lake AB
August 03, 2012 - How can I send a picture for you to help me identify a plant that grows in my garden that no one can seem to identify? I have taken a picture of it but can't seem to be able to attach it to this que...
view the full question and answer

Plant identfication
October 05, 2009 - While visiting a lake near Dallas, Texas this past summer, I found a flower floating in the lake. It was small, only about an inch or so across, had three petals, was a deep magenta shade, and had th...
view the full question and answer

Strange growths in flower bed in Virginia
July 07, 2008 - What in the heck are these strange growths in my flower bed?I can't even describe. May I send you pictures?
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.