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
Tuesday - June 14, 2011
From: Weatherford, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Plant identification in Parker County, Texas
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
Hi. Growing alongside a country road, here in Parker County I photographed what I thought might be cardinal flowers. However, in searching books and on the net, I cannot find any quite like these. The stems have short slender leaflets (like a bottle brush flower only green) and are green while the flower (at the top) is 6 petaled star shaped bright red flower with what appears to be 4 yellow stamens. The bottlebrush type of stem is what is confusing me as I cannot see this type of stem/leaf structure in any of the pictures I've found. I can send you pics if you want. The entire plant is about 4' tall and is very stricking in its bright red color. Any ideas??ANSWER:
Your flower sounds like Ipomopsis rubra (Standing cypress) and they are very striking! Check out the photos below. If that doesn't appear to be the flower you saw, visit our Plant Identification page to find links to several plant identification forums that will accept photos for identification.
From the Image Gallery
More Plant Identification Questions
Differences between Ratibida columnifera and Ratibida peduncularis
June 03, 2010 - How do you tell the difference between Ratibida columnifera and Ratibida peduncularis. On NPIN columnifera has red and penduncularis is solid yellow, but I have seen pictures listed as columnifera tha...
view the full question and answer
Plant Identification
March 11, 2009 - Hello. I don't know if this is a North American native plant, but here's my question: I have a soft, low groundcover that looks like a miniature version of Foxtail Fern. Lowe's folks suggested it m...
view the full question and answer
Plant identfication
October 21, 2009 - Hi...Can you please identfy the tall, evergreen shrub with purple plum-colored foliage that I have noticed in winter locally?...Hope so, need he color! THX
view the full question and answer
Plant Identification
August 13, 2008 - I have a plant that shoots seeds out of pods in late summer and grows like crazy. The stem looks like a rhubarb plant. It has multiple leaves, and beautiful flowers that look like orchids. I was wo...
view the full question and answer
Identification of tree in California
May 02, 2012 - A medium-size tree with shiny green leaves toward the bottom and garnet red ones toward the top of the tree. The leaves are narrow with saw-toothed edges. There are clustered small white flowers with ...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |