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
Sunday - June 19, 2011
From: League City, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Plant identification
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I am trying to identify a flowering plant I saw today in Houston. Its leaves are green and it produces beautiful flowers with 4 petals that kind of remind me of a pinwheel. The petals are about 2 inches long and are yellow in the center and then change to more of a white color at the tips. I have photos but don't see a place to upload them. Also, it was a potted plant and was probably at least 6 feet tall. Any help would be appreciated! Thank you.ANSWER:
The description of your plant and the fact that it is a potted plant leads me to believe it isn't a North American native. Since our focus and expertise at the Wildflower Center is with plants native to North America, we aren't really the people you should be asking to identify a non-native plant. However, if you visit our Plant Identification page, you will find links to several plant identification forums that will accept photos of plants, native or non-native, for identification.
More Plant Identification Questions
Plant with stalk of purple berries
August 27, 2008 - I have a plant that just grows.large hollow purple stalk, purple berries in long clusters ,
grows very tall any thoughts.. it grows like a weed
view the full question and answer
Plant identification
October 25, 2009 - Deer are devastating understory in our woods. We have a highly resistant shrub purchased years ago at the state arboretum plant sale. It is about 5-6' tall, somewhat wider than that, many suckers/o...
view the full question and answer
Plant identification
June 10, 2010 - I have a tall leafy green plant growing in my garden. It has long flowering limbs that bear a pod that looks like a tiny green pepper. It then turns purple and falls off. The flower that remains is...
view the full question and answer
Identification of plants seen at Disneyworld
May 11, 2007 - I was hoping for the answer to a certain plant that i have been trying figure out the name of and where i might be able to purchase this particular plant. I have seen it in the Bahamas, Hawaii, and re...
view the full question and answer
Plant identification, possibly Datura wrightii
August 25, 2010 - I have a plant in my back yard, it had big white trumpet flowers, and now it has huge green pods. Doesn't smell very nice. Could you tell me what it is?
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |