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
Sunday - August 21, 2011
From: Acton, CA
Region: California
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Plant in Las Vegas with fern-like foliage and yellow/orange/red flowers
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
We were in North Las Vegas and saw a beautiful plant, I would love to find it. It had a fern like foliage at the bottom with long thin stems and a flower clump at the top with yellow/orange/red flowers. We live in Acton, Ca. and have the same climate as Vegas. Hope you can help identify it. Thanks.ANSWER:
Your description sounds like the native Achillea millefolium (Common yarrow). The native plant has white flowers but there are commerically available cultivars with many color variations. Here are a few of the cultivars:
- A. millefolium 'Paprika'
- A. millefolium 'Moonshine'
- A. millefolium 'Fireland'
- A. millefolium 'Red Beauty'
- A. millefolium 'Summer Pastels'
Sphaeralcea leptophylla (Scaly globemallow) is another possibility with orange flowers, but I don't know of ones with yellow or red flowers. Another globemallow, Sphaeralcea coccinea (Scarlet globemallow), also has orange flowers and leaves that look a bit fernlike. Here are more photos of the globemallows.
If none of these looks like the plants you saw in Las Vegas and you have photos of them, please go to our Plant Identification page where you will find links to several plant identification forums that accept photos.
From the Image Gallery
More Plant Identification Questions
How does Styrax youngiae differ from other Texas Styrax species?
August 18, 2013 - How does the Styrax youngae differ from other Texas styrax? Where can I find a description of all the Texas styrax trees?
view the full question and answer
Indentification of yellow four-petaled plant in Sonoma County CA
March 09, 2015 - Yellow four-petaled plant - low to the ground. Along the coast of CA in Sonoma County (near Bodega Bay) Might be Frying Pan but I can't find a decent description or the botanical name to look it up...
view the full question and answer
Good website for identifying wildflowers
April 27, 2008 - What is a good website to identify wildflowers? I have done Google searches and none of the websites seem to help. Where should I go?
view the full question and answer
Identification of plants emerging from "wildflower mix" of seeds
January 02, 2007 - I planted a "wildflower mix" a couple months ago, and now I have a bunch of plants growing that I'm not sure what they are. Some of them are starting to make buds, and I've been looking on the in...
view the full question and answer
Identification of orange flowering tree in West Virginia
May 21, 2008 - I was wondering if you might have any suggestions as to what small tree-like plant I saw over the last two weeks (mid May) in West Virginia, in the woods, in the mountains. With honeysuckle-like leav...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |