Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Your gift keeps resources like this database thriving!

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?

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
Not Yet Rated

Sunday - April 01, 2012

From: Horseshoe Bay, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Plant ID from Horseshoe Bend, TX
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

I am trying to identify two plants - one - a flower springing up in a mint patch/Users/leehsb/Desktop/DSC_0407.JPG/Users/leehsb/Desktop/DSC_0408.JPG and the next a small bunched plant in our garden (no flowers) /Users/leehsb/Desktop/Users/leehsb/Desktop/DSC_0410.JPG/DSC_0409.JPG Thanks for your help - we are strong supporters of the Wildflower Center.

ANSWER:

Thank you for your continued support of the work the Wildflower Center does in conservation and promotion of native plants.

It would seem you attempted to send us pictures of the plants you cannot identify, and we are no longer set up to receive pictures on the Mr. Smarty Plants site. Identifying native plants is lots of fun; but, it consumes lots of time and we don't have enough person-hours to do it anymore.  We can recommend several excellent online Plant Identification forums that will accept photographs of plants to identify.  Please visit our Plant Identification page to find the links to the Plant Identification forums.

 

More Plant Identification Questions

Identification of trees in Georgetown and Austin area from Chilton TX
April 24, 2011 - I recently visited Georgetown,Texas and the Austin, Texas area. There were many multi-trunk trees in yards and in landscaping at the hotel we stayed at. What kind of trees are these multi-trunk tr...
view the full question and answer

Plant identification
June 01, 2009 - I'm trying to identify a bush/shrub that is approx. 6 ft. with leaves like an azalea but has orange hot air balloon shaped balls that turn to small orange flowers. Blooming now in May. Dies back ea...
view the full question and answer

Seed pod of Proboscidea louisianica (Deveil's claw) in New Mexico
August 30, 2014 - I found the most amazing seed pods of the devil's claw right here in Albuquerque. I thought it was a wood skeleton of a pterodactyl (flying dinosaur, I believe), but heard it's a devil's claw. Ok...
view the full question and answer

Smarty Plants on Americas national plant
August 07, 2005 - What is America's national plant? (please answer this a.s.a.p because i can't figure it out and it's for homework)
view the full question and answer

Identification of a vine with red berries in Weatherford, Texas
October 17, 2014 - I have found a vine with red berries that I would appreciate an ID for. How can I send you a photo or two of it?
view the full question and answer

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