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
Saturday - May 12, 2012
From: Struthers, OH
Region: Mid-Atlantic
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Identity of plant growing on deck
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I can't find the name of a plant that I had on my deck, it didn't come back this year. It was a bush like plant that grew wild, it bloomed May thru August with red small flowers. My deck gets full sun. I am not sure if it was an annual or perennial but it was in a planter. I'm looking for the same type of greenery that will bloom all summer. My husband is driving me crazy looking in greenhouse for this plant. Any suggestions.ANSWER:
The fact that the plant was growing in a planter leads me to think that it was a non-native cultivar. Since our focus and expertise at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center are with plants native to North America, we aren't your best source for identifying non-native cultivars. If you have a photo of it, you can submit it to one or more of the Plant Identification Forums listed on our Plant Identification page.
You do say that it grew wild. If you dug it up from the wild and planted it in your planter, it may well have been a native plant. To look for it, you can do a COMBINATION SEARCH in our Native Plant Database by choosing "Ohio" from the Select State or Province, "Shrub" or "Herb" from the Habit (general appearance) slot and "Red" for Bloom Color. You also can choose other characteristics that help to describe your plant. Another way to look for your plant is on the list of Ohio Recommended plants which are: "Commercially available native plant species suitable for planned landscapes in Ohio." If you don't find your plant, perhaps you will see another plant that you like.
More Plant Identification Questions
Identification of plant responsible for thorns in dogs' fur
October 02, 2009 - Do you know of a plant or bush that has very small, very thin triangle shaped thorn? My dogs have been coming in with these in their fur and I want to get rid of the plant/bush they are coming from.
view the full question and answer
Picture in newspaper from Austin
June 02, 2012 - Your gardening story for the Jan 21,2012 in the Austin American Statesman pictured a pale green bush with purple flowers, however the plant was not identified. Can you tell me what it is?
Thanks
view the full question and answer
Plant identification
October 10, 2009 - I am trying to name a pink fall blooming wildflower. It is growing in a ditch and has several blooms on a stalk about 4' tall.
view the full question and answer
Identification of yellow blooming plants near Temple, Texas
November 07, 2011 - This question may be a challenge. We noticed fields of
yellow blooming plants in the fields east of Temple. They
appear to be about 4 inches tall. (we were on a bus and
could not stop to look cl...
view the full question and answer
Need Plant Identification from Bon Aqua, Tennessee?
September 01, 2010 - By a creek, I found a plant that I have never seen in my life. It has a tall stalk and has leaves like a weed or grass, and the flower looks like a pine tree. The plant looks like a mix of a grass, a...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |