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
Friday - June 29, 2012
From: Lewiston, MI
Region: Midwest
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Identity of a pink-flowering bush with flowers like sweet peas
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I have found a pink flowering small tree / bush that has picky branches kind of looks like sweet pea flowers and the leaves kind of look like shumac. Growing near the thick woods of northern MIANSWER:
To look for your the bush you saw I did a COMBINATION SEARCH in our Native Plant Database, choosing "Michigan" from Select State or Province, "Shrub" from Habit (general appearance) and "Pink" from Bloom Color. I also did another COMBINATION SEARCH in which I substituted "Tree" for "Shrub".
Robinia hispida (Bristly locust) is the plant that best fits your description. Cercis canadensis (Eastern redbud) also has pink flowers that look like sweetpea flowers, but the leaves are wrong and it isn't prickly.
You should try for yourself the COMBINATION SEARCHES described above to see if any of the results look more like your plant than the ones I selected.
If the Bristly locust isn't your plant and you have photos of it, please visit our Plant Identification page to find links to several plant identification forums that accept photos of plants to identify.
From the Image Gallery
More Plant Identification Questions
ID for two flowers blooming in November in Buda TX
November 29, 2015 - two different plants growing in my wild area. 1. springs of tiny yellow flowers atop almost foot tall woody stem.
2. Clump of tiny near white bud like flowers. clump about 6 to 8 inches across on ...
view the full question and answer
Bermuda, not the only option in Memphis
November 04, 2014 - I'm building an energy efficient home in Memphis and want to extend that strategy to the landscaping. I'd like to plant native grasses, but this lot is surrounded by lots sodded with Bermuda grass....
view the full question and answer
Keys for identification of native plants in Ohio
April 22, 2005 - Do you know of any good web sites that provide keys for the identification of native plants? I'm conducting a wetland plant inventory in southwestern Ohio.
view the full question and answer
Houseplant identification.
February 03, 2011 - Please help me identify a houseplant that flowers a yellow flower at the base of plant. Its leaves are narrow, pointed and green on the topside and burgundy with small hairs on the underside of the l...
view the full question and answer
Native plants for Ohio with common name beginning with U, X or Z
October 13, 2010 - Hi Mr. Smarty Plants,
Are there any plants native to Ohio or the Northeast that have common names starting with the letter "U" "X" or "Z"? I'm sewing a cross-stitch sampler using the alphabet ...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |