Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

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

Wednesday - October 04, 2006

From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: General Botany, Shrubs
Title: Mechanism for Cenizo bush blooming before rain
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

Why does cenizo (aka barometer bush) bloom before it rains?

ANSWER:

There are plenty of references to Cenizo/Barometer Bush/Texas Sage/Texas Ranger (Leucophyllum frutescens) blooming in response to rain and/or high humidty; however, I have not been able to find any information about the mechanism for this response. Texas A&M's Plant Answers is also clueless about why this happens. It seems logical to think that if rain provides water for the root system to take up, the plant would respond by blooming. The mechanism for triggering the plant to bloom simply from high humidty is a little harder to imagine, but perhaps the leaf stomata are able to take in enough moisture to also elicit the flowering response.

 

More Shrubs Questions

Coursetia axillaris from cuttings from Elmendorf TX
October 31, 2013 - I have been able to propagate the Coursetia axillaris (Texas Babybonnets) from cuttings. Will the plants grown from cuttings bloom faster?
view the full question and answer

Knife Acacia or Shrubs for Austin
April 07, 2011 - Hello, Do you know if knife acacia is a suitable plant for North Austin? Does it have sharp leaves or thorns? How large and full does it get? We are looking to replace our existing pampas grass...
view the full question and answer

Planting shrubs on a rocky slope
September 13, 2008 - I need to plant a rocky slope, facing south and west, to cut down erosion. Other than creating terraces, are there tricks for securing individual shrubs or trees to a slope when planting? What plant...
view the full question and answer

Living blooming plants for November wedding in Austin
April 07, 2014 - I am an environmental educator whose daughter is getting married in Austin in November. I would like to use living blooming native plants as decorations and then donate them to a local school to plan...
view the full question and answer

Stem canker or leaf fungus in Morella cerifera
June 14, 2007 - Dear Mr.Smarty Pants: The upper half of our wax myrtle, which we had allowed (with artful pruning) to reach about ten feet suddenly died this spring (it dropped most of its leaves and didn't sprout...
view the full question and answer

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