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.
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Smarty Plants Question Topics
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
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| Plant identification July 24, 2010 Purchased foliage plant - no one knows its name. Leaves (stems) are bright green and 10" tall. Has "babies" like a spider plant but leaves (stems) are wider and thicker. Has a "rib" to them in... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification July 22, 2010 Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, (love the name), I have found a plant in my yard. Underground it looks like a green onion, above ground it has a broad leaf, a thin 8-12 inch stalk and the top 2" of the stalk... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification July 18, 2010 My daughter is working on a wildflower collection for her Biology class, we have found a flower, that, for appearances sake, is identified in books as Selfheal. This flower is taller than pictures we... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification July 15, 2010 I bought a double knock-out rose bush and planted it in my yard. A year later a weed-like plant started growing beside it. It has very thorny leaves, stems and stalk. Little purple flowers are grow... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification July 08, 2010 Found in a cedar swamp near Wolverine Michigan. Large dinner plate size flat green leaf on a mottled green and brown fleshy stem of about 8 or 10 inches. I first thought it was a tri-leaf plant but it... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification July 07, 2010 This should be an easy one. I would like to identify a plant that grows along river banks, usually up to the edge of the water and within 50' of water course, and is very common. It is up to 8' in ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants indigenous to Sedona, AZ July 07, 2010 I live in Sedona AZ and I want to plant indigenous plants in my garden. Is there a list of AZ native plants shrubs and trees that are indigenous to Sedona? If there is no list that is specific f... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification from Griffin, GA July 05, 2010 We live in Georgia and we found a mystery plant growing next to our garage. It is a short tree with non-waxy, oblong, dark green leaves. The fruit or berries are not clustered and start out green but... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification--vine with spiny pods in California July 05, 2010 I came across a vine while hiking in Orange County, CA. It didn't have flowers on it but has 3 or 4 inch spiny pods. What is it? The vine itself looks similar to a Morning Glory vine. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification June 29, 2010 I live outside of Cincinnati and I have a bush that has long yellowish leaves that grow like a spider plant. Just recently long purple things have grown in the middle of them. Is this normal or should... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Baby in a manger plant from Rock Hill SC June 28, 2010 I'm looking for the correct name for baby in a manger(It's a plant.) View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| plant identification June 27, 2010 I don't know if this plant is native, but it is a volunteer. It is a spiny , cane producing bramble . It produces tight clusters of inconspicuous fluffy reddish pink flowers about a centimeter acros... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of shrubs with red berries in Connecticut June 24, 2010 In my yard there are bushes about 4 1/2' tall with red berries. The berries are bright red and somewhat translucent with striations visible through the skin.I thought they were gooseberries perhaps, ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant ID from Bracketville TX June 23, 2010 A volunteer plant, 3 feet. 4 to 5 Dark green leaves from a central point, diamond shaped very serrated leaves with dark spots within the the leave. Stem is reddish. flowers are pinkish, small and clus... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Is the Ashe juniper native from Round Mountain TX June 23, 2010 Some friends and I disagree on something, and I hope you will settle the argument. Are the cedars found in the Texas hill country (ashe juniper) native or not? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant Identification June 19, 2010 Hi there. I have a plant in my garden I'm trying to identify. It started out looking like a cabbage but now is huge, It has a large stalk going up the middle with purple bell looking flowers coming... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Clarification for botanical (Latin) names for Herbertia June 17, 2010 I am looking for a clarification of scientific names. In the classic wildflower book 'Wildflowers of Texas' the author, Geyata Ajilvsgi, attributes the plant Herbertia with the name Alophia drummon... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of plant from wildflower mix in Radcliff KY June 17, 2010 I bought a wildflower mixture from local store; after planting, there is a 2 ft bush or plant with flowers that are yellow, and small like those on a cantaloupe, leaves that look like a watermelon, bu... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant Identification in Montfort WI June 15, 2010 There is a small orange flower plant that grows wild along highways and in uncut yards in northwest Wisconsin--We are visiting in Siren, WI and have tried to dig some up and take home to SW WI. They d... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification June 11, 2010 Dear Mr Smarty Pants.I hope you can help to save my sanity! I am a true believer in using native plantings, having a yard that is 99% native. I hope that fact provides me a little extra credit towar... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification June 10, 2010 I have a tall leafy green plant growing in my garden. It has long flowering limbs that bear a pod that looks like a tiny green pepper. It then turns purple and falls off. The flower that remains is... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification June 07, 2010 There are large trees with brilliant orange flowers around Naples FL. Can you tell me what this is? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| How to distinguish white-flowered Baptisias? June 07, 2010 How can I tell the difference between Baptisia alba and Baptisia alba var. macrophylla View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant that smells like cinnamon in Milford OH June 07, 2010 Wanting to know what wildflower/weed would be so aromatic and smells like cinnamon? Always enjoy this wonderful smell when my husband and I ride the motorcycle, but don't know what it is. Would like ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of night-blooming yellow flower June 03, 2010 My Nonna used to have a plant that was a night bloomer. It had leaves that looked like a dandelion, and bloomed a bright yellow flower at dusk. I have never seen anything like it although they were pl... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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