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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| Weed identification February 27, 2012 Weeds / Wildflower. I dream of a photo identification for weeds / wildflowers that pop up in my garden here in Austin, Texas. Maybe I don't want to pull them up. How do I know? Do you know of a b... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Information about pre-1920s biodiversity near San Antonio February 12, 2012 Dear Mr. Smarty Plants: I am transforming my .3 acre urban yard three miles north of downtown San Antonio into a native wildscape. I am planting all native plants using your website, books, and nea... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of strange dark green blobs February 03, 2012 In my back yard I have a type of plant with no roots only around in the summer and when it rains. It looks like a person took a piece lettuce and put way too much water into it and wadded it up. It ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of bushes with red berries in Tennessee January 31, 2012 I was recently traveling thru Clarksville, TN and saw these bushes (at the shopping mall) that had clusters of small red berries on them. They were not a Holly that I know of. The leaves were not th... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Instructions for pictures from Red Bud IL January 29, 2012 Mr. Smarty Plants, I followed your instructions on how to submit pictures for you to identify "If you would like to know what the plant is that came up, Mr. Smarty Plants loves to identify plan... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant ID from Woodcreek TX January 27, 2012 I would like to attach a photo of a weed in my lawn and have you identify it. How do I send a photo? I have been told it may be ground ivy. Please tell me how to kill it without damaging the lawn. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of shrub with red berries in Kentucky January 14, 2012 I live in Laurel CO, KY. I am trying to identify a shrub/tree. The leaves are green and may turn reddish orange. There are huge pods of red berries hanging. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Questions about lilies from Trussville AL January 10, 2012 How can I tell what kind of lily I have? Or better yet,what is the difference between Asiatic lily and a daylily? I also noticed someone asked about Cahaba lily. Just want to let you know I grow Caha... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plant identification January 08, 2012 When we moved in to this house, we planted many plants in the front landscaping. After they grew, it became too crowded. We had to move some plants to the backyard. The problem is, we have a plant tha... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Will Butterfly Plant Survive in Mansfield, Texas January 06, 2012 I have a butterfly plant that was very successful (about 4 feet tall) right up until the cold snap three weeks ago. I've read they have a tap root, so I'm hoping it will come back next spring. Mea... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plant identification of vine in Tennessee January 06, 2012 I have this vine that grows in my backyard and on the vine there are green balls about half the size of a hedge apple and inside balls are a bunch of seeds. The deer love to eat these. Do you know wha... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of stem from a bouquet January 02, 2012 I have a stem with leaves that came in a bouquet May 2011. They are still healthy in a vase of water tho they have no roots, just stem. On the back center of each leaf are protrusions half an inch lon... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification December 20, 2011 I am new to Florida and can't find the identification of one of my plants anywhere. It's an unattractive plant that is stick-like, very rubbery - it reminds me of a stick-bug. I have a small one i... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Ground cover plant that tastes like cucumbers December 18, 2011 It is a native ground cover plant that is edible and tastes like cucumbers. Found in the Edwards Plateau. What is the name? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of shrub in South Carolina December 12, 2011 First, I'm in Iraq but trying to write a book and have a question on a plant that grows in South Carolina. All I can do is describe it. The bush is normally green but turns red, has large leaves, kin... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Sending a picture of an oak from Yorktown TX December 02, 2011 How I can I send a pic of my oak in Yorktown near Cuero? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Florida hanging vine with occasional red tongue-like leaves December 01, 2011 I live in south Florida and I used to grow a hanging vine that had green slender leaves and an occasional red leaf that looked like a tongue that protruded horizontally from the plant. do you know wha... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| What are the pines growing at South Padre Island, Texas November 20, 2011 Hi, On a recent trip to South Padre Island, we noticed a large number of beautiful long leaf pines. I asked several residents what the name was but no one knew. I have searched and googled trying... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Difference between Styrax platanifolius and Styrax patanifolius ssp. texanus November 18, 2011 What is the difference between a Styrax platanifolius and a Styrax platanifolius texanus? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plant identification request from Wales, United Kingdom November 17, 2011 I have a plant that has green and pink leaves and the flowers are dry but are like fingers on a hand. The leaves drop down when it needs watering, which is every other day, and the finger shaped clust... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of perennial with dark red/purple flowers November 17, 2011 Need to identify a lovely perennial here in Norfolk, Virginia. It reseeds itself, spreads, and lingers into the late fall. It has rather thick, dark green, alternate spatulate leaves at the base wit... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of a cucumber-like vine with fruit November 16, 2011 We found tiny, grape-size white melon-like fruit on a vine, with tomato-like/cucumber-like seeds. The leaves on the vine were similar to grape or cucumber leaves, but not spiny. They were behind our... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of a plant that appears to be a pink Merremia. November 14, 2011 I recently discovered a plant growing locally that was not blooming, but based on the leaves and seed pods I thought it might be Merremia quinquefolia. This week I was able to catch it blooming and th... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identity of large, sunflower-like plant November 13, 2011 We are trying to figure out the identity of a large, sunflower-like plant. It is a perennial that sends out approximately 10-12 stalks about 10 feet high. It then starts to bloom with small sunflowe... View Mr. Smarty Plants' 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 Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Vine with red berries in North Carolina November 04, 2011 I found a plant/ vine pink teardrop with red berries in the Pusgah Forest in North Carolina and no on knows the name of it. I have a photo, can you help? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of plant with light orange fruit November 03, 2011 Trying to identify a small, light orange, oval shaped fruit,light yellow/beige inside, many seeds, vine w/briars, behind an outbuilding in McNeill, MS. tks View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Propagating a Magnolia tree from a twig cutting in New Hampshire. November 02, 2011 I have a twig cutting from a rare magnolia tree I found on a farm in central New Hampshire. The tree seems to be at least one hundred years old. It was in full bloom in late August and I was told by t... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification November 02, 2011 I have a plant that I would like to identify. It is a tall shrub/woody vine? (approx. 8-10 feet) that has very large thorns on its branches and stems. The stems remain green during winter. It loses it... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Carolina allspice (Calycanthus floridus) in Jasper TX October 27, 2011 Carolina allspice (calycanthus floridus) grows in my yard in East Texas. It is native to the eastern U.S., but I notice there is a variety whose distribution extends through Louisiana. Since I live in... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of plant similar to Lindheimer's senna (Senna lindheimeriana) October 27, 2011 I purchased "Lindheimer's Senna" at our MG plant sale in Williamson Co. two years ago. My three plants are now 6 ft. tall but I don't think they are Lindheimers. I've searched your plant files ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Is there a red esperanza (Tecoma stans)? October 06, 2011 There is a red esperanza that I pass by everyday on my way home from work. I have never seen this plant anywhere but this particular spot. Is there really a variety that is red or do you think it is... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification of a potted vine in California October 04, 2011 Hi, we have a tropical vine growing in a pot on our patio that my wife bought at the county fair. We've had it for a couple of years but I just noticed it now has a sort of pear like fruit on it. It ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of shrub looking like honeysuckle in Odessa TX October 02, 2011 Bought a shrub in Pecos, TX yesterday. It looks like honeysuckle but the brightest flat orange I have ever seen. Flower and greenery looked like honeysuckle but when I looked on the Internet under or... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Dill-like plant in veggie garden in California September 28, 2011 I have a plant that appeared in my veggie garden. Looks like dill in spring when green, but the leaves smell more like turpentine! Now, 4-5 foot tall, brown, it produces lots of small, oval - not cr... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of plant on shores of Lake Erie September 27, 2011 I've used Newcomb's and several other guides but cannot ID: Green small dot like flowers, found on the beach of Lake Erie in Dunkirk NY, many of them growing right in the sand. Smells very much, a... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification of conifer-like low plant in Alabama September 27, 2011 When walking in woods of Alabama we found a plant that grows along the ground. looks like a conifer about 2 or 3 inches tall, has a trailing vine under the leaves and pops up little sprigs of greener... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of spiky red berry in Connecticut September 25, 2011 I found an odd berry outside of my school, none of the science teachers know what it is though. It kind of looks like a spiked cherry. It has spikes on the outside, a pit on the insde, and has pinkish... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plant called beargrass from Granbury, TX September 24, 2011 I am not a native Texan. We have a clump of what my husband (from Big Spring) calls "Bear Grass." It is over to the side of our yard and we have always enjoyed it (moved here in 1982). It blooms ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of tree with strawberry-like fruit in North Carolina September 24, 2011 While visiting Boone, North Carolina we walked the Greenway in town. There were a few trees with a round red fruit similar to a strawberry. They were about the size of a penny and a dull red color dot... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identification of groundcover plant in north Georgia mountains September 16, 2011 Was trail riding in N GA mountains - saw pretty ground cover plant ? vine - small green leaves with whitish borders almost look like clover leaves and has small bright red red berries - this was Aug 2... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plant identification in Georgia September 14, 2011 I saw the same question that I was going to ask about the plant that folds its leaves at dusk, with sparse branches, rapid growth, small yellow flowers and long (whisker-like, but do not appear to be ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| How can I distinguish Hibiscus laevis from Pavonia braziliensis in New Braunfels, TX? September 12, 2011 How can I distinguish Hibiscus laevis (Halberdleaf Hibiscus) from Pavonia braziliensis (Brazillian Rock Rose)? Earlier this year I was given the former by a friend and former NPSOT chap... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification September 09, 2011 In North Central Texas recommended plants, there are three coneflowers listed: Echinacea angustifolia-Black sampson E. purpurea-Purple coneflower E. purpurea-Eastern purple coneflower Is the Eas... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plant identification of tree in North Carolina September 07, 2011 I live in North Carolina have found a tree on our property that has thorny branches and round fruit (perfectly round) with a fuzzy outer layer that starts out green but then turns yellow. The inside r... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification September 05, 2011 This incredible plant has grown up in the past two months. Considering the extreme heat of this summer, my husband assumes it must be a weed. We have had this skinny strip of dirt for four years, and ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Identifying a plant similar to sarsaparilla September 04, 2011 I am trying to identify a plant that looks very similar to sasparilla, but has a ring of blue berries at the end of a long stalk, and the plant itself is spreading, not an isolated herb like sasparill... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Plant identification for shrub in Florida September 03, 2011 On our street we have ornamental shrub planted in the median that has small waxy green leaves, produces small fragrant white flowers, and red berries with white pulp and small seeds on the inside. Th... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Origin of thorned plant-like object falling from the sky September 01, 2011 This morning while walking I felt a prick on my arm, like something had bitten me. I looked and saw what appeared to be a very tiny little plant with a thorn on it sticking out of my arm. I pulled i... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plant identification of vine in Virginia September 01, 2011 Have vine that has small 3 pointed leaves somewhat like a grape but only an inch or 2 long. Adult fruit is black or purple egg shaped and only 3/4 of an inch long. Fruit is single in the middle of th... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | | |
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