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 - January 05, 2008
From: Deer Park, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Looking for name of fragrant, night-blooming plant with flower resembling gardenia
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
The plant that I am looking for is a night bloomer, strong scented and has leaves and flowers similar to gardenia. I have seen a picture of the plant but not the actually plant. Can you give me an idea of what this plant might be named.ANSWER:
Here are some possibilites for fragrant night-blooming plants with white flowers, some native and some not. Some have flowers that look sort of like gardenias and/or leaves that do.1) Moonflower vine (Ipomoea alba), native to Central and South America and naturalized in Florida.
2) American linden tree (Tilia americana), native to North America.
3) Ruellia noctiflora (nightflowering wild petunia), native to Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia, Mississippi and Florida.
4) Peniocereus greggii [synonym Cereus greggii] (Night-blooming Cereus), a member of the Family Cactaceae (Cactus Family) that is native to southern Arizona, western Texas and northern Mexico.
5) Epiphyllum oxypetalum (Night blooming Cereus or Queen of the Night), another member of the cactus family and native to Central America.
6) Night Blooming Jasmine, grows in tropical America and the West Indies.
7) Datura inoxia (Angel's trumpet) and Datura wrightii (sacred thorn-apple) from the southern U.S. and Mexico.
There are other night-blooming plants that are fragrant, but generally don't look like gardenias either in their flower or in their foliage. Here is an article, Florida Moon Garden, that names several of these fragrant, night-blooming flowers and from Colorado State University Extension, The Night Shift.
More Plant Identification Questions
Plant identification, possibly Datura wrightii
August 25, 2010 - I have a plant in my back yard, it had big white trumpet flowers, and now it has huge green pods. Doesn't smell very nice. Could you tell me what it is?
view the full question and answer
Two-leafed trilliums
June 17, 2012 - Turns out our 2 leafed plant IS a trillium..I saw that another person from our town also asked about trilliums..we are happy to have them, but it is confusing when the third upper leaf is absent or ve...
view the full question and answer
Houseplant identification
October 15, 2014 - Had a houseplant with leaves that were green on the top and purplish on the bottom. The leaves were velvety to the touch. Would like to know what it was.
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
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 the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |