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?

Share

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

Tuesday - September 22, 2009

From: Harvey, LA
Region: Southeast
Topic: General Botany
Title: Plant Groups
Answered by: Damon Waitt

QUESTION:

What are ways to group plants?

ANSWER:

Can you please be more specific. Are you talking about grouping plants for display in your yard or garden or are you talking about grouping plants for scientific study. If the latter, then plants are grouped according to the hierarchical system of classification (Kingdom, Division, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species). If the former, please refer to our How To Articles.
 

More General Botany Questions

Plants for soils with extreme pH values
May 24, 2009 - I am doing a project on acid and alkaline on the ph scale but all I can find is a range of 5.0 to 8.0. Do they have plants in the range of 8.0 to 14.0 or 1.0 to 5.0? If not, why is that? If so, what a...
view the full question and answer

What is white sticky substance in the Mandevilla vine?
June 15, 2012 - When I was watering my Mandevilla one of the vines broke and there was a white, sticky substance that came out of the vine. I was just curious as to what that is.
view the full question and answer

Flower color in shooting stars (Dodecatheon meadia)
February 25, 2010 - Shooting Stars (Dodecatheon meadia) come in the colors white, lavender and purple in the eastern U.S. Is this just genetic variability or does soil chemistry affect the flower color?
view the full question and answer

Difference between class notes and size notes on website
August 09, 2012 - I enjoy using the native plant database in planning my flower beds. However, I don't know the difference between Class notes and size notes. Can you help me out?
view the full question and answer

Definition of a weed
April 22, 2003 - What is your definition of a weed?
view the full question and answer

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