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

Monday - September 28, 2009

From: Kyle, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Plant identfication
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

I live in Kyle Texas and my neighbor has a tree with white blooms and when they fall off the twigs have a wavy look at the end with no leaves. we spoke to a nursery and they thought maybe an eve's necklace but that is not it. The leaves are long and slender.

ANSWER:

Mr. Smarty Plants loves to identify plants, but I'm afraid you haven't given us enough information for us to identify your neighbor's tree.  If you can take several photos and send them to us, we will do our very best to identify the tree. Probably there are no blooms at the moment, but take a picture of the tree as a whole, a picture of a limb showing the arrangement of the leaves on the limb, close-up photos of a leaf or two from above and below, and a photo of the trunk of the tree—all high resolution photos in good focus.  Please visit Mr. Smarty Plants' Plant Identification page to read instructions for submitting photos.
 

More Plant Identification Questions

Instructions for Plant ID
August 28, 2008 - Hi- I have an unidentified small white flowering plant photo to try to identify. Would you be willing to see what you think it is or refer me to someone to whom I could send it? It was photographed on...
view the full question and answer

Identity of shrub growing wild in Austin Texas area
September 23, 2013 - Hi! I need help identifying a bush growing wild in my area. I have pictures of leaves fruit and bark. I cant find a good place to post these in order to ID plant. I'm in Austin TX area. Thank...
view the full question and answer

Plant identification
September 30, 2010 - My husband brought home a plant which I have not been able to id. It is a bush, has 2 ovate to ellipse leaves, whorled, with 4 (2 pairs) smooth thin skinned (you can see white veins under the skin rad...
view the full question and answer

Plant identification
June 14, 2008 - I have a plant or weed that is a five leaf leave and it is greenish-red and shinny. I have been searching the internet and can't seem to find what it is. It is spread throughout my back yard an...
view the full question and answer

Existence of plant named
May 30, 2006 - My mother's middle name is Orabelle - "beautiful seacoast." Some variations are "Orabel" and "Ord." Is there a plant that is so named and where might I be able to purchase it? I live in Norf...
view the full question and answer

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