Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

DONATE TODAY

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

Wednesday - June 27, 2007

From: Ramseur, NC
Region: Southeast
Topic: Non-Natives
Title: Non-native Ornithogalum longibracteatum (Pregnant Onion)
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

Dear Sir, I have a plant called a Pregnant Onion. It looks like an onion and it has babies develop on its body and the surface peals off like an onion. It's leaves grow to about a yard long and they keep getting longer. I can find no information on it or the diseases it has. Leaves are turning orange and I have brown bug cases on the underside of the leaves. Can you help direct me and find a cure for its problem. I love the unusual and this certainly is unusual. Thanks for your time.

ANSWER:

Ornithogalum longibracteatum (pregnant onion) is a native of South Africa. Since our focus and expertise at the Wildflower Center is with natives of North America, we can't offer much help for its care. We can, however, suggest some sources who might be able to help you, such as The Pregnant Onion Club. Also, Garden Web has an extensive discussion about the plant from people who have them; and, if you do an Internet search using either the scientific name or the common name, you can find many more postings for it.

 
 

More Non-Natives Questions

Pruning and deadheading rosa rugosa while blooming
August 01, 2008 - Can you prune the dead flowers and branches of rosa rogosa while it is still blooming?
view the full question and answer

Eliminating non-native Asian Jasmine in Austin
December 02, 2010 - I have a large bed in front of the house full of jasmine that was planted by the builder 25 years ago. What suggestions do you have to eliminate it and prepare the bed to plant native flowers and pl...
view the full question and answer

Problems with non-native hollyhock in Austin
April 03, 2010 - Our hollyhocks develop small yellow spots on the leaves; these eventually spread into little swellings on the underside; I think of them as lesions. They spread and the leaf turns brown and shrivels ...
view the full question and answer

Care of non-native Oleander
June 11, 2008 - I want my oleanders to bloom but they keep getting attacked by tiny orange aphids that clump up on the newest growth. I read that oleanders only bloom on old growth but those orange mites/aphids are ...
view the full question and answer

Looking for non-native Chinese Pistache tree
April 23, 2015 - Where in the Austin area would be a good place to find a nice sized Chinese Pistache to plant in my yard?
view the full question and answer

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