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
2 ratings

Friday - May 30, 2008

From: Horseshoe Bay, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Herbs/Forbs
Title: Yellow-flowered Ipomopsis rubra - Standing Cypress
Answered by: Joe Marcus

QUESTION:

We have several acres of we call native plant areas, maybe unmaintained areas or natural is a better description of these areas. As we were developing these areas we sown in several different wildflower varieties, one variety that is showing especially well this year is Ipomopsis rubra. My question to you is: How common is the yellow colored flower in this species? We have a smattering of this color within thousands of the red color. Thanks for your help

ANSWER:

A smattering of yellow sounds about right.  Within most populations of the normal, orange-red colored Standing Cypress will usually be a few of the yellow-flowered variants.  While not as showy as the red-flowered form, they're eye-catching simply because their color is different.

 

From the Image Gallery


Standing cypress
Ipomopsis rubra

More Herbs/Forbs Questions

Deer resistant plants for area under grand fir (Abies grandis) in Idaho
July 08, 2010 - What can I plant on a slope under Grand Fir trees in North Idaho, zone 4 - anything deer resistant?
view the full question and answer

General information on native Fendlers sandwort (Arenaria fendeleri)
December 19, 2005 - I am trying to locate any general information on Fendler's Sandwort. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
view the full question and answer

White and Violet Flower in Missouri
March 17, 2016 - When I was small I came into contact with a plant that gave me cold sweats, chills and hallucinations. All I remember was it bore a single flower with a little white and a lot of violet. It had a dark...
view the full question and answer

Care for some non-native salvias from Austin
November 12, 2012 - Mexican bush sage and Salvia "indigo spires" are both blooming in my Austin beds right now. Once they stop blooming and/or frost gets them, could you tell me by how much they should be cut back? R...
view the full question and answer

Flowers that open during the day from Webster NY
August 17, 2011 - Can you provide some information on flowers and plants that open during day with some examples.
view the full question and answer

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