Native Plants
![](../_images/smarty_plants.gif)
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 is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
![](../_images/mr_smarty_plants_logo_web_200w.jpg)
rate this answer
![](../_images/star_00.gif)
Sunday - August 21, 2011
From: Acton, CA
Region: California
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Plant in Las Vegas with fern-like foliage and yellow/orange/red flowers
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
We were in North Las Vegas and saw a beautiful plant, I would love to find it. It had a fern like foliage at the bottom with long thin stems and a flower clump at the top with yellow/orange/red flowers. We live in Acton, Ca. and have the same climate as Vegas. Hope you can help identify it. Thanks.ANSWER:
Your description sounds like the native Achillea millefolium (Common yarrow). The native plant has white flowers but there are commerically available cultivars with many color variations. Here are a few of the cultivars:
- A. millefolium 'Paprika'
- A. millefolium 'Moonshine'
- A. millefolium 'Fireland'
- A. millefolium 'Red Beauty'
- A. millefolium 'Summer Pastels'
Sphaeralcea leptophylla (Scaly globemallow) is another possibility with orange flowers, but I don't know of ones with yellow or red flowers. Another globemallow, Sphaeralcea coccinea (Scarlet globemallow), also has orange flowers and leaves that look a bit fernlike. Here are more photos of the globemallows.
If none of these looks like the plants you saw in Las Vegas and you have photos of them, please go to our Plant Identification page where you will find links to several plant identification forums that accept photos.
From the Image Gallery
More Plant Identification Questions
Difference between Erigeron strigosus and E. annuus
July 07, 2011 - How can you tell the difference between Erigeron strigosus or Erigeron annuus. Does one have more flowers on it than the other?
Thanks.
view the full question and answer
Plant identification in Florida
April 03, 2012 - Hello, I have a plant that I bought at a local nursery (now closed). It only came with a label that read "Sun". The plant has many long willowy stems coming up from the ground, green saw-notched lea...
view the full question and answer
Mystery plant in Vicksburg, MS
May 20, 2008 - I have a strange plant that has come up by a ditch next to my house. I've lived here 23 years and have never seen anything like it. I can only guess that it came up from a packet of wildflower seed...
view the full question and answer
Identification of plant growing in Plumbago
August 01, 2007 - Help - I have a strange looking plant that recently shot up in a potted Plumbago. I planted the Plumbago in its pot with Miracle Gro potting soil, and have been fertilizing with Miracle Gro as well. ...
view the full question and answer
Identifcation of fragrant, white camellia-like flower
August 04, 2008 - My friend describes a beautiful, unusual smelling flower. It was a white camellia-like bloom, but was not a camellia. It was flowering in June or July in the Alabama and Mississippi region. It had ...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |