Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
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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.
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Monday - October 06, 2014
From: Allen, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Butterfly Gardens
Title: Plant that attracts butterflies, perhaps?
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
What is that one plant/flower in your Center that attracts wildflowers like crazy? It's got a cute name, not a Latin or Scientific name. I have the plant, but don't know how to make it spread.ANSWER:
Mr. Smarty Plants is confused! Do you, perhaps, mean a plant that attracts butterflies? That could be Conoclinium coelestinum (Blue mistflower), Conoclinium greggii (Gregg's mistflower) or maybe some other plant like Asclepias tuberosa (Butterflyweed). It would help us to have a description of the plant—size, flower color, bloom time, what type of leaves, etc. We might be able to identify it with more information.
By the way, all plants have a Latin or scientific name—the common name or names, however, are usually a lot easier to remember. Plants have only one "accepted" Latin or scientific name, but can have one to many common names.
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