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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.

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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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Tuesday - July 07, 2009

From: Woodbury, TN
Region: Southeast
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Plant ID in Woodbury TN
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

Please help identify this unusual plant. I am in Middle TN, Cannon County. This plant comes up every year and looks like something tropical. It has huge leaves about 16 + inches wide. and grows about 8+ ft high. (it is not an elephant ear, I am familiar with many tropical plants as I am from South FL) It is in full sun, but really looks out of place when the typical trees around are, oak, boxwood, cedar, etc. Any help in identifying this would be appreciated.

ANSWER:

Even with the best descriptions, it is difficult to identify plants without seeing them. Go to our Plant Identification site and follow the instructions for submitting a photograph and we will try to ascertain what your mystery plant is. It may be a non-native that has escaped cultivation from a garden somewhere in the area, and since the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is committed to the care, preservation and propagation of plants native not only to North America but to the area in which the plant is being grown, we may still not be able to come up with a positive identification. 

 

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