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)
Tuesday - July 14, 2009
From: Lake Odessa, MI
Region: Midwest
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Identity of a plant with yellow flowers in Michigan.
Answered by: Jimmy Mills
QUESTION:
Would you know what this perennial is? The plant has a reddish colored stem, the leaves are long and narrow, approx 31/2 inches long, and 1/2 to 3/4 inch across. The buds are long approx 2 inches, and have red dots on them. This plant blooms a beautiful bright yellow flower approx 3 inches across. The flower looks somewhat like a poppy but the rest of the plant does not. I got this on a clearence at a green house and after I got it home I noticed it had no tag. Would like to know the name and where best to plant it. Thank you for your help. CarolANSWER:
Well, Mr. Smarty Plants has learned over the years that is very difficult, virtually impossibble even, to identify a plant from a written description such as this. My suggestion is to go to Plant Identification on the "Ask Mr. Smarty Plants" page and follow the directions for taking and sending us a photo of your plant. Once we have a photo, a name will be easier to find.
Another approach is to go to the Native Plants Database page and scroll down to the Combination Search box. Fill in the the spaces with the information that you have about your plant. For instance, you can fill in the state, the habit, you know its a perennial, fill in "full sun" under Light Requirement, put "moist" for Soil Moisture, select the appropriate Bloom Characteristics, and click "submit your combination search". You will get a list of Native Plants in Michigan that fit those characteristics. Click the name of each plant, and its NPIN page will come up that contains characteristics of the plant as well as photos. By changing criteria such as light requirement and soil moisture you can generate several lists. Compare the photos with your plant.
More Plant Identification Questions
Plant identfication
September 28, 2009 - I live in Kyle Texas and my neighbor has a tree with white blooms and when they fall off the twigs have a wavy look at the end with no leaves. we spoke to a nursery and they thought maybe an eve's ne...
view the full question and answer
Spriranthes sp. blooming on rocky hilltop
November 13, 2015 - I am not sure if my previous question went thru, so I am submitting it again.
How unusual is it to find a few blooming specimens of Spiranthes sp. on a rocky hilltop west of Loop 360 near Bee Caves R...
view the full question and answer
Was my grandmother growing a Honeysuckle Bush in Middleton, Idaho?
May 17, 2010 - I would like to know the name of the flowering bush that grew in the backyard of my grandmother's house in Middleton, Idaho. I remember it to be purple in color and had petals with what I used to ca...
view the full question and answer
Origin of thorned plant-like object falling from the sky
September 01, 2011 - This morning while walking I felt a prick on my arm, like something had bitten me. I looked and saw what appeared to be a very tiny little plant with a thorn on it sticking out of my arm. I pulled i...
view the full question and answer
Identification of a plant with winged stems in Texas
July 08, 2013 - Dear Mr. Smarty Pants,
We live in Denton Texas & our backyard is being taken over by a very woody type weed or bush. The most distinguishing characteristic is that long thin vertical ridges or fins...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |