Native Plants
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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.
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.
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Monday - October 05, 2009
From: GREENVILLE, SC
Region: Southwest
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Plant identfication
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
While visiting a lake near Dallas, Texas this past summer, I found a flower floating in the lake. It was small, only about an inch or so across, had three petals, was a deep magenta shade, and had three thick stamen. I have been having difficulty identifying it. Do you know what it is? (I do have pictures of it, but I didn't use the Green Guru because I don't know what the rest of the plant looks like.)ANSWER:
Please send us photos (high resolution and in good focus) and we will do our best to identify your plant. Visit Mr. Smarty Plants' Plant Identification page to read instructions for submitting photos.More Plant Identification Questions
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November 17, 2011 - Need to identify a lovely perennial here in Norfolk, Virginia. It reseeds itself, spreads, and lingers into the late fall. It has rather thick, dark green, alternate spatulate leaves at the base wit...
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Plant identification, possibly genus Lonicera
September 30, 2007 - My friend found a plant growing in her timber (in Iowa). It has round green leaves with groups of green balls (seed pods?) growing in the center of the leaves. The stems appear to attach to the cente...
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Unidentified stalk, possibly manfreda, from San Marcos TX
May 23, 2014 - I had a very weird stalk pop up in my yard in San Marcos TX this month (May 2014) It bloomed very quickly and appears to be a manfreda but there is no rosette, or leaves of any kind - just the thick o...
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Books for plant identification of native California species
March 14, 2008 - When I was going to college, many years ago, there was a field book for plant identification for California native species. I am trying to find that book again or at least a good pocket book on plant...
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