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 - March 26, 2006
From: Salisbury, NC
Region: Southeast
Topic: Non-Natives
Title: Identification of non-native Nothoscordum borbonicum in Louisiana
Answered by: Dean Garrett
QUESTION:
There were some small white flowers that grow everywhere in Shreveport and probably elsewhere. Mother called them Crows Feet. I see them if I am home in the Springtime, smell them too. Is Crow's foot the right name? Will they grow in North Carolina?ANSWER:
We've found one reference that the white version of one of the wild cranesbill geraniums, Geranium maculatum, is sometimes called Crow's Foot, but we've found no references that say that it's fragrant. It grows throughout the eastern half of North America, including Louisiana and North Carolina, though in most places the flowers are pink or lavender. The white flowered form is sometimes called Wild White Geranium; the pink and lavender forms are usually called Spotted Geranium. We also considered the possibility that it might be the small, white flowered Crow Poison (Nothoscordum bivalve), but that one isn't fragrant either. Both plants are in bloom in the spring.Postscript: The questioner wrote back to let us know that the flower turned out to be Nothoscordum borbonicum, known as Fragrant False Garlic, an introduced South American relative of our native False Garlic/Crow Poison (Nothoscordum bivalve).
More Non-Natives Questions
Gardening in Bahrain
June 07, 2011 - Hey, I'm living in Bahrain where the climate is really hot and the soil is kinda very salty. I've got my mango tree in the ground already, transferred it 2 months ago from the pot. I've noticed the...
view the full question and answer
Native plants for roadside in Gallatin TN
February 19, 2012 - What native plant would you suggest that we try to establish on 100 feet of road frontage which gets full afternoon sun? The soil is mostly clay, and it's on a rather sleep hill about 10 feet high. ...
view the full question and answer
Plants to grow under elm tree in Amarillo TX
May 01, 2014 - I have a large elm tree and I can't get seem to get anything to grow under it. I was wondering if there are any shade-loving groundcovers that you would recommend (have tried English Ivy, hostas, an...
view the full question and answer
Non-native mimosa as deer food in Colerain, NC
June 20, 2009 - I was wondering if deer eat any part of the mimosa tree? I have three good sized trees in my yard with seedlings popping up everywhere. Would it be profitable to transplant for deer habitat?
view the full question and answer
Propagation of non-native tulips in pots
March 25, 2008 - We have received a large quantity of eco-cups, some are for our pilot project, First Bloom. But we so many, we wanted to include the entire Club, Boys and Girls Clubs of Philadelphia, Germantown Unit,...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |