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_21.gif)
Friday - December 24, 2010
From: Germantown, TN
Region: Southeast
Topic: Wildflowers
Title: Native wildflowers for Tennessee
Answered by: Marilyn Kircus and Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
Can you suggest some native wildflowers for west Tennessee and a source for seeds?ANSWER:
I began answering your question by going to the Wildflower Center's website and clicking on Explore Plants. Then I selected the Recommended Species topic and chose the state of Tennessee from the map. Here is a list of over 120 species of native plants recommended for Tennessee. You can narrow the list down to wildflowers by choosing 'Herb' under GENERAL APPEARANCE in the side bar NARROW YOUR SEARCH option.
Here are some suggested ones from that list that grow from seeds:
Coreopsis tinctoria (golden tickseed) Gaillardia pulchella (firewheel) Monarda citriodora (lemon beebalm) Rudbeckia hirta (blackeyed Susan) Echinacea purpurea (Eastern purple coneflower) Liatris punctata (Dotted blazing star) Monarda didyma (Scarlet beebalm) Asclepias tuberosa (Butterflyweed) Sources of seeds: You can go to our National Suppliers Directory where you will get a list of seed companies and nurseries that are registered as native plant sellers. I searched by Tennessee. Nashville Natives is listed as selling wildflower seeds but I can't see that they ship. You can contact them to learn if they do. Here is a link to American Meadows that sells southeastern wildflower seeds and Wildflower Farm sells Tennessee wildflower seeds. If you are just getting started you might enjoy reading the book, Gardening With the Native Plants of Tennessee, by Margie Hunter. Here are some photos from our Image Gallery:
More Wildflowers Questions
Seedball Germination in Dallas, TX
May 27, 2015 - Last Fall we created thousands of seedballs with Lady Bird's wildflower seed mixture, compost and clay, and planted them along a bike trail in Dallas, Texas. We are so disappointed because nothing h...
view the full question and answer
Smarty Plants on Rain-lily
April 12, 2005 - What is the common lily (I think) that grows in the ditches and especially this year because of all the rain.
The flower is trumpet shaped and has red stripes in the petals? Very common everywhere t...
view the full question and answer
Planting wildflowers in spring for spring bloom
March 02, 2012 - I was wondering if it is possible to plant wildflowers around this time of year, and expect them to bloom in the spring still? I have heard that many wildflowers germinate in the fall.
Are there c...
view the full question and answer
Flower sucession for Washington DC
June 18, 2012 - Interplanting to cover up spring ephemerals.
When bulbs/spring ephemerals (camassia, bluebells, etc.) are dying back, their wilting leaves don't look so great. What can I plant to minimize the me...
view the full question and answer
More on bluebonnets
April 05, 2006 - Hello:
We have been told that the sparse Bluebonnet
appearance this Spring is due to sparse rainfall at the
appropriate times. Were there fewer seeds to sprout
and grow? Or are the seeds still ...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |