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 - February 28, 2006
From: Reston, VA
Region: Mid-Atlantic
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Identification of Beetleweed or Galax as
Answered by: Joe Marcus and Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
My mother will soon celebrate her 100th birthday. For her 1st birthday her mother decorated her highchair with "smilox". I am trying to find out what plant this is. I have found "smilax" but it is a thorny plant not likely to be used on a child's chair. Do any of your experts know what I am looking for? Thank you,ANSWER:
We think you are looking for Beetleweed or Galax (Galax urceolata).
Happy Birthday to your mother!
More Plant Identification Questions
Why do Turk's cap plants have such a variable growth habit?
December 10, 2015 - In visiting the Family Garden at the Lady Bird Wildflower Center yesterday (10-21-15,) I admired a large bunch of Turks Cap that had more blooms than I had ever seen on Turks Cap, and I've loved that...
view the full question and answer
Is there an App for that?
June 05, 2012 - Do you have an app like leafsnap that my students can use to identify the plants around our school? I would like them to take a picture of the leaf of each plant with their iPads and have your data b...
view the full question and answer
Identification of 3 small flowers in Hays County, Texas
June 25, 2012 - Trying to identify three (3) wildflowers growing on my property in the northwest corner of Hays Co, all very, very small blooms of about 1 cm. (roughly 1/4 inch): (1) small white blooms with five peta...
view the full question and answer
Learning to identify native plants in backyard
June 28, 2011 - Please let me know how a layman like myself can identify native plants in my backyard. I don't know the plant names and don't know if they are dicots or any other technical terms (that some websites...
view the full question and answer
ID for two flowers blooming in November in Buda TX
November 29, 2015 - two different plants growing in my wild area. 1. springs of tiny yellow flowers atop almost foot tall woody stem.
2. Clump of tiny near white bud like flowers. clump about 6 to 8 inches across on ...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |