Native Plants
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
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Sunday - August 21, 2011
From: Acton, CA
Region: California
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Plant in Las Vegas with fern-like foliage and yellow/orange/red flowers
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
We were in North Las Vegas and saw a beautiful plant, I would love to find it. It had a fern like foliage at the bottom with long thin stems and a flower clump at the top with yellow/orange/red flowers. We live in Acton, Ca. and have the same climate as Vegas. Hope you can help identify it. Thanks.ANSWER:
Your description sounds like the native Achillea millefolium (Common yarrow). The native plant has white flowers but there are commerically available cultivars with many color variations. Here are a few of the cultivars:
- A. millefolium 'Paprika'
- A. millefolium 'Moonshine'
- A. millefolium 'Fireland'
- A. millefolium 'Red Beauty'
- A. millefolium 'Summer Pastels'
Sphaeralcea leptophylla (Scaly globemallow) is another possibility with orange flowers, but I don't know of ones with yellow or red flowers. Another globemallow, Sphaeralcea coccinea (Scarlet globemallow), also has orange flowers and leaves that look a bit fernlike. Here are more photos of the globemallows.
If none of these looks like the plants you saw in Las Vegas and you have photos of them, please go to our Plant Identification page where you will find links to several plant identification forums that accept photos.
From the Image Gallery
More Plant Identification Questions
Yellow-blossomed Shrub that Occurs in Arizona and Texas
May 08, 2012 - What is the name of the large shrubs you will see in Arizona with the bright yellow blossoms. They grow wild everywhere, and I also see them in the town.
Could you please tell me the name of them, s...
view the full question and answer
Identity of plant with purple flower and tomato-like fruit
April 24, 2012 - Along the Lake Erie shoreline in Buffalo there is a summer blooming plant with a purple flower and hard flattened tomato like fruit, diameter of a quarter. It has pretty small green leaves with fine ...
view the full question and answer
Tree with orange flower blooming in August in West Virginia
August 28, 2008 - There is a tree with an orange flower in West Virginia. The orange is at the top of the tree and it blooms in August. I've searched your sight but cannot find it. Thanks!
view the full question and answer
Identifying plant
October 21, 2007 - What plant is usually found growing in low-lying freshwater marshy places with a single, straight-stemmed plant that grows to about one-to-two feet in height. The branches and leaves are sparse with ...
view the full question and answer
Identification of maypop north of Houston
March 08, 2008 - I have some land in the country an hour north of Houston, Texas. There is a wild plant which grows in clusters from 10' to 20' wide. These plants grow about 6" or 12" apart.They are approx. one fo...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |