Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

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.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

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.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Monday - January 28, 2013

From: Routt, CO
Region: Rocky Mountain
Topic: General Botany
Title: Experiment to detect presence of sugar in cellulose from Routt CO
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

My teacher ask me to plan an experiment to detect the presence of sugar in cellulose. I know that cellulose are abundant at the stem, and sugar here is glucose. I wonder how to conduct this experiment since cellulose is very strong to breakdown.

ANSWER:

We are sorry, but this is apparently a chemistry problem. Mr. Smarty Plants answers questions involving the growth, propagation and protection of plants native to North America. We are gardeners, not chemists. We suggest you refer to some of your chemistry texts or visit your school library in a search for more assistance. Sorry we couldn't help you.

 

More General Botany Questions

Identification of first flower on Earth
June 14, 2007 - When was the first on Earth and who find it and what was the name of the flower. Also what part of the Earth was if find?
view the full question and answer

Correct family classification for Allium cernuum
March 19, 2015 - What is the correct family classification for Allium cernuum? I have seen the nodding onion as part of the Liliaceae family on the USDA website and my field guides, but it is in the Alliaceae family i...
view the full question and answer

Will a Venus flytrap bite?
December 01, 2008 - Will a venus flytrap bite a person? Taylor
view the full question and answer

Key for Verbesina virginica
June 16, 2014 - Are the stems of Verbesina virginica hairy? My in-laws have what I believe is Verbesina virginica (blooms in September here in VA) and another wild flower that blooms before it and is yellow. I'd l...
view the full question and answer

Drawings of Illinois native wildflowers
July 15, 2006 - I am looking for line drawings of Illinois Native Wildflowers to use for educational material for visitors to our new City Park. We plan to have signs throughout the park describing how Native Americ...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.