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 - October 11, 2015
From: Belton, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Plant Identification, Trees
Title: Identity of evergreen tree at Barton Springs in Austin TX
Answered by: Nan Hampton and Joe Marcus
QUESTION:
I am trying to identify an evergreen tree at Barton Springs in Austin. It is growing on the south lawn overlooking the pool. It has needles arranged in a fan like shape and makes a kind of crown-shaped fruit which dries then splits open along its length in several places to release the seeds it contains. It resembles some sort of cedar or cypress. I have seen these trees in Belton, Texas. I appreciate your help. Thank you, DavidANSWER:
Mr. Smarty Plants made a trip to Barton Springs to look at this tree and to take some photographs. Unfortunately, it doesn't have any mature fruit on it at the moment which would make identifying it easier. However, from the photographs our expert, Joe Marcus, believes it to be Chamaecyparis thyoides (Atlantic white cedar). You can see in the USDA Plants Database distribution map that it is native to the East Coast, but not native to Texas. It has, however, been in the nursery trade for years and was chosen and planted in its spot overlooking Barton Springs pool many years ago. You can see more photos and information from Virginia Tech, GoBotany (NewEnglandWild), Richard Stockton College and from LeafSnap.
From the Image Gallery
More Plant Identification Questions
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
Plant identification
August 13, 2008 - Can you identify a shrub in my backyard? It has odd looking seed pods with three chambers and hard black seeds inside roughly 1/8" in diameter. The pods themselves are brown, hard shell, and hang d...
view the full question and answer
Identity of yellow thistle-like plant
June 01, 2011 - Dear Mr.Smarty Plants,
I see this flower along the road but I can't seem to find it on your website. It looks like a yellow thistle and it is a panicle and a head. It is about a foot tall. Do you kn...
view the full question and answer
Plant identfication for Roosevelt Park, NY
August 28, 2009 - Looking for the name and chemical breakdown of a tree. Its leaves are green with heart like puffs blooming out. This tree was seen at Roosevelt Park, Long Island NY 11575
view the full question and answer
Looking for pink star grass (Rhodohypoxis milloides)
June 23, 2008 - I am looking for a wildflower/plant called Pink Star Grass (common name). I am not sure what the proper name is. Can you help me with this? I would like information on it, and also would like to pu...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |