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 - July 01, 2008
From: Peoria, IL
Region: Northeast
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Orange and fuschia flowers on bushes in Maine
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I recently visited Portland,ME from end of May to the second week in June. many of the homes had these beautiful flowering bushes next to the houses. The flowers grew in clusters similar to hydrangeas, but the colors were a bright orange on one bush and more of a fushia color on the others. I'm wondering if you have any ideas.ANSWER:
The only plants that are native to Maine that fit that description are laurels/azaleas/rhododendrons:Kalmia angustifolia (sheep laurel)
Kalmia latifolia (mountain laurel)
Rhododendron canadense (rhodora)
Rhododendron maximum (great laurel)
Rhododendron prinophyllum (early azalea)
Rhododendron viscosum (swamp azalea)
These range from whites, pinks to fuschias, but there aren't in orange ones native to Maine. However, there are orange rhodendrons that are native to the southeast—Rhododendron austrinum (orange azalea), for USDA Hardiness Zones 7 to 9 and Rhododendron calendulaceum (flame azalea), hardy in USDA zones 5 to 7. They wouldn't survive Maine's winters since its Hardiness Zones are mainly 3 and 4.
There are some other native plants which are not naturally native to Maine, but are native to North America, that are sold in Maine as garden plants and would fit your description of orange hydrangea-like flowers. There are also some with pink flowers. These are some of the showier milkweeds:
Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly milkweed)
Asclepias incarnata (swamp milkweed)
From our National Suppliers Directory I found that both Fieldstone Gardens in Vassalboro, Maine and Pierson Nurseries in Biddeford, Maine offer these two plants for sale.
If none of these plants are what you saw, it is possible that these are non-native cultivated species and that would be out of our area of expertise. If you have pictures of the plants, however, you can send us photos and we will do our best to identify them. Visit the Ask Mr. Smarty Plants page for instructions (under "Plant Identification") for submitting photos.
More Plant Identification Questions
Plant identification, possibly Phytolacca americana (American pokeweed)
September 07, 2010 - What wild growing plant has dark purple berries with a pinkish stem? The purple berries grow on their own stem and not in among the leaves, the leaves are green.
view the full question and answer
Help identify a plant.
February 21, 2008 - Could you help me to identify this plant?
view the full question and answer
Plant identification of orange-flowered plant with portulaca-like leaves
August 02, 2014 - As a last resort, I'm asking you. The plant identification page has not been helpful. Recently moved to Breckenridge, Texas and found several plants with 5 petaled orange flowers in the pasture. L...
view the full question and answer
Mystery plant in New Jersey
December 29, 2009 - We are trying to find the name of a shrub, growing in Southern New Jersey. with red berries that grow in a group much like lilac or oak leaf hydrangea. It is "feathery", not dense. A neighbor dug u...
view the full question and answer
Identification of landscape plants at malls in Waco and Temple
August 20, 2009 - Dear Mr. Smarty,
I am trying to identify a plant used in landscaping for several shopping centers within the Waco-Temple areas. It looks to be large mounding grass, but flowers June-July with shaft...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |