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 is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Wednesday - May 13, 2009
From: Taylor, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Grasses or Grass-like
Title: Would there be wild buffalo grass (Bouteloua dactyloides) growing in Williamson County?
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
Greetings, I have done a "test planting" of buffalo grass in my yard. There are now some blooms (?) on the grass and I have noticed similar blooms on grass in two different places in the area (Taylor, Williamson County, TX). I am pretty certain that these places has never been tilled or seeded. Is the buffalo grass bloom unique? Would there still be native buffalo grass in this area? Thank you.ANSWER:
There should, indeed, be "wild" Bouteloua dactyloides (buffalograss) growing in Williamson County, Texas. According to Turner's Atlas of the Vascular Plants of Texas, V.2, buffalo grass is widely distributed throughout Texas except for extreme East Texas. You can see a distribution map from the USDA Plants Database.Male and female flowers of buffalograss occur on different plants. The first two pictures below show the female flowers and the last two photos are the male flowers.
More Grasses or Grass-like Questions
Low plants to cover bank too steep to mow
June 26, 2008 - I have a bank along the road that is too steep to mow. This bank faces east and only gets 2 - 4 hours per day of sunlight. I'd like to try ground cover to prevent erosion, however visibility is a p...
view the full question and answer
What is blooming in NJ in Late November?
November 27, 2015 - I am a beekeeper in Edison, NJ. My bees are still bringing pollen even this late in the season (Thanksgiving). What plants or trees are still blooming? The color of the pollen is a pale yellow.
view the full question and answer
Restoring a slope in the Mississippi sandhill region
August 01, 2011 - We are building on 5 acres (leaving 60% as is, natural). Only building a small (900-1200 sq ft house) & clearing 1 acre of the valley for a pond. There is a steep slope (where we had to put field dra...
view the full question and answer
Perennial ground cover for hillside in Holmdel NJ
April 25, 2014 - I live in NJ. I would like to use a perennial ground cover for my landscaping bed on a hill with full sun and deer resistant. It's a good size landscaping bed that is facing east (southeast).
What...
view the full question and answer
Groundcover for Slope in NC under Black Walnut
April 20, 2015 - Please advise on some plants for a difficult to mow 30% slope, near Asheville, NC. We have partial sun, plenty of good rich topsoil, and plenty of rain. The key issue is that it is under and near the ...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |