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
Tuesday - September 13, 2005
From: Cape cORAL, FL
Region: Southeast
Topic: General Botany
Title: Smarty Plants on Science Fair projects
Answered by: Joe Marcus
QUESTION:
I would like to know what kind of plants can grow in two weeks? Please answer quickly so I can do my Science Fair project.ANSWER:
Garden vegetables, like beans and corn, are most often used for this kind of project due to their ready availability, rapid germination and growth. Lawn grass is also commonly used for similar reasons. The type of plant you choose to grow will largely depend on the experiment you wish to perform, but other factors can be involved as well.In two weeks time your newly planted seeds will have germinated, developed their first roots and anchored themselves to the soil, expanded their cotyledons (seed leaves) and developed their first true leaves. They will be breathing, taking up nutrients from the soil and photosynthesizing during this time. Unless your science fair project is a germination study, you won't have time to collect much data from your seedlings.
More General Botany Questions
Official definition of native plants
March 06, 2008 - Does the Wildflower center have an official definition of "native" plants?
view the full question and answer
Why plants grow in very hot or very cold areas from Edison NJ
October 06, 2013 - Why can some plants grow where very cold or very hot?
view the full question and answer
Use of native non-vascular plants from Pisgah Forest NC
February 11, 2011 - Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, Some of the smartest native plants around to use as horticultural choices don't require any chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides; tolerate extreme weather including ...
view the full question and answer
Growth on top of Echinacea purpurea (Eastern purple coneflower)
July 03, 2012 - I grow purple coneflowers in my garden. ONE plant has something growing on the top of each cone. I would like to know what it is but I don't see how I can add a photo to this post.
view the full question and answer
Starting a sweet potato in water in Duluth MN
April 11, 2011 - I am trying to start a sweet potato plant in water. I noticed 3 days after it's in water, there is white finger
like(hairy) areas at the tip of the bottom of the potato and also on the sides. I have...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |