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)
Saturday - May 04, 2013
From: Clarksville, TN
Region: Southeast
Topic: Plant Identification, Shrubs
Title: Plant Identification from Clarksville TN
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
We live on a north facing wooded ridge line in Middle TN. I have a single large (6') bush that is blooming now (late April) with beautiful 6" long, end of stem clusters of small pink flowers in 3-5 bud clusters branching off of the stem. The flowers are delicate, four petal, 1/2 -3/4" long that extends out of a 1/2 " vase-shaped pod. The leaves are finely toothed, whorled, 5-leaf elongated, pointy tipped with perfectly parallel veins. I can send a picture if you give me a cell phone #. I have looked at several on-line ID keys and have come up dry. Please help. Thanks!ANSWER:
Sadly, we are no longer able to accept pictures for plant identification. Please see our page on Plant Identification for some other resources that might be able to help you, including identification from pictures.
However, we did want to at least try, so we went to our Native Plant Database and, using the Combination Search, looked for shrubs native to Tennessee that bloomed in April and have pink blooms. We only found two that we thought came close. It is very possible that the plant is a non-native. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is committed to the growth, propagation and protection of plants native to North America but also to the areas in which they have evolved; in your case, Montgomery County, Tennessee. If it is, indeed, a non-native, it would be out of our range of expertise.
Here are the two we found:
From the Image Gallery
More Plant Identification Questions
What are the differences between Arbutus xalapensis, A. unedo and A. marina
August 29, 2013 - One nursery lists madrone trees as arbutus uneda compacta and arbutus marina. The other lists it as arbutus xalapensis, which is the only name I can find in the data base. There is a very large pric...
view the full question and answer
Identification of a mint-like plant in California
July 21, 2013 - I found a plant growing near my apricot (in Fresno, California). It has a square stem which becomes more rounded toward the base. The leaves are smooth, opposite, and they have three to five leaflets ...
view the full question and answer
Pictures to Mr. Smarty Plants from Bay Point CA
October 17, 2013 - Is there any way to send you a picture of my Mulberry tree, the Jade and the Spider Plants that are growing in my back yard so you can see what I'm talking about.
view the full question and answer
Plant identification in Georgia
September 14, 2011 - I saw the same question that I was going to ask about the plant that folds its leaves at dusk, with sparse branches, rapid growth, small yellow flowers and long (whisker-like, but do not appear to be ...
view the full question and answer
Difference between vetch and woolly loco
April 29, 2006 - What is the difference between vetch and woolly loco?
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |