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.
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Monday - August 18, 2008
From: Gatesville, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Edible Plants
Title: Is balsam gourd (Ibervillea lindheimeri) poisonous or edible?
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
Is the Balsam Gourd edible or poisonous?ANSWER:
It seems that Ibervillea lindheimeri (Lindheimer's globeberry) is neither poisonous nor edible. It does not appear in any of the following toxic plant databases:Poisonous Plants of North Carolina
Cornell University Plants Poisonous to Livestock
Canadian Poisonous Plants Information System
And, either it is not listed in edible plant books (Tull, Edible and Useful Plants of Texas and the Southwest; Allen, Edible Plants of the Gulf South ) or it's listed as inedible (Miller, Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas and the Southwest; Field Journal, Capital Area Master Naturalists, March 2008; TexasBeyondHistory.net.)
More Edible Plants Questions
Weed prevention in vegetable gardens
September 26, 2007 - Mr.Smarty Plants - I know this isn't your area, but we have a vegetable garden that has been plagued by summertime weeds. Do you have a recommendation for a control plan we could implement during t...
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Bitterness in cucumbers
June 24, 2006 - Bitter Cukes:
We have a question about Burpless Burpee cucumbers. We've planted them with success several years in a row in our Austin backyard. This year, although the cucumbers look fine, they a...
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Request for wild and edible plant information for Boy Scouts from San Antonio
June 12, 2012 - We are with the Boy Scouts.
Is it possible for you to email me information on the Wild and Edible plants at the Government Canyon?
WE are teaching our scouts on this subject right now.
We have alre...
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Dog eats horse herb (Calyptocarpus vialis)
July 14, 2008 - This is not a question but in response to one of your answers.
My dog eats horse herb all the time. He seems to use it to calm his stomach or throat from acid indigestion. He had an ulcer and would...
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Odor and flavor of oils in Mints as insect repellants
December 19, 2005 - I am trying to find information on "How does mint plants repel insects" It's for my grand daughter's science project. Any help will be appreciated.
Thank you
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