Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

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.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

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.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Friday - August 05, 2005

From: East Point, GA
Region: Southeast
Topic: Non-Natives, Trees
Title: Smarty Plants on dogwoods
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

I am interested in the worldwide distribution of the dogwood family/cornus. Specifically, I am interested in whether or not there are indiginous species on the Indian Subcontinent. Is there a resource I might access for this information? Thank you.

ANSWER:

Our area of expertise and interest is the native plants of North America. You can find listings of the members of the Genus Cornus in the Family Cornaceae (Dogwood Family) in North America in the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) database and the USDA Plants Database.

For members of the Family Cornaceae on the Indian sub-continent I searched the internet and found reference to a botantical field guide The Flora of Presidency of Bombay. Volume 2. Cornaceae to Chenopodiaceae that suggests that there are at least some members of the family found there. You could try a search in the Global Biodiversity Information Facility by country of interest for members of the genus or family.

 

More Non-Natives Questions

Possibility of replacing Bermudagrass with native grasses and wildflowers
November 24, 2008 - Are there any native grasses and wildflowers that can compete with bermuda grass to make a nativ-y wild area without removing the bermuda?
view the full question and answer

Distressed non-native weeping willows in Washington State
June 26, 2008 - What could be causing my weeping willows to be distressed year after year?
view the full question and answer

Care for non-native plumeria in Inverness FL
October 05, 2009 - I have several plumeria plants that I planted in the ground this spring. I will soon need to dig them up and store them in the garage for the winter, as I left some last year that died with the frost...
view the full question and answer

Non-native genista racemosa from Leander TX
March 28, 2012 - Hello, Mr. Smarty Plants. I fear I've made a horrible purchase at a local plant place. Bought a "broom" plant--it's not listed in your database. Latin name: genista racemosa, according to tag. ...
view the full question and answer

Non-native dwarf palm leaves yellowing in Katy TX
March 30, 2013 - 1 month ago we planted dwarf palms, the leaves are turning yellow, does this mean we are over watering them? If so how much water do they require? Is there anything we can give them? We also have a fa...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.