# What kind of wildflower is this? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 10, 2005, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-wildflower-is-this/303143 "2005-05-10T00:06:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-wildflower-is-this/303143/1 "2005-05-10T00:06:29Z")
I see these near Dallas, TX. The ones I have seen are either white, very light pink, or dark purple. During the day they open up into a cup or bell-like shape, at night they close up into a rose looking configuration. The flower itself measures about 1 1/2 inches across and 1 inch deep. They grow fairly low to the ground, not on a stalk or bush. The stems have small, slender pointed leaves. Any ideas? Include pictures if possible. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-wildflower-is-this/303143/2 "2005-05-10T00:43:27Z")
[Wild morning glory](http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&lr=&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&q=%22wild+morning+glory%22&btnG=Search)? Usually a low growing vine with triangular leaves. They do the opening and closing thing. Size and color vary a lot depending on what part of the country they’re in. ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-wildflower-is-this/303143/3 "2005-05-10T02:06:02Z")
Close, but these I have seen are more cup shaped, they don’t open up flat at all. ---
**Author:** ![FaerieBeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e95f7d/32.png) [@FaerieBeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FaerieBeth)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-wildflower-is-this/303143/4 "2005-05-10T02:16:00Z")
Could it be [the Wild Potato Vine](http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&lr=&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&q=wild+potato+vine&btnG=Search)? We have them in Arkansas near the roadsides and such. ---
**Author:** ![TwoTrouts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9adbd/32.png) [@TwoTrouts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoTrouts)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-wildflower-is-this/303143/5 "2005-05-10T02:23:47Z")
Sounds like [crocuses](http://www.sacrecoeurcharleroi.be/net_cursus/crocus.jpg) to me. Small, low to the ground, pointed leaves, cup shaped, closes at night, variety of colors. I plant these all over my lawn. They come up in late winter, beautify the lawn, and are gone before I have to mow. Makes my front yard look like a meadow for a short time! ---
**Author:** ![FaerieBeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e95f7d/32.png) [@FaerieBeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FaerieBeth)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-wildflower-is-this/303143/6 "2005-05-10T02:28:31Z")
> [@TwoTrouts](#): > > Sounds like [crocuses](http://www.sacrecoeurcharleroi.be/net_cursus/crocus.jpg) to me. Small, low to the ground, pointed leaves, cup shaped, closes at night, variety of colors. I plant these all over my lawn. They come up in late winter, beautify the lawn, and are gone before I have to mow. Makes my front yard look like a meadow for a short time! **TwoTrouts’** guess sounds better than mine. The “not on a stalk” part made me think of vines, but the flower you describe sounds closer to the crocus. ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-wildflower-is-this/303143/7 "2005-05-10T03:21:57Z")
I think it’s a Prickly Poppy: [http://hotx.com/wildflowers/Vpage.html](http://hotx.com/wildflowers/Vpage.html) ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-wildflower-is-this/303143/8 "2005-05-10T04:29:42Z")
Could it be a [lisianthus?](http://www.flowers.org.uk/flowers/facts/k-r/lisianthus.htm) ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-wildflower-is-this/303143/9 "2005-05-10T05:34:51Z")
Nope, those are too full, these only have like 4 or 5 petals. They are going to sleep now, they curl up until the bud is shut. Maybe they only live one day? I will have to see how they are tomorrow, but there are more baby buds on the stems. ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-wildflower-is-this/303143/10 "2005-05-10T05:44:59Z")
Ah Ha!!! Here’s what they are, a Poppymallow Winecup: [http://www.wildflower2.org/NPIN/Gallery/CNSearch.asp?CNSearch=winecup&submit3.x=12&submit3.y=9](http://www.wildflower2.org/NPIN/Gallery/CNSearch.asp?CNSearch=winecup&submit3.x=12&submit3.y=9) So they look different depending on how far they are open. I wandered though a meadow of poppymallow winecups … 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-wildflower-is-this/303143/11 "2005-05-10T05:45:30Z")
Well, I won’t try to talk you into it, but for the record, that photo was of a double lisianthus. My mistake. On [this page](http://www.dontveter.com/howtogrow/eustgran.html), at the bottom, are links to photos of single varieties. ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-wildflower-is-this/303143/12 "2005-05-10T05:46:45Z")
Whoops! You found it while I was second-guessing you! Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-wildflower-is-this/303143/13 "2005-05-10T12:48:01Z")
Living in Texas means that a great resource is at hand. [The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center](http://www.wildflower2.org/NPIN/Gallery/State.asp?StateField=TX&submit2.x=15&submit2.y=8) has a database of wildflowers from all over north america. Check out the _Agalinis_ flowers on page 9 or 10, they may be what you are looking for.