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These native plants are difficult to find for a number of reasons. The seed can be difficult to come by, they can take a very long time to reach maturity, or they can be very difficult to germinate reliably. This is enough for many nurseries to avoid them, but for this very reason I work hard to propagate them!
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Downy gentian (sometimes called prairie gentian) is a hidden gem in the world of native prairie flowers. It’s the kind of flower that is spoken of in hushed tones by the botanical crowd, its locations shared only with those deemed ready to approach it with the proper respect. Unlike other native gentians, the downy gentian…
Downy phlox, also called prairie phlox, is a colorful early-season beauty! Being one of the few flowers blooming this time of year and owing to its vibrant color, downy phlox really stands out. Collecting seed for this plant is tricky. Once ripe, the small capsules burst open and the seed disperses. It is also difficult…
Hoary Puccoon is a bright addition to spring prairies. Its lively yellow/orange flowers are a treat to find during a season when most vegetation is only just beginning to green up. It is among a handful of indicator plants that are used to determine if an area is likely to be a remnant prairie or…
Our wood lilies will be offered for sale for the first time in the spring of 2024. This slow growing plant can take up to three years to reach maturity, even in a greenhouse setting. Sign up for email notifications above to be the first notified when these amazing plants are ready for sale! Read…
Unlike the short-lived, fat, red, blanket flowers that you might find at your local garden center, gaillardia aristata is a true Minnesota native! Principally a northwestern inhabitant of the mixed grass prairies, it is a fantastic garden flower due to its bright showy flowers and exceptionally long bloom time. This species is declining in Minnesota…
Finding a bottle gentian growing in the prairie is like suddenly being encountered by a bolt of lightning in the grass! Their blue is absolutely electric amidst the tans of the late summer grass. One needs to know where to look as they are not especially common. But as hard as they may be to…
A very uncommon plant to find in west central Minnesota. I know of only a couple sites that it grows. Carolina Larkspur is a striking plant to discover in the wild. It can stand up to four feet tall and is graced with lovely white flowers along its entire length. It prefers dry, sandy conditions…
Downy Painted Cup (also called Downy Paintbrush, Great Plains Paintbrush, Great Plains Indian-paintbrush) is an early blooming plant of dry areas with very poor soil. It is partially parasitic, attaching itself to the roots of nearby plants thereby sharing moisture and nutrients. It has very attractive spiked blossoms that bloom early in the season. Once…
The prairie turnip is one of those special plants that carries with it a very rich story. It is called timpsila by the Lakota, tipsinah by the Dakota, and the French called it Pomme de terre. Should you be lucky enough to find one, you know that you are standing on a prairie remnant that…
White Beardtongue <I>Penstemon albidus</I> is a short statured early summer flower of the dry prairies.