Pasque Flower, Anemone patens

Among the very first plants to bloom in the spring! The pasque flower first emerges as fuzzy spirals from the ground. The native Americans called them “ears of the earth.” Upon the cold barren landscape of early spring, the pasque flowers were the earth’s first attempts to listen for the sounds of warmer days.

In addition to being an important pollen source and having piqued the imagination of this land’s first inhabitants, the pasque flower was also my introduction to native prairie. I wrote a short piece describing the event for the Minnesota DNR’s Prairie Landowners 2023 newsletter recounting the event. If you’d like to read that, check it out here.

Anemone patens is a short statured plant, often found in dry well draining environments such as gravely hillsides. After going to seed in early June, the plant often goes dormant, sometimes sending up new leaves in the fall. Pasque flowers are important pollen sources for queen bumblebees just emerging from hibernation. Other names for this plant include prairie crocus, windflower, and cutleaf anemone.

What Are Bare Root Plants?
Bare root plants are between 2 and 3 years old. These are flowering age pasque flowers ready to bloom their first season! The actively growing potted plants we sell might take one to three years to see their first blossoms. Bare root plants ship in October. They should be planted immediately!

Life Cycle: Perennial
Size: 6 inches
Sun: Full, Partial
Soil: Medium-Dry, Dry
Bloom Time: April, May
Advantages:

Actively growing potted plants will be available in May and September.
Two year old bare root plants ship in October.

Some product photos used above are available as prints, greeting cards, and other items here.