Pulsatilla Vulgaris Rubra Photo: Hans Braxmeier at Pixabay
There are many plants I wish were in my garden, but when spring arrives the one I miss the most is Pasque Flower or Prairie Crocus (Pulsatilla vulgaris). While many plants are still sleeping in the spring garden, Pasque Flower is happy to hail the new season.
This plant is native to much of Canada. According to the Canadian Wildlife Federation, Pasque Flower ranges "from the Yukon and Northwest Territories down through British Columbia and across to the western tip of Ontario and is the floral emblem of Manitoba." It is typically found in "open areas such as prairies, rocky outcrops, slopes and occasionally in woodland clearings."
Pasque Flower is also a useful, if little known, pollinator plant. The flowers offer abundant pollen when bees are eager for an early-season food source. Some observe that the generous, upright flowers provide a place for small insects to warm up, thanks to the arrangement of their sepals which reflect sunshine, increasing the temperature inside the bloom by several degrees.
Like me, you may fall for the fuzzy stems and the charming little 'pinwheels' that form from the spent flowers. These interesting structures add texture in the garden for some weeks.
Take a little time to read cultivation requirements for this hardy plant at Dave's Garden.
And, you can read more about cultivated varieties in Susan Mahr's article at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension. Check your nursery for plants or purchase seeds online.
You might guess how much I like Pasque Flower as you view my new home page image.
So beautiful, don't you think?
This plant is native to much of Canada. According to the Canadian Wildlife Federation, Pasque Flower ranges "from the Yukon and Northwest Territories down through British Columbia and across to the western tip of Ontario and is the floral emblem of Manitoba." It is typically found in "open areas such as prairies, rocky outcrops, slopes and occasionally in woodland clearings."
Pasque Flower is also a useful, if little known, pollinator plant. The flowers offer abundant pollen when bees are eager for an early-season food source. Some observe that the generous, upright flowers provide a place for small insects to warm up, thanks to the arrangement of their sepals which reflect sunshine, increasing the temperature inside the bloom by several degrees.
Like me, you may fall for the fuzzy stems and the charming little 'pinwheels' that form from the spent flowers. These interesting structures add texture in the garden for some weeks.
Take a little time to read cultivation requirements for this hardy plant at Dave's Garden.
And, you can read more about cultivated varieties in Susan Mahr's article at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension. Check your nursery for plants or purchase seeds online.
You might guess how much I like Pasque Flower as you view my new home page image.
So beautiful, don't you think?
Photo: Coleur at Pixabay
Want to grow Pasque Flower in your garden? Find plants and seeds at these locations:
Canning Perennials - for 'Alba' or white Pasque Flower
Wildflower Farm - for seeds
Canning Perennials - for 'Alba' or white Pasque Flower
Wildflower Farm - for seeds
