Native Alberta Flowers

Native Alberta Flowers

Legend:

Sunlight F-full sun, PS-partial sun

Stratification MS-moist, DR-dry, Period in weeks (see methods at end of this chart)

Height in centimetres

Surface seeding - simply press the seeds into the soil - do not cover.

Please be advised that we can no longer ship seeds outside Canada.

Scientific Name	Common Name	Sunlight	Stratif- ication	Height cm	Germination Particulars	Notes
Agastache foeniculum	Giant Hyssop	F,PS	MS - 6 to 9	120	.5 cm deep
Allium cernuum	Nodding Onion	F	MS 4-5	50	needs darkness??	produces edible bulbs, showy flowers
Allium schoenoprasum	Wild Chives	F,PS	MS 2-3	20-30	.25 cm deep	edible, attracts pollinators
Arnica chamissonis	Meadow Arnica	F,PS	MS - 3	35	.25 cm deep	spreads by rhizomes
Artemisia frigida	Artemesia frigida	F	MS 3-4	30-40	surface, fall seeding	spreads by rhizomes, wonderful smell
Artemisia ludoviciana	Pasture Sage	F	MS 3-4	120	surface, fall	spreads by rhizomes
Asclepias ovalifolia	Low Milkweed	F	MS 4-5	40	.25 cm deep, fall	important for butterflies and pollinators
Astragalus canadensis	Canada Milkvetch	F		100	scarify, use boiling water
Campanula rotundifolia	Harebell, Prairie Bluebell	F	MS - 3	40	surface	can be aggressive
Castilleja miniata	Indian Paintbrush	F, PS	MS 4		surface	semi-parasitic, difficult to establish
Chamerion angustifolium	Fireweed	F, PS	MS - 4	150+	Suface, add wood ash to soil	can be aggressive by rhizomes and seeds
Clematis ligusticifolia	Western Clematis	F, PS	MS - 4	300	surface	needs support, keep root crown cool
Cleome serrulata	Pink Bee Plant	F	MS - 3	75+	presoak seeds, best to fall seed	interesting smell to the plant. reseeds
Dalea purpurea	Purple Prairie Clover	F	MS 4-6	40	1cm deep, hard seed coating	difficult to germinate
Erigeron caespitosa	Tufted Fleabane	F	MS 3-4	25	surface, fall seed	ideal for rock gardens
Erigeron glabellus	Smooth Fleabane	F	MS 2-3	60-70	surface, fall seed	similar to showy fleabane
Erigeron speciosus	Showy Fleabane	F	MS - 2	40	surface, fall seed	makes a nice border plant
Eurybia conspicua	Showy Aster	F,PS	MS-4	80	surface, fall
Gaillardia aristata	Blanketflower	F	MS -3	75	surface	easy
Galium boreale	Northern Bedstraw	F,PS	MS 3-4	60	.5, fall	good for semi-shaded areas
Geum triflorum Sold Out	Old Man's Whiskers	F	MS - 3	40	surface, best as transplants - seed direct from parent	difficult - must be kept dry
Haplopappus spinulosus	Spiny Iron Plant	F	MS - 3-4	15-30	surface, fall seed	needs very dry conditions
Hedysarum alpinum	Alpine Sweet-Vetch	F	MS 4-5	50-100	1 cm, fall	adds nitrogen
Helianthus maximiliani	Narrow-Leaved Sunflower	F	MS 3-4	2 m	1 cm, fall	food source in the fall
Helianthus nuttallii Sold Out	Nuttalls Sunflower	F	MS - 2-3	1-2m	1 cm deep, fall seed	important food source
Helianthus petiolaris/couplandii	Prairie Sunflower	F	MS - 4	120	fall seed is best. Surface to .5 cm deep	easy - self-seeds
Helianthus subrhomboideus	Rhombic-Leaved Sunflower	F	MS 3-4	100+	1 cm deep, fall seed	food source for birds
Heterotheca villosa	Golden Aster	F	MS - 4	30-50	Surface	keep it dry
Heuchera richardsonii	Alumroot	F	MS - 3	40-50	surface. start in containers
Liatris ligulstylis	Meadow Blazingstar	F	MS - 5	80-100	surface
Linum lewisii	Blue Flax	F	DR - 3	75	.25 cm deep	easy
Mimulus guttatus Sold Out	Yellow Monkeyflower	PS,S		20	surface	ideal for shady, cool areas
Monarda fistulosa	Bergamot, Horsemint	F	MS - 2	30-60	surface	can be aggressive
Oenothera biennis	Yellow Evening Primrose	F	DR - 3	100	surface, fall seed	biennial - self-seeds
Oenothera nuttallii	White Evening Primrose	F	MS 2-3	120 +	surface, fall seed	spreads by rhizomes
Oligoneuron rigidum	Rigid or Stiff Goldenrod	F	MS - 4	125	" "	not aggressive
Oxytropis deflexa	Reflexed Locoweed	F, PS	MS 3-4	40	scarification is also necessary	adds nitrogen
Penstemon albidus	White Penstemon	F	MS 3	30	.5 cm deep	great rock garden specimen
Penstemon confertus	Yellow Penstemon	F	MS - 2	30-50	surface	easy
Penstemon gracilis	Lilac-Flowered Penstemon	F	MS - 2	40	surface, transplants are best	easy
Penstemon nitidus	Smooth Blue Penstemon	F	MS - 3-4	20-30	1 cm deep, fall seed	needs dry conditions to thrive
Penstemon procerus	Slender Blue Penstemon	F	MS - 4	30-40	surface, transplants are best	easy. sometimes blooms the first year
Phacelia sericea	Mountain Phacelia	F	MS 3-4	20-40	surface, fall seed	spring flowering, interesting species
Potentilla arguta	White Cinquefoil	F	MS - 3	70	surface	can be aggressive
Potentilla gracilis	Graceful Cinquefoil	F, PS	MS 3-4	70 +	surface, fall seed	ideal for tall grass meadow
Ratibida columnifera	Prairie Coneflower	F	DR - 5	75	surface	easy - keep on the dry side
Solidago canadensis	Canada Goldenrod	F, PS	M S - 4	110+	surface - germ. best in cool weather	can be aggressive
Solidago missouriensis	Low Goldenrod	F	MS - 4	30-40	" "	can be aggressive
Solidago simplex	Mountain Goldenrod	F, PS	MS 3-4	50	surface, fall seed	blooms earlier than other goldenrods
Symphotrichum ericoides	White Prairie Aster	F	MS -3	30-80	surface
Symphotrichum laevis	Smooth Aster	F,PS	MS-2	75	surface, fall seed
Zizia aptera Sold Out	Heart-Leaved Alexanders	F, PS	MS 3-4	60	surface, fall seed	moisture loving species

Moist Stratification: Mix the seeds with equal parts of moist sand, vermiculite or some other sterile medium. The medium should be moist not wet - if you squeeze it and water drips out - its too wet. For small quantities, i.e. seed packages, it is best to use fine to medium course silica sand. Place seeds and medium in a sealed plastic bag and store in the refrigerator. Check your seeds regularily. Fireweed and Pink Bee Plant are notorious for germinating in the bag. If sprouting occurs, plant immediately. Each species needs a certain length of time in the fridge, this is noted in its description. Length of time is based on our experiences and may vary greatly from season to season.

Dry Stratification: This method is simpler and most of the grasses should have this treatment. Place seeds in a sealed plastic bag or similar plastic container and store in the fridge for the specified period of time. No moist medium is necessary. Check the seeds regularily as they may draw moisture from the air.

Scarification: In nature many hard coated seeds will pass through the digestive tracts of animals or birds or rely on constant thawing and freezing to break the seed coating. Scarification tries to mimic this natural process. The best way to accomplish this is to rub the seeds between two pieces of rough sandpaper. Do not crush the seeds, try to scratch away the coating in a few spots. This should be done before any stratification if necessary.