Geum triflorum - Prairie Smoke - 3" Pot

Among the countless beautiful wildflowers native to North America, prairie smoke stands out as a truly special spectacle. It forms low-growing clumps of fern-like foliage in basal rosettes that spread slowly through rhizomes. This semi-evergreen foliage typically persists throughout the winter, turning shades of red and purple. In late spring, prairie smoke produces thin, upright flowering stalks which support three magenta, bud-like flowers that nod elegantly toward the ground. Following pollination, the flowers turn upright and their female parts extend to form tufts of wispy pink seed hairs that can be as long as three inches and aid the plant in seed dispersal via wind.

When massed together, these seed structures create a gauzy, ethereal effect that earns this plant its common name. There are few spectacles as delightful as when these whimsical wisps are laden with morning dew or illuminated with sunlight. Prairie smoke is adapted to full sun, well-drained sites in cooler northern climates. It will often die back during the heat of summer only to fill out again in the fall as temperatures begin to drop. It is sensitive to competition from other species, especially in rich soil, but performs perfectly as a border plant and in rock gardens.