Wildflower Seeds

[Jeanie Moses]

Without having to thrash through underbrush and briars, climbing through barbed wire fences and becoming host or hostess to dozens of "critters".......ticks, chiggars, etc., how does one come by some fresh wildflower seeds, such as the echinacea (very droopy petals), the salvias, the monardas and the annual white cleome? Jeanie

[LucyGoose]

First, I'd like to say Welcome to Hallsons!!

Well, I don't know besides asking to see if someone has some in the seed exchange here.....I don't have white cleome, but I do have the pink.....If you would like some seed, let me know....

[kHT]

Again welcome to HG, some seed companies do carry wildflower seed mixes and that might be a good route to go.

[John]

Hi Jeanie,

I think except for the white Cleome, the other plants you name are perennials-- you might wish to go to the Exchange Forums here and set up a trade or two for them as plants? Also start a topic asking for the annual white Cleome seeds, offer trade or postage for those, someone may be able to help.

I am not a big fan of the wildflower mixes...for success the soil must be as well prepared as for any other planting; many are perennial and will take a couple years from seed. I did that once, and had hundreds of Achillea seedlings which have taken years to almost eliminate (invasive!). Might be better to select exactly the plants you want! The ones you mention would be beautiful together.

John

[Jeanie Moses]

[quote="LucyGoose"]First, I'd like to say Welcome to Hallsons!!

Well, I don't know besides asking to see if someone has some in the seed exchange here.....I don't have white cleome, but I do have the pink.....If you would like some seed, let me know.... : Hi, LucyGoose. Thank you for the warm welcome and the reply. As far as I know, the native cleome grows to about 18" high and is always white. Found some growing on the side of the road here in central Oklahoma several years ago in the worst of conditions (hard red clay) and brought some of them home. Believe it or not, some of them survived and dropped seed. However, I no longer live in that house and attempts to start some of the seeds in pots were to no avail (go figure). I have never been able to find this plant again in the "wild". I hope some day to stumble on another little pocket of them somewhere. They are really "neat". Thank you for the offer of your pink cleome. I have grown all of the colors and think they are lovely. Hope you have a great day (my, you get up early.....ha. ha.) and will talk to you again. Jeanie

[Jeanie Moses]

Again welcome to HG, some seed companies do carry wildflower seed mixes and that might be a good route to go.

Hi, Karma_Happy_Toes. Thank you for the "welcome" and the reply. I have tried pkts. of wildflower seeds and have been dis-appointed in the contents. I'm getting "picky" in my "cruisin' years" because I just want certain ones without the filler of so many of the invasive plants. I became interested in wildflowers (I've always thought they were lovely growing in the fields and along side the road) about three years when my son, "Vintagedude", and I were searching out ghost towns in Oklahoma (where I live) and stumbled on wild cleome and monarda growing alongside a hard clay road amazing me with their ability to grow under such conditions. Brought some of the cleome home with us and, believe it or not, some of them survived and dropped seed. I no longer live in that house or that city and attempts to grown the seeds in pots were to no avail. Alas, I have never seen the wild cleome again. They must be fairly rare. Anyway, I would love to get my hands on some more seed. It is my humble and ignorant opinion that hybridizing some of our wonderful wildflowers ruins their natural beauty. Again, thank you for your reply and hope to talk to again soon. Jeanie

[Jeanie Moses]

Hi Jeanie,

I think except for the white Cleome, the other plants you name are perennials-- you might wish to go to the Exchange Forums here and set up a trade or two for them as plants? Also start a topic asking for the annual white Cleome seeds, offer trade or postage for those, someone may be able to help.

I am not a big fan of the wildflower mixes...for success the soil must be as well prepared as for any other planting; many are perennial and will take a couple years from seed. I did that once, and had hundreds of Achillea seedlings which have taken years to almost eliminate (invasive!). Might be better to select exactly the plants you want! The ones you mention would be beautiful together.

John

Hi, John. Thank you for your advice and you are right, all the flowers I mentioned are perennials but the cleome. I, too, have been dis-appointed in wildflower mixtures. I have gardened since I was a little girl at my Grandmother's knee, have worked at different stages in my life at several landscape nurseries and have grown from seeds, plants, tubers, bulbs, etc. for years. I have grown all of the mentioned hybrid plants and many more but, in more recent years, became interested in the original native plants. I'm very ignorant about seed gathering, how to preserve it (do you plant it now or wait until after frost in the Spring or keep it in the "fridge" all winter or what) and, quite frankly, tired of coming home scratched and having to de-varmint my clothes and skin. Therefore, I'm really interested in finding some good fresh seed without the "hassle" (not that I will stop looking at what is growing alongside the road, ever). Also, I have only seen the wild cleome once in all my searching. It must be fairly rare. It was growing in hard, dry clay on the side of a country road here in central Oklahoma. Attempts to start some of the seeds in pots did not work, and now I am out of them. Anyway, I really WOULD like to get hold of some of these seeds and try again, but in the ground. Thank you again for answering my letter. Isn't gardening wonderful??!! Jeanie