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Gardening With Native Wildflowers |
By Marty Fisher, Master Gardener, Colorado State University Cooperative Extension, Denver County
Summer visitors to the high country revel in the beauty of wildflowers and often want to duplicate these colorful scenes at home.
Choosing native wildflowers for the home garden is a wise decision for several reasons. These plants are hardy and can withstand the wide temperature swings and seasonal changes of Colorado. For instance, penstemons keep their greenery all winter and produce new leaves in the spring between frosts and snow showers.
Wildflowers generally require less water than other annual plants because they're adapted for survival on Colorado's limited moisture.
Plant them in a situation similar to the one where they grew in the wild. Columbine, for example, will do best in a shady, moist area of the yard. On the other hand, flax or lupine can withstand a hot, dry corner with ease. Most wildflowers can thrive with little fertilization. A primrose clinging to a rocky roadbank produces bloom after bloom in the spring with no special care. It will likely be as pest free as it is in nature.
You can grow wildflowers from seed. Plan for sufficient growing time because many seeds take from 2 weeks to several months to germinate. Some should be scratched open by gently rubbing seeds between two pieces of sandpaper. Others require a storage period in cold, moist conditions before they will germinate.
A word of caution about collecting seeds in the wild. The population of some species may be very small in a given area and disturbing them will upset the balance of nature. Timing collections to gather only the mature, viable seeds also is critical.
Usually it is a better option to purchase seeds from the several Colorado companies specializing in native wildflowers. Note that collection of native plants generally is illegal. Transplants of many native wildflowers are available at nurseries and garden centers. Be sure to note or inquire about the light and moisture requirements a particular plant requires.
The CSU Cooperative Extension Fact sheet, "Wildflowers in Colorado", suggests gaillardia, pasque flower, sulfur flower, gayfeather, fleabane daisy and many more. For further information, request a copy of this fact sheet from your county Cooperative Extension office.
Grow some native wildflowers to bring the pleasures of the natural landscape to your own home. You will be amply rewarded.
Photo: Judy Sedbrook
