Another Easter Flower

Can you name a plant that has short stems and showy purple flowers at this time of year? Now add eye-catching seed heads, and the fact that it’s native to Colorado (and other cold-winter areas in both North America and Europe). This cultivated wildflower is Pasque Flower (or), named after its Easter time bloom.

Appearance
Besides the lilac wildflowers, other purple shades are available in cultivated strains, from a deep purple-red to, rarely, white. Gray-green leaves appear after the flower buds, and may be more or less finely divided. They’re covered with silvery fuzz, giving a soft appearance that makes you want to pet them.

Wild plants are only a couple of inches tall, but those sold in the nursery trade get much larger—up to a foot tall and as wide. After the flowers fade, exotic-looking seed heads (technically fruits) grab your attention. They’re not brightly colored, but they are every bit as decorative as the blossoms.

Taxonomy
There’s some confusion over the scientific name for this widespread flower. Some consider it an Anemone, while other botanists give it its own subgenus, Pulsatilla. There are approximately 33 species, but again, not all botanists agree on the taxonomy. The common names vary too: Pasque Flower, Pasqueflower, Wind Flower, Prairie Crocus, Easter Flower, and Meadow Anemone.

Cultivation
No matter what you call it, Pasque Flower is an excellent candidate for Colorado gardens. The plants are hardy from USDA zone 4 to 9. I have them growing wild under my ponderosas, where they survive in unfertile, sandy soil with no supplemental irrigation at 7,000 feet elevation. To me, that’s nothing short of a miracle! However, more congenial conditions—well-drained soil rich in humus—encourage more blooms. Choose a site in part shade to full sun. Water when soil dries out; the plants are somewhat drought-tolerant, but you don’t want them wilting.

Garden Use
Because of their short stature and early bloom, locate Pasque Flower in the front of the landscape where they’ll be noticed. They make good rock garden plants, and combine well with other early bloomers such as Aubrieta (Rock Cress) and Basket of Gold.

The leaves and stems of Pasque Flower are very poisonous. Perhaps this is why rabbits and other wildlife tend to avoid nibbling on them.
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Article and photos by Leslie Holzmann, Certified Colorado Gardener.

 

New England Asters

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae (aka Aster novae-angliae)

Appearance
Bright purple daisies with contrasting golden yellow centers adorn these shrubby perennials from August until October. Growing to four feet high and wide, the plants tend to sprawl unless staked. Stems bear long, lance-shaped leaves of dull green. Numerous cultivars have been developed with a wider range of flower colors, including pinks, fuchsia, and lavender.

Culture
As their name implies, New England asters are native to damp thickets and meadows of the northeast. They do well in Colorado as long as they have amended soil and regular irrigation. Don’t keep the ground soggy, however, as that encourages infection by fungal diseases. Plant purchased seedlings or rooted cuttings in full sun. Larger areas may be direct seeded in fall; cold winter temperatures are necessary for germination to occur. Pinch back stems early in the season to promote branching, but stop when buds begin to form in mid-summer.

Landscape Use
Their medium height and less-than-ideal foliage makes New England asters perfect for the middle of a perennial border. Try pairing them with other late bloomers with similar watering requirements. Tall sunflowers (both annuals and perennials) make a lovely backdrop, while goldenrod contrasts in color and form. Combining purple asters with ornamental grasses in copper and russet tones is especially pleasing.

Article and photo by Leslie Holzmann, Colorado Master Gardener.

 

Sneezeweed

Helenium hyb.

Appearance

Why would you grow a flower called Sneezeweed? Picture a striking, three-foot high perennial covered with 2 – 3 inch daisy-like flowers of yellow, orange, red, rust, and copper. The leaves are six inches long, lance-shaped and dark green. Plus, the name actually comes from the use of the dried leaves and flowers as snuff; the pollen is unlikely to cause hay-fever. On the other hand, continued contact with the plant can cause an allergic reaction, so it’s wise to use gloves. Also, the plants are bitter and toxic, so keep them away from small children and pets.

 

Cupid’s Dart

(Catananche caerulea)

Description
Cupid’s Dart comes to Colorado from Europe, where its historical role as an ingredient in love potions gave rise to its common name. Clumps of slender gray-green leaves grow about a foot tall and wide. Wiry stalks extend past the foliage, supporting a myriad of striking periwinkle-blue flower heads, each set off by papery bracts behind the petals. If left to mature, the two inch blooms turn into attractive seed heads that last all winter.

Cultivation
Thriving on benign neglect, Cupid’s Dart requires full sun and excellent drainage. Provide supplemental water during prolonged dry spells. Although this is a short-lived perennial lasting about three years, it is easy to propagate. Plants may be divided in early spring, or started from seed. Seedlings started indoors in March will bloom their first summer. Place seeds in the freezer for several weeks prior to sowing. Removing faded flowers will prolong bloom.

Landscape Use
Its xeric qualities make Cupid’s Dart an ideal plant for low-water gardens. The lavender-blue flowers combine especially well with orange-yellow butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberose) or torch-lily (Kniphofia).  Use it as a temporary filler among slower-growing shrubs, where its short lifespan is an asset. The flowers can be used in dried arrangements.

Article and photos by Leslie Holzmann, Certified Colorado Gardener.

 

Wall Germander

(Teucrium chamaedrys)

Appearance
Bees, hummingbirds, butterflies, and gardeners all appreciate the lovely purple-pink flowers of Wall Germander. Imported from the mountains of southwest Asia and Europe, this woody herb resembles a diminutive, flowering boxwood, growing about one to two feet high and wide. Germander has small, oval shaped leaves of glossy green. The short flower spikes appear in mid-summer and continue until fall. Their minty scent perfumes the air (and may attract the neighborhood cat).

 

Common Yarrow

Appearance
Yarrow (Achillea sp.) might be common, but it’s still a worthy plant for Colorado landscapes. Plants form spreading clumps of dark green, finely cut leaves about one foot tall. Flat-topped clusters of tiny flowers that rise well above the greenery provide landing places for butterflies, which are attracted in large numbers. Blooms may be white, pale to golden yellow, or various pastel shades; ‘Paprika’ is a cultivar that blooms in the red color of its namesake. Native to North America, yarrows were used medicinally to stop the flow of blood from a wound, hence some older common names such as Soldier’s Woundwort, Staunchweed and Nosebleed Plant.

 

Chocolate Flower

photo by Lisa Bird

Berlandiera lyrata

Appearance: This very aromatic plant has bright green, flat spreading leaves with shallowly lobed edges.  The flowers are daisy-like, with green center and light yellow petals.  The underside of the petals have maroon markings on them.

Habitat: This plant is very drought tolerant and blooms profusely throughout the season.  The flowers have a wonderful chocolate scent are are edible.  Chocolate Flower prefers full sun and needs very little water.  Found on the Western plains to northern Mexico, in dry rocky soils.  Hardy to Zone 4.

 

Perennial Sweet Pea (Lathyrus odorata)

Appearance
Perennial sweetpea is a lovely, old-fashioned flower—one that grandmother might have grown. The keeled pea blossoms, ranging from a blushed white to a deep rose pink, form a clump atop long stems. Lanky vines sport sparse foliage, but plenty of coiling tendrils with which they cling to any support. Bloom will continue from now until early fall if spent flowers are removed. If left to mature, the round, spiral pods will suddenly twist open, flinging their seeds several feet into the air, and sowing plenty of new vines in your garden.

 

Hardy Ice Plant

Appearance
Covering the ground with a solid mass of brilliant fuchsia-purple flowers, Hardy Ice Plant (Delosperma cooperi) demands a second look. The succulent green leaves glimmer in the sun, giving the plant its common name, while the flowers have glistening thin petals surrounding a yellow center. Waves of bloom carpet the foliage from late spring until late summer. The show even continues in winter, when plants turn a deep burgundy-red. Other species of Delosperma, with yellow or salmon-pink flowers, are also now available.

 

Wild Iris

Iris missouriensis

Appearance: Wild Iris is a bluish-purple native flower characteristic in appearance to cultivated irises.  It grows to about 2 feet in height and blooms from May to July.

Habitat: It is found in foothills to subalpine life zones, mostly in moist open areas, wet meadows, and stream sides at 4,500 to 9,500 feet elevation.  Growing in full sun, it drenches meadows in its vivid blue color, and is prevalent in areas that have been grazed heavily.