Prairie smoke

Sun

Full sun; light afternoon shade can help in warmer locations.

Water

Water regularly while establishing, then sparingly. Established plants tolerate dry spells but dislike persistently wet soil.

Soil

Well-drained sandy, gravelly or loamy soil, preferably of low to moderate fertility. Avoid heavy, waterlogged ground, especially in winter.

Height

0.5-1.5 ft (0.15-0.45 m), including flower stems

Spread

0.5-1 ft (0.15-0.3 m), gradually widening into a colony

Flowers

Spring to early summer; nodding dusky pink to reddish-pink flowers, followed by silvery-pink, feathery seed heads.

Foliage

Low rosettes of softly hairy, fern-like leaves divided into toothed leaflets. Leaves may turn reddish in autumn and remain through mild winters, but can die back in severe cold or summer drought.

Growth

Slow to moderate

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Deer resistant
• Drought tolerant
• Cold hardy
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Very tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1 ft (0.3 m)

   full size

About 4 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Native to

the US and Canada

Growth rate

Slow

• Water during dry spells in the first growing season; let the soil begin to dry between waterings.
• Plant with the crown at soil level in a freely draining position.
• Avoid routine feeding; rich soil can produce floppy growth.
• Use a light gravel mulch rather than piling organic mulch against the crown.
• Divide established clumps in early spring only when needed for propagation or to manage their spread.

Pruning. Remove dead or damaged leaves in late winter or early spring without cutting into the crown. Leave flower stems until the feathery seed heads have faded, then cut them back to the base.

Late winter

Check that water is draining away from crowns and remove matted dead foliage.

Early spring

Plant or divide clumps while conditions are cool; water new plants thoroughly.

Spring

Keep emerging growth clear of weeds and check for slug damage.

Early summer

Leave spent flowers in place so their feathery seed heads can develop.

Summer

Water young plants during dry spells; avoid frequent watering of established clumps.

Autumn

Sow fresh seed outdoors in pots or a prepared seedbed for natural winter chilling.

• Plant small groups along a sunny path where the low flowers and seed heads can be seen closely.
• Use among rocks or in gravel beds with other small, drought-tolerant perennials.
• Place at the front of prairie-style borders with short grasses, keeping taller plants from shading it.
• Repeat in informal drifts to create a soft layer of feathery seed heads in early summer.

Garden styles it suits: Native meadow, Midwest prairie, Dry gravel garden, Wildlife garden, Low-maintenance and Alpine rock garden.

Plant it with: Prairie dropseed, Little bluestem, Pale purple coneflower, Wild blue flax, Pasque flower and Prairie onion.

Wildlife: Spring flowers provide pollen and nectar for bumblebees and other native bees. Deer and rabbits often leave the hairy foliage alone, though browsing is still possible.

• Crown or root rot in wet soil: improve drainage or move plants to a raised, gravelly bed; avoid winter waterlogging.
• Slugs and snails on young leaves: inspect during damp weather and remove pests or use locally approved iron-phosphate bait as directed.
• Scorching or summer dieback in prolonged heat: provide light afternoon shade in warmer gardens and occasional deep watering during severe drought.
• Poor flowering in shade or crowded borders: move to a sunnier position and keep taller neighbours from overgrowing the clump.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses. Species-specific safety information is limited, so do not treat it as an edible plant or encourage pets to eat it.

• Water avens (Geum rivale)

  Also has nodding pinkish flowers, but prefers moist ground and forms compact seed heads rather than prairie smoke's long, spreading plumes.

• Pasque flower (Pulsatilla vulgaris)

  Has similarly silky seed heads, but its spring flowers open widely, usually in purple, and its leaves are finely dissected rather than divided into distinct toothed leaflets.

• Mountain avens (Dryas octopetala)

  Produces feathery seed heads, but has open white flowers and small, simple, leathery evergreen leaves rather than fern-like rosettes.

Prairie smoke refers to the hazy appearance of its feathery seed heads, while triflorum means three-flowered, referring to the usual grouping of flowers on each stem.

Propagation. Divide clumps carefully in early spring. Sow fresh seed outdoors in autumn, or give stored seed a cold, moist period before spring sowing; germination can be uneven.

Accepted botanical name

Geum triflorum

In the US and Canada

Native in Canada and the lower 48 states.

Native range

Alberta, Arizona, British Columbia, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Manitoba, Michigan, Minnesota and Montana.

Measured

Soil pH 6 to 7.5. Average height 25 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.