What is a wildflower?

As natural gardening sweeps across the country, myths about growing wildflowers are beginning to flourish. In the past few years, we have received hundreds of letters from people who believe that since wildflowers grow spontaneously in nature, they will flourish without maintenance in gardens where nothing else will grow.

To understand why this myth is false, gardeners need to look back to the history of flower gardening and ask some questions. At one time all flowers were wildflowers. Long ago some of the wild varieties made the transition to domestic gardens and parks. Over the years, selections were made, resulting in the beautiful, large, uniform flowers found in today's seed catalogs. The important question for new wildflower gardeners is, “Why were some flowers chosen through the centuries to be domesticated while others were left to remain wild?” In other words, “What is a wildflower?”

Today's wildflowers are often either those varieties that grow too easily, quickly taking over as uncontrollable weeds or those varieties that are difficult to grow and have resisted efforts over the centuries to be grown outside their natural environment.

While it is impossible to group all wildflowers into these two categories, the exercise begins to point out some of the major problems gardeners face when planting wildflowers for the first time.

Wildflowers Can Be Weeds

Gardeners must learn to avoid weedy varieties such as morning glory and yarrow which can overtake yards and lawns as well as flower gardens. Check the labels of out-of-state cans of wildflower seeds promising instant and long-lasting success.  Flowers not “weedy” in one area may be noxious in another. One of our local clients paid more than $4,000 over 3 years to remove weedy wildflowers included in an out-of-state mix.

On the other hand, noxious wildflowers in one area may be fine in another. Even though ox-eye daisy seed sales are unlawful in the state of Washington and bachelor's buttons cause problems in northern Idaho, both can be used in wildflower gardens above 6,000 ft. In fact, we now sell a number of naturally aggressive wildflowers including African daisy and California poppy because sub-zero, mountain winters prevent otherwise uncontrollable invasions. Look to local experience for the best information.  Most states compile official lists of noxious weeds and restrict or ban their import.  In the GRIN data base listed here you will find the state and federal lists of noxious weeds. Official lists vary from state to state, but here you can check to see if any plant is on any list: http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxweed.pl We welcome your feedback about plants you know to be destructive and/or restricted in your local area.

Difficult Wildflowers

Many of the West's most popular, native wildflowers are classified as difficult to domesticate unless helpful “tricks” are learned. For example, lupine seeds can be put in boiling water to coax early germination. Indian paintbrush is a partial parasite to surrounding native plants and may take 18-24 months to germinate. Many other natives need to be cold-treated (stratified) before germination takes place. Seek advice for regional varieties by asking local, experienced gardeners, nurseries and regional seed companies.

A number of good books about wildflower propagation are now available. Collecting, Processing and Germinating Seeds of Wildland Plants by James A. and Cheryl Young is an encyclopedic approach to collecting and germinating seed ranging from tiny, fragile annuals to tall trees.

Another useful manual for us has been Gardening with Native Plants of the Pacific Northwest by Arthur R. Kruckeberg. This marvelous book identifies 250 wild ornamentals in the Pacific Northwest and describes their natural habitat as well as methods of propagation and cultivation.

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