Prairie Smoke Seeds (Geum triflorum)

Prairie smoke is a most curious and delightful wildflower.

A member of the rose family…with deeply cut foliage reminiscent of relatives such as burnet (Sanguisorba spp.)…with small deep-red flowers held aloft on nodding stalks (like strawberries – also relatives)…it’s a plant that produces wildly captivating seed heads consisting of long, fruiting silver-red filaments (called achenes) that resemble a wafting puff of smoke.

No other plant looks like this.

Prairie smoke is uncommon but occurrs in scattered locations across most of Western North America, the Northern Great Plains, and Great Lakes. (Our stock is a Pacific Northwestern eco-type).

Prairie smoke is adaptable and can establish and grow in most soils with full sun. However, it has a general tendency and preference toward dry sites – even gravel – although it can co-exist and persist within grasses (where it is perfectly at home at only about 10-inches in height). Do note that it is a slow growing but long-lived plant. In sites where it is happy it can slowly spread via rhizomes to form patchwork colonies of plants. And, prairie smoke very much benefits from cold-wet outdoor stratification to initiate germination. It’s not an easy plant to get started, but one very much worth the effort.

Also note -- prairie smoke is a cool climate species -- it likes long, cool winters, alpine zones, and frozen prairies -- it's a plant of warm climates. 

Approximately 100+ seeds (0.2 grams).