Last year I began participation in Native Seed Gardeners, an organization that uses home-gardener-volunteers to grow native plants. The purpose is seed collection and use of the seeds in restoration of conservation lands. We're growing purple milkweed, cream baptisia, and Canada hawkweed for the project. Just this morning I mailed this year's seed harvest - a packet of hawkweed seeds.
So far only the hawkweed has bloomed. Purple milkweed (Asclepias purpurascens,) is little, but still has big fall color.
Canada hawkweed (Hieracium canadense,) bloomed its first season, and bloomed off and on again this year from late June through September. I'm sure I must have a few, but since I couldn't locate any photos of the hawkweed in bloom, here's what it looks like now.
Canada Hawkweed is in the aster family. It looks like a tall dandelion, and can be anywhere from about two to five feet tall. This year It grew to almost three feet, and bloomed well in a spot that gets about three hours of filtered sunlight a day. It's a sunny, cheerful bloom. It's not a plant I would have thought to add to the garden if not for participating in the Seed Gardeners project.
Here's a Canada hawkweed photo found on Wikipedia:
While it's not my favorite native in our garden, I'm happy to grow it for the Seed Gardeners project. It's a good feeling, knowing the seeds help restore native habitat in our area.
For more Wildflower posts, please visit Gail at Clay and Limestone; lover of native plants, garden blogger extraordinaire, and our host for Wildflower Wednesday.
