Winter annuals for a native plant garden!

Two of my favorites, Entireleaf Western Daisy and

Blue-eyed Mary are showing off their attractive rosette stage.  (A Passalong Plant:Blue-eyed Mary)

We have a tendency to think of winter as a dormant season with plants at rest, but there really is a great deal of growing going on all winter. Just take a walk in your garden and you'll see signs of active life! Mosses, fungi and lichens are alive and thriving and the weedy winter annuals are reminding you that weeding isn't too far away! (go toThe Fascinating World of Fungi for more on them)

Edible Auricularia auricula/Jelly Ear growing on dead hardwood branch (January)

The stars of this post, Blue-eyed Mary and Entire leaf Western Daisy have been germinating and developing underneath the leaf litter in my garden. They both are cool season growers, are tolerant of really cold weather (and snow) and, are excellent reseeders in most gardens. By the way, that's how other winter annuals like Chickweed, Henbit, etc. get a toe hold in our gardens.

Astranthium integrifolium/Entireleaf Western Daisy

Entireleaf Western Daisy starts blooming in April (and keeps on going most of the summer). Blue-eyed Mary is also an April bloomer, but, blooms only for about three weeks. If pollinated, they set seed that matures and drops onto the garden soil where it has several months of warm stratification (necessary) before it germinates. I find they both germinate best in situ and you need to be on top of  the BEM in order to  harvest ripe seed, (it needs to be planted immediately).

Here's what works for me: Place a soil filled container near them to catch falling seeds; leave the container in the garden until the following late winter or early spring and then plant those seedlings when the ground is no longer frozen. Repeat to increase your collection.

Collinsia verna/Blue-eyed Mary

The only problem with these wonderful winter annuals is that they they aren't generally available at nurseries. I suspect that seed collection is a big issue. They're also rather fragile, especially Blue-eyed Mary, and that's not an ideal selling point. I know that GroWild (call them) had a few Collinsia verna/Blue-eyed Mary for sale. When it comes to Astranthium integrifolium/Entireleaf Western Daisy, unless you know me and live in Middle Tennessee, you may be plumb out of luck trying to find it.

I am hopeful that there will be blooms to show you later this spring, in the mean time, here's a peek at what's to come.


Happy Spring my friends.
xoxoGail

Gail Eichelberger is a gardener and therapist in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone. She reminds all that the words and images are the property of the author and cannot be used without written permission.

Collinsia verna, A Passalong Plant for Wildflower Wednesday

I love how the little flower head is almost always tilted, giving her a pert look

I have several plants that fit in the passalong category, but, none is more treasured than Collinsia verna.

The flower reminds me of the colors of the spring sky

One look at that face with its bicolored flowers and you'll know why I walk the garden looking for seedlings in late winter and early spring.  Don't you think the blue and white petals are a perfect match for a spring sky. Sigh.  It's a sweet little flower that deserves to be sown in many more gardens.

This is what I look for starting in February

Blue-Eyed Mary is a winter annual that can be found growing in rich deciduous woodlands from New York to Wisconsin and down into Tennessee.  Like other winter annuals it germinates in the fall and overwinters as small two or three leaved seedlings that begin growing again in February.  That's why I begin my search so early.

another small flower that requires crawling on knees to really see

I've tried for years to get it established at Clay and Limestone, starting back in 2006 when I ordered seeds from the Native Garden Nursery. They arrived along with seeds for Purple Phacelia, a sweet native clematis and excellent planting instructions. But, just when I think it's here to stay, they all, but disappear.  I am not alone in my curiosity about their iffiness! Botanists researching Collinsia verna have observed dramatic fluctuations year to year in germination rates in woodland colonies. Of course they decided to set up an experiment or two in which they were able to determine that if bumbles and other pollinators weren't available that Blue-Eyed Mary will self fertilize.  Pretty cool!  If you want to know more about the study follow the link~(research study sited)

The bumbles were out and about last spring and surely visited the small colony, but, even if they missed the Marys, maybe they self-pollinated and dropped seeds that didn't germinate.  I've concluded that a long hot, dry summer followed by an even drier fall made it especially difficult for germination. The good news is that if the plants dropped seeds then, they are likely to be found dormant in the C and L soil seed bank just waiting for optimal conditions! I might have to provide a little water if Mother nature repeats last year's especially dry fall.

there are usually four seeds per flower

 I still search for seeds and plants every year. 

the transplants have  already perked up in the garden

This year I didn't have far to go.  Just when I had about given up hope of  finding any in my garden, I  got an email from Ginny, a Clay and Limestone reader, asking me if I might want a few plants from her   Middle Tennessee garden. Want them, of course I did!   She very kindly  invited me over and I dug several clumps, toured the garden, had a fantastic visit and only managed to take one blurry photo.

I sure hope the Bumbles do their job this year and that Mother nature cooperates with good fall rain

You may be asking yourself, "What kind of garden blogger forgets to take photos!"  The kind who jumps up and down with joy when a kind reader offers to share a hard to come by flower. Thank you Ginny very much.

xxoogail

More facts about Blue-Eyed Mary:

• Collinsia verna is a plant of moist woodlands and will germinate better if soil is moist and cool in the fall.
• It grows taller and stronger in full sunlight, but, requires consistently moist, well draining soil. Give it dappled sunlight and moist soil in a southern garden.  
• One thing to keep in mind is that Blue Eyed Mary seeds are germinating  at exactly the same time that many gardeners are  raking leaves and cleaning up their gardens.  Gardeners who like to let leaves remain in place are going to have better success in keeping Collinsia verna in their garden.
• The nectar and pollen of the flowers attract bumblebees and other long-tongued bees. The flower buds and seed capsules of Blue-Eyed Mary are food for the caterpillars of the butterfly Celastrina argiolus (Spring/Summer Azure). 
• If they bloom before Bumbles are out and about they can self pollinate.
• They're now listed as an endangered plant and have protected status in many states.
• I pinky swear to let you all know where to find seeds. 
• I forgot to say, that Terri Barnes of GroWild shared seeds with me, too. Terri, they did germinate, I just found tiny little seedlings. xo

Welcome to Clay and Limestone's Wildflower Wednesday celebration. WW is about sharing and celebrating wildflowers from all over this great big, beautiful world. Join us on the fourth Wednesday of each month. Remember, it doesn't matter if they are in bloom or not; and, it doesn't matter if we all share the same plants. It's all about celebrating wildflowers. Please leave a comment when you add your url to Mr Linky.



Gail Eichelberger is a gardener and therapist in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone." She reminds all that the words and images are the property of the author and cannot be used without written permission.