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Geum triflorum (Old man's whiskers)
Smith, R.W.

Geum triflorum Pursh

Old man's whiskers, Prairie smoke, Purple avens

Rosaceae (Rose Family)

USDA Symbol: getr

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

This is an attractive, 6-18 in. plant with foot-wide, basal clumps of ferny, blue-green, hairy leaves and reddish-purple, bell-shaped flowers that hang in groups of three. Clumps of feathery, plumed, pink-gray fruits stay on the plant much of the summer. The leaves of prairie smoke turn deep red in fall and are sometimes evergreen.

After fertilization, the bell-like flowers turn upward and plumes begin to grow from the pistils, ready to be caught by the wind or a passing animal and the seed so dispersed.

 

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Leaf: Green
Flower:
Fruit:
Size Class: 1-3 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Red , Pink , Purple
Bloom Time: Apr , May

Distribution

USA: AZ , CA , CO , IA , ID , IL , MI , MN , MT , ND , NM , NV , NY , OR , SD , UT , WA , WI , WY
Canada: AB , MB , ON , SK
Native Distribution: NY & s. Ont. to Alt., s. to n. IL, the Dakotas & sporadically in the Rockies; extending w. to B.C. & CA as vars. ciliatum & campanulatum
Native Habitat: Dry, open woods; prairies; open slopes; mt. meadows
USDA Native Status: L48(N), CAN(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade , Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry , Moist
Soil pH: Circumneutral (pH 6.8-7.2)
CaCO3 Tolerance: High
Soil Description: Thin soil over limestone.
Conditions Comments: Mature plants frequently form dense mats creating an attractive ground cover. In addition to the soil preference listed, prairie smoke is known to occur on rich prairie loams, clay and sand.

Benefit

Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Attracts: Butterflies

Propagation

Description: Prairie smoke can be grown from seeds or from divisions. Rhizome cuttings or divisions of mature plants should be done in late summer or early spring.
Seed Collection: Collect seeds in late spring or early summer.
Seed Treatment: No pretreatment is necessary though stratification increases the germination rate.
Commercially Avail: yes

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.

From the National Suppliers Directory

According to the inventory provided by Associate Suppliers, this plant is available at the following locations:

Prairie Nursery - Westfield, WI

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden - Santa Barbara, CA
Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR
* Available Online from Wildflower Center Store

Bibliography

Bibref 946 - Gardening with Prairie Plants: How to Create Beautiful Native Landscapes (2002) Wasowski, Sally
* The Midwestern Native Garden: Native Alternatives to Nonnative Flowers and Plants An Illustrated Guide (2011) Adelman, Charlotte and Schwartz, Bernard L.

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Geum triflorum in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Geum triflorum in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Geum triflorum

Metadata

Record Modified: 2012-10-03
Research By: TWC Staff

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