Prairie smoke is one of the earliest bloomers after winter on the prairie of North America and produces dainty, pink-purple flowers. The bloom may continue throughout the summer, the most exuberant on a pitch in full sun and is followed by seeds with long feathers. These plumes blow as plumes of smoke into the wind, which is why the plant is called the prairie. The feathers ensure that the seeds can be dispersed by the wind.
The species is very hardy, up to 40 degrees below zero, remains small and is a very easy plant to keep.
Sowing description: Sow seeds on the surface of sowing mix and then put the whole in the fridge for 4 to 6 weeks. Let them germinate at around 20 degC and keep the soil constantly moist.
Photo 2: Snowbirdpix.com
Photo 3: Matt Lavin (CCA-2.0 Wikipedia)
