Wikimedia Commons
Rosaceae
Prairie Smoke
Geum triflorum
Wonder, transformation, prairie magic.
- Family
- Rosaceae
- Genus
- Geum
- Native to
- North American prairies
- Bloom season
- Late Spring
- Type
- Herbaceous perennial
- Height
- 15–40 cm
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Soil
- Average to dry, well-drained
- Water
- Low; drought-tolerant
- Hardiness
- 3–7
- Lifespan
- Long-lived perennial
Did you know
- Prairie smoke is named for the feathery, smoke-like seed heads that follow the flowers — they look like puffs of pink smoke drifting just above the ground.
- Each long silky plume on the seed head is actually a feathered style attached to one seed, evolved to catch the wind and parachute the seed away.
- The flowers themselves nod downward in a tight cluster of three pink bells that never fully open — bumblebees push their way in to reach the nectar.
- It's one of the most beloved native plants of the American tallgrass prairie, blooming alongside pasque flowers in May.
- The Blackfoot people brewed prairie smoke roots for medicinal teas, and the dried seed heads were used as ceremonial decorations.
Color meanings
Pink
Quiet enchantment