Pasque Flower Seed

Season: Perennial
Zones: 4 - 8 
Height: 8 inches
Width: 8 inches
Bloom Season: Early Spring to Early Summer
Environment: Full to Partial Sun
Soil Requrement: Moist but Well Drained

A hardy and easy-to-grow plant, Pasque Flower (Pulsatilla Vulgaris) blooms come in shades of red, pink, purple, blue and white. One of the first perennials to bloom in spring, the plant has a thick and fibrous rootstock that becomes woody with age.  The majority of leaves develop after the flowers. The entire plant is covered with soft, silvery hairs. The plant remains attractive after it stops blooming, although the leaves may die back in late summer. The 1 1/2” flowers are borne singly on stems 5-8” tall. The bloom color ranges from deep to pale purple and occasionally white. Fertilized flowers produce a spherical seedhead with silky plume-like styles. The attractive silvery seedheads remain on the plant for several weeks until the ripe seed is dispersed by the wind. Pasque flower is great in rock gardens or in the front of a perennial garden. Also combines well with spring bulbs or ground covers.

Grow pasque flower seed in well-drained soil in full sun. Can start indoors in trays two months before last frost, and then transplant seedlings after danger of frost has passed. Seed germination will occur in  five or six weeks at 68 degrees soil temperature. Mature plants can also be divided, but sometimes the plants don’t handle the transplanting well. Cut back all of the open flowers and large buds before moving, and the plant should produce new growth and become lush and rebloom in about 4 weeks. 

Maintenance needs are few if any, but some gardeners prefer to trim off the dried flower heads after the seeds fall off. Do not fertilize heavily. Pasque flower is very drought tolerant once established. Unfortunately, deer like it, so it may need protection in some areas. Prefers well-drained, slightly acidic soils with enough organic matter to maintain moisture. Even so, it does not tolerate saturated soils for a prolonged period of time.

Use approximately 20 seeds per plant.