prairie wildflower

Prairie smoke

Geum triflorum

Also known as Old Man's Whiskers, Purple Avens

Native to the Pacific Coast, the Southwest, and the Rockies and southern Canada

New York and southern Ontario to Alberta, south to northern Illinois, the Dakotas and sporadically in the Rockies; extending west to British Columbia and California as vars. ciliatum and campanulatum

Light Full sun to shade Sun tolerance
Moisture Dry to moist Moisture preference
Zones 2–8 Cold to heat range
Bloom Apr–Jul Flowering time
Height up to 18 in to 46 cm
Life cycle Perennial Annual to perennial

Full details, see below

In the garden

A prairie wildflower for sun through shade and dry to moist soil. Its red flowers peak in May. At up to 18 in, it suits meadows and sunny borders. Hardy in USDA zones 2–8.

Growing conditions

Light

Full sun Partial shade Full shade

Moisture

Dry Moist Wet

Hardiness zones

Find your zone:

When it blooms

The Prairie smoke's red flowers bloom April to July, peaking in May. This late-spring display draws bees and butterflies.

Prairie smoke blooms red, pink & purpleFoliage

Pollinators & wildlife

Bees Common Eastern Bumble Bee

also Two-spotted Bumble Bee, American Bumble Bee, Yellow-faced Bumble Bee +13 more
Tricolored Bumble Bee, Black-tailed Bumble Bee, Bombus fervidus, Red-belted Bumble Bee, Hunt's Bumble Bee, Fuzzy-Horned Bumble Bee, Yellow-fronted Bumble Bee, Vancouver Bumble Bee, Nearctic Bumble Bee, Indiscriminate Cuckoo Bumble Bee, Western Bumble Bee, Lasioglossum aff.caducum, Andrena shoshoni
Butterflies Pearl Crescent also Common Ringlet, Silvery Blue
Beetles Mordellistena cervicalis

Butterflies that use this plant

Documented host and nectar records. Each links to a planting guide for that butterfly.

Full plant details

Where it grows

Habitat: PrairieThe wild plant community it grows in.
Native range: The Pacific Coast, the Southwest, and the Rockies and southern CanadaUnited States (19): AZ, CA, CO, IA, ID, IL, MI, MN, MT, ND, NM, NV, NY, OR, SD, UT, WA, WI, WY. Canada (4): AB, MB, ON, SK. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.
Native distribution: New York and southern Ontario to Alberta, south to northern Illinois, the Dakotas and sporadically in the Rockies; extending west to British Columbia and California as vars. ciliatum and campanulatumThe same native range, usually more exact than the state list, and often noting where it has spread beyond it.

Growing conditions

Light: Full sun to shadeHow much sun it takes, from full sun to full shade.
Moisture: Dry to moistThe soil dampness it prefers, from dry to wet.
Hardiness zones: USDA 2–8 · Canadian 0–7The cold-to-heat climate range it survives.
Soil: Thin soil over limestoneThe soils it grows in naturally.
Soil texture: Light to heavy (sandy to clay)The soil grade it prefers, from sand to clay.
Soil pH: 6.0–7.5The acidity to alkalinity it tolerates (7 is neutral).
Soil quality: MediumHow rich a soil it needs. Many natives prefer lean soil and flop in rich beds.
Water use: MediumHow thirsty it is, a rough guide to how often to water.
Salinity tolerance: NoneHow well it copes with salty soil, near roads or the coast.
Lime (CaCO₃) tolerance: HighHow well it copes with chalky, lime-rich soil.

Growth & form

Height: up to 18 in (to 46 cm)Typical mature height.
Spread: ~1 ft (0.3 m)How wide one plant gets, a guide to spacing.
Life cycle: PerennialWhether it lives a single season (annual), two (biennial), or returns for years (perennial).
Growth rate: ModerateA relative ranking versus other plants of the same type (USDA), not an absolute rate.
Shape: ErectIts overall silhouette.
Root depth: 6+ in (15+ cm)How far the roots reach, a guide to drought resilience and transplanting.

Flowers, foliage & fruit

Type: WildflowerWhat kind of plant it is.
Bloom: Apr–JulWhen it flowers.
Flower color: Red, Pink, PurpleThe bloom color, or colors.
Fruit/Seeds: ripens May–JulThe seed or fruit it sets after flowering.
Toxicity: None knownWhether any part is poisonous to people or pets.

Propagation & seed

Cold stratification: Not requiredWhether seed needs a cold, moist spell before it will germinate.
Propagation: Bare root, seed, sprigsHow to start new plants.
Seed: ~0.4 million seeds per poundNotes on the seed and how to sow it.
Seed spread rate: RapidHow readily it self-sows. Slow or none means well-behaved, not a spreader.
Seedling vigor: MediumHow strongly young seedlings establish.
Vegetative spread: NoneWhether it creeps outward or stays put in a clump.