Natvik Design Inc.

Prairie-crocus (Pulsatilla nuttalliana)
-in the wild & in the garden!

Nothings says spring like emerging prairie-crocus flowers in Alberta. The first blooms can appear as early as late March on hot, dry, south-facing slopes. The flowers supply early-season food for many species of native bees and other insects. Prairie-crocus are well-adapted to the intense freeze-thaw cycles that are typical during spring in Alberta. The presence of prairie-crocus flowers usually indicates high-quality grasslands and meadow habitats. The best places to find prairie-crocus include unplowed prairie grasslands throughout Alberta, montane meadows, and sub-alpine meadows in the Front Range. The prairie-crocus is not actually a crocus at all. True crocus species are in the lily family. The prairie-crocus is a pasqueflower, which is a type of anemone in the buttercup family.

Prairie-crocus make excellent long-lived perennials for sunny gardens. They are slow-to-mature and take 3-5 years from seed before they start to flower. After that, individual plants can live for decades. In the garden, prairie-crocus can be grown in almost any well-drained soil type. However, they perform best when planted into a lean, rocky soil. Here are a few pictures of prairie-crocus in the wild and in the garden.

Sunrise in the prairie garden (from left to right):
1. Achillea borealis (Northern Yarrow)
2. Allium schoenoprasum var. sibiricum (Giant Wild Chives)
3. Monarda fistulosa var. menthifolia (Mint-leaved Bergamot)
4. Echinacea angustifolia (Narrow-leaf Coneflower)
5. Festuca hallii (Plain's Fescue)
6. Campanula alaskana (Alaskan Harebells)
Nov 3, 2023 - Calgary, Alberta