Prairie Crocus and Alberta Plantwatch

Prairie Crocus

Pasque Flower
Native plant
Medicinal plant
Heart Mountain, June 5, 2008

Family fun

Prairie Crocus is a native plant that grows well in Parkdale. Why not join this year’s Alberta Plantwatch and look for sightings of this plant? It is including in the list of plants tracked annually by Alberta Plantwatch. See their description here. Plantwatch invites Albertans to take part in their annual plantwatch report in their area by registering for the program, selecting one or more plants, watching the plant in spring, and then reporting the date when the first flower buds open. Watch this blog for more native plants on the list that you can find in Parkdale.

According to the Wikipedia article Pulsatilla the Prairie Crocus is also known as pasque flower (or pasqueflower), wind flower, Easter Flower, and meadow anemone.

History and prehistory

Prairie Crocus Anemone patens is one of many native plants in Alberta that have played a important role in the survival and traditions of the Blackfoot and other First Nations in North America.

“Early settlers called this native anemone the “prairie crocus” because it reminded them of their early crocuses back in Europe. The plant is also called pasque flower because in some areas it tends to bloom at Easter-time.”

Companions

They bloom in late May and early June in Calgary. They can be companion plants with other easy care, Water Wise, disease-resistant, hare-resistant native plants and hardy (often heritage) Zone 3 perennials that blossom at the same time, such as bearded Iris, Lamium, Centaura Montana, sedums, Mountain Avens, catmint, creeping phlox, yellow poppies, hardy pansies, creeping Veronica, Forget-Me-Nots, wind anemones, Blue Jacob’s Ladder and even chives.

Notes

One of the photos above was taken on Heart Mountain on June 5, 2008.

References

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