3 Native Seeds to Start This Spring

A few days ago, I spotted a Spicebush shrub blooming in the park. That combined with the reddish haze of flowers clouding the Maple trees tells me spring is here! And with that, the itch to plant seeds. 

Many native seeds require a period of cold temperatures before they’ll sprout, but there are a few that you can easily start in the spring with zero pre-treatment. If you skipped fall or winter sowing, this article is for you! 

Purple Coneflower, started from an ordinary seed pack from the hardware store

Purple Coneflower 

I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again, Echinacea purpurea is hands-down the easiest and most widely available native to grow from seed. Virtually all big box and local garden centers stock these seed packets. In the first year, it forms a 6-inch foliage plant while it establishes a hefty root system. The following year, it’ll grow 3-4 feet tall and be covered with blooms! 

Be sure the seed packet says Echinacea purpurea, though, as other kinds of Echinacea need a period of cold weather outside or in the refrigerator to sprout. 

This Gloriosa Daisy cultivar was from an open-pollinated packet of seeds.

Black-eyed Susans

Rudbeckia hirta blooms the same year you plant it—a real winner for the garden! You’ll find several kinds of Rudbeckia hirta in the seed aisle, either under the name Black-eyed Susan or Gloriosa Daisy (which is why you should always check the Latin name on the seed packet). These flowers are technically biennials or tender perennials—the plant itself may not survive more than one or two seasons, but it will reseed to other spots, and new plants will continue growing for years. 

Some sources say this type of seed needs cold treatment for 7-30 days to germinate, but that’s not my experience. While I suspect you may have a higher germination rate if you sow them outside in the early spring, there are probably at least 100 seeds in a packet. Who cares if a few don’t germinate? 

One note of caution: if you’re in it to please the pollinators, avoid seed packets that say the blooms are “double flower” or feature outlandish colors. There’s a theory that these selections are less attractive to insects, even if they are more attractive to humans.

Little Bluestem in the fall

Little Bluestem 

And now for the seeds you can’t find in the big box store, Schizachyrium scoparium. This lovely blue-green native grass will grow 6-8 inches high in the first year and become a full-sized plant the second year, much like the Purple Coneflower. In the fall, it turns a gorgeous red. The beauty of growing this grass from seed is the potted plant’s high price and low availability—you can grow a ton of Little Bluestem from a $3 pack of seeds or buy one plant for $15 at a local nursery (if you can find it).

Some Seed Starting Advice 

I’m a big believer in starting seeds indoors or outside in containers versus directly sowing them in the garden. Why bother with this extra step? When you sow directly into the soil, it’s hard to tell the difference between a young plant and a weed. It’s also difficult to remember what you planted and where since you won’t be dealing with straight rows like in a veggie garden. 

By transplanting your small plants into the garden, you have the advantage of being intentional with the placement of the plants in your overall garden design. The best part? You won’t wind up with a weedy mess. For more information about how to start seeds indoors, visit this guide.