Gardening Tip: Naturalizing with Sunflowers and Other Native Wildflowers

Native plants in the Sunflower family naturalize well in gardens.

Many plants in the Sunflower family bloom in summer or fall.  They bring welcome color to the garden and provide food for pollinators and seed-eating birds.  Another nice feature: many of them are easy to grow from seed.  That makes them perfect plants for naturalizing.

The term naturalizing refers to using flowering plants in a way that mimics Mother Nature.  People often speak of ‘naturalizing bulbs’.  But plants that produce viable seeds can also be used to naturalize.  The trick is to spread the seed about the garden in a way that looks natural.  And the best way to do that is to observe how plants group themselves in nature.

In the wild, Sunflowers often cluster in areas with optimal growing conditions.

In the Western U.S., plants in the Sunflower family (Asteraceae) are easy to observe in nature.  In a natural setting, plants often occur in clusters spread across the landscape.  There are often areas between these clusters: places where conditions are poorly suited for the establishment of plants by seeds or runners (rhizomes).

Native Lupines and Phlox form a lovely natural pattern.

The establishment pattern can also indicate wind patterns, since many small seeds are distributed by wind.  This is true of seeds specially adapted to wind distribution (those with feathery ‘parachutes’), as well as seeds that are simply blown along the ground.  And several species of plant are often interspersed, forming interesting patterns (above).

When naturalizing native flowering plants in the garden, you can’t go wrong by following the patterns of nature.  This can be achieved in at least three ways: 1) by letting plants re-seed themselves; 2) by harvesting annual plants (or portions of perennials) and laying them in a desired setting; 3) by collecting seeds and planting them in natural-looking clusters.

When native plants self-seed, the seedlings often cluster near the parent plant.

Letting plants re-seed themselves

This is the easiest method of all.  It also produces a natural-appearing distribution of plants, since the same forces that distribute seeds in the wild are at work in the garden (above).  Self-reseeding works for both annuals and perennials – even plants grown in containers and set out in the garden to re-seed.  The disadvantage of this method is that the process requires time.  To establish plants in several areas of the garden more quickly, you’ll need to give Mother Nature a helping hand.

We call this the 'lazy naturalizer' method. It is a good method
 for naturalizing some plants.

Re-seeding using whole (or portions) of plants

We call this the lazy naturalizer method.  It works for annuals, perennials that need to be culled, or perennials that you cut back after seed is ripe. This method does a good job of producing natural looking plant clusters, in desired areas of the garden.  And it’s often the easiest way to deal with tiny seeds.

Simply wait until seeds are ripe on the plants (pods open, seeds are dry, or birds are starting to eat them).  Harvest entire plants (or cuttings with seed pods/heads) and simply place them on bare ground in the desired spot. The dying plants will look a little untidy during fall (above).  But they provide a protective mulch over winter and will often break down by the following spring. They also protect seeds from seed-scavenging birds (somewhat).

You can stomp on the dried plants - or cut them up into smaller pieces to make them less conspicuous - for fall and winter. In spring, new seedlings will emerge, protected by the natural mulch.  There may be too many seedlings.  You can thin them (or, if you are lazy, just let nature take its course).

Seeds are best dried and stored in paper bags in a cool, dry place.

Collecting and spreading seed

You can also collect the seed and store it until it’s time to plant (more on that next month).  Let seeds dry on the plants.  Harvest the dry seeds and store in paper bags (or glass jars) in a cool, dry place until planting. If seeds grow in papery pods or in a typical sunflower ‘head’, you can harvest entire pods/heads, place them in a paper bag in a cool, dry place (above) and let them fully dry. Seeds can then be more easily separated  and stored.

When planting, remember the lessons of nature. Plant clusters of seeds across the landscape to give a natural appearance. Intersperse seeds of different species to add interest and look more authentic.   And be sure to plant seeds on bare ground or in areas with only a thin inorganic (gravel) mulch.

Success!! A new plant from seed.

We hope you’re inspired to try these suggestions for naturalizing plants by seed. These methods work well for any plants that produce plenty of viable seeds (note: some cultivars to not).  The sunflowers come to mind: sunflowers, goldenrods, cone flowers, asters, rabbit bushes, etc. all naturalize easily.  But wild tobaccos, milkweeds, valerians, four-o’clocks, ranunculus, buckwheats, campanulas and many native grasses, bulbs and wildflowers also naturalize well.

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We welcome your comments (below).  You can also send your questions to: monaturesmontrosegarden@gmail.com