bloom first year from seed

(Question)

Hi!

I’m wondering which, if any, of the following native plants will bloom the first year if I plant from seed:

harebell
hoary vervain
butterfly weed
wild columbine
rattlesnake master
culvers root
yarrow
pearly everlasting
foxglove beardtongue
dotted mint
sky blue aster
tall blue larkspur
golden alexander
wild senna
stiff goldernrod

IS there any advantage re. bloom if I plant gallon pots?

Thanks!

(Answer)

Thank you for contacting the Toronto Master Gardeners with your inquiry.

As the temperatures drop and the days grow shorter it is the perfect time to browse seed and garden catalogues and begin to dream of next years garden. Many gardeners are reluctant to start perennials from seed because of the idea that perennials you sow in the spring will not yield blooms until the following season. This is true for a number of  perennials, however there are some perennials that if sown early in the growing season will reward you with flowers with in the same year.

There are a number of excellent websites which provide lists of perennials which will flower the first year when sown from seed:

First-year Flowering Perennials from Seed

https://www.dianeseeds.com/first-year-flowering-perennials.html

Starting Perennial Flowers from Seed gives an excellent overview of the various techniques required to get certain perennial seeds to germinate. Once you have decided which plants you will plant you can look up it’s requirements and plant accordingly. Each perennial has it’s own needs.

Happy Sprouting!