Prairie Smoke

Prairie smoke, geum triflorum, is a common wild flower found in North America. Also known by the names old man's whiskers, purple or red avens or three-flowered avens.  It gets its name from the seed heads that have a smoky or wispy appearance.

I just love its danty flower.  The flower head is less than an inch long.

To learn more about this plant check out this great Minnesota Wildflower Website here.

Pasque Flower

Pasque Flower

pulsatilla hirsutissima

The pasque is the state flower of South Dakota. It is also called the May Day flower. It grows wild throughout the state, and its blooming is one of the first signs of spring in South Dakota.

The early blooming time of many Pulsatilla species gave rise to the common name. Pasque refers to the Paschal, or Easter , season.

It is a member of the Ranunculaceae family, which is Latin for little frog. The name was given to the family because a group of plants in this family grow where frogs live.

The Pasque flower grows low to the ground to keep out of the cold climate. It is also covered in fine silky hairs, which help insulate it. Silky hairs cover not only the leaves but also the stems and buds of Pasque flower.

Today is also Mosaic Monday. Please check out the others here. Thanks to Mary at Little Red House.

I hope to have more plants blooming later this week.