Pretty Prairie Pasque Flower

Victory! I have five, perhaps six, prairie pasque flowers tucked next to the driveway and they are BLOOMING! What fun!

This scrappy native species is one of the first to bloom and it’s a tough one to grow. It prefers alkaline, dry soils, so I planted it next to the driveway in hot afternoon sun. The flowers appear before the fuzzy leaves (just ignore that creeping bellflower). I’m thrilled it has survived!

Prairie pasque flower has three botanic names (Anemone patens, Pulsatilla patens or Pulsatilla nuttalliana) and tons of simple charm. I wasn’t lucky enough to capture an early bee in action, but I’ve spotted one or two drowsily hunting for nectar and questioning their life choices. I hope these graceful little gems keep surviving and thriving.