Do you know about Prairie Smoke (Geum triflorum)? This flower nods when it first blooms, but when it’s ready to disperse seeds, it raises its head upward to disperse long, purplish filaments into any light breeze that happens by. Also known as Old Man’s Whiskers, this was a little-known plant before Meriweather Lewis noted it in his journal on Wednesday, June 8, 1806. As an early bloomer, Prairie Smoke provides vital nectar for insects emerging from hibernation. The bulb of the Prairie Smoke is also edible.
