At Adaptive Seeds we grow flowers for many reasons and every year we seem to grow more and more. They are a great addition to any food garden or vegetable farm. Flowers really do add a bit of joy as well as diversity to the landscape.
Below are some special flower attributes to help you decide which ones might be right on your farm or in your garden.
Showing 29–56 of 109 results
Physalis alkekengi var. franchetii. Perennial in zones 4-11. A decorative relative of tomatillos and ground cherries, Chinese Lantern has a dark orange papery wrapper that surrounds inconsequential fruit. A festive addition to autumn-themed arrangements and also great for everlasting bouquets since the color remains vibrant after drying. Plants grow to 2’ tall, with cutting stems…
Trifolium incarnatum. An excellent winter or spring cover crop known primarily for its nitrogen fixing properties and high biomass production. Large, strikingly beautiful crimson flowers appear in the late spring and are great food for bees and other pollinators. In regions where the winter stays above 0°F, Crimson Clover is sown in the late summer…
Aquilegia vulgaris. Perennial in zones 3–8. This old fashioned European columbine has hypnotic, bicolored purple-black and white blooms that reach 2” across. Flowers are held high above foliage and are attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies. The low growing ferny green foliage also adds an attractive visual texture. Shade tolerant and deer resistant. Harvest for bouquets…
Coreopsis tinctoria. Annual coreopsis with dark red blooms. These small plants grow to about 1′ in all directions. They fit perfectly in tight spaces where a splash of color is desired, and look great in a pot on the porch. We like that the plants care for themselves with little help, and are very attractive…
Coreopsis tinctoria. Tall Plains coreopsis is the true original of the coreopsis clan. The plants are loaded with bright yellow flowers that have dark maroon centers. Blooms reach 2” across, petals have nice jagged edges. Plants grow to 3′ with ferny foliage. A great low maintenance addition to the flower garden, with a sea of…
Coreopsis tinctoria. Most plants grow to 30″ and produce daisy-like flowers with red centers and vibrant yellow edges. There is some slight variation in bloom types, including all red and more pinnate petals. Very attractive filler in flower bouquets. Pollinators and other beneficial insects also love them. Blossoms can be used to make a yellow…
Cosmos sulphureus. Mostly semi-double, fiery orange blooms on 3-4′ tall plants that flower early. A favorite of bumblebees. We have been growing this variety ever since our days as farm apprentices in 2004 and we hope to keep it around for the long haul. Originating from a mysterious single plant with a hand written tag…
Cosmos bipinnatus. A tall, productive, and attractive cosmos covered with unique blooms. Plants grow 5-6′ tall. Daydream cosmos flowers have a nice rosy center surrounded by pale pink. The bulls-eye pattern must make nice targets for insects with infrared vision because they are very attractive to pollinators. Stealing a few from the bees is worthwhile…
Cosmos sulphureus. Bright yellow, 2-3″ wide flowers are like little stars in the garden. Bushy plants grow to 4’ wide and tall, and bloom all season long in the Pacific Northwest. In other latitudes, or when planted mid summer, Kenikir cosmos can grow to greater heights and flower later due to their day length sensitivity….
Cosmos bipinnatus. A dynamic flower that changes color as it matures, from a deep wine maroon to a muted rose, with many shades in between. Single flowers with yellow centers appear atop ferny foliage. Upright plants grow to about 3 ½’, making Rubenza shorter than most cosmos so they do not need staking. Begins flowering…
Catananche caerulea. Perennial in zones 3-9. Daisy-like lavender flowers are a very low maintenance, drought tolerant perennial flower. Bushy, 2’ tall plants grow naturally in disturbed areas and don’t mind crowding. Cupid’s Dart is a good choice for wild perennial flower patches. Suitable as a cut flower both fresh and dried. May self-sow in some…
Leucanthemum x superbum. Perennial in zones 5-9. Classic, 3-4” white petaled flowers atop tall plants. Blooms throughout the summer if deadheaded regularly. Long stems on 3′ plants make Giant Shasta Daisy a great cut flower. If sown early in spring, this perennial will bloom in its first year. This variety was bred by plant genius…
Echinacea purpurea. Perennial in zones 3-10. North American native prairie wildflower with pretty purple daisy-like flowers that reach 3” across. Begins blooming in second year. Once common in the wild, but now mainly grown under cultivation with many varieties developed for ornamental purposes. This strain was sourced from a wild population and has been stewarded…
Triticum monococcum. The first form of wheat to be cultivated over 10,000 years ago. Einkorn has much higher protein than modern wheat, but is much lower yielding. The name einkorn is German for ‘single grain,’ since it has only one grain per hull. Similar to emmer, einkorn is also spring sown and can be easier…
Oenothera biennis. Biennial. Produces 2″ yellow, sweetly fragrant flowers on 3-5′ tall central stalks from June to September in second year. Leaves and roots are edible, with a peppery taste. Flowers are edible and sweet, may be added to salads or used as a garnish, and are attractive to pollinators. Roots, bark, and seedpods are…
Tanacetum parthenium. 60-70 days. Perennial in zones 5-10. This short lived perennial medicinal herb produces shrubby plants that grow to 3’ with small, non-double white flowers with a yellow center. Plants are highly fragrant with bitter aromatics that are not universally appreciated and in fact repel some insects. For this reason, it is sometimes planted…
Tanacetum parthenium. 60 days. Perennial in zones 5-10. Clusters of double, ½” daisy-like flowers with yellow centers form on each stem and make an excellent filler for arrangements or a nice bouquet all on their own. Plants grow to 2′ high and are very productive. Also dries well for use as an everlasting. Very easy…
Digitalis purpurea. Biennial / Perennial in zones 4-9. Beautiful spires of bell-shaped flowers that range in color from white to pink and bloom in their second year. Bigger flowers with more bold colors than the wild foxglove that is established throughout the Pacific Northwest. Blooms in early June for us. Flower spires grow to 6′…
Digitalis x fulva. Perennial to zone 4. Stunning pink-peach bell shaped blossoms form on 2-4′ tall spikes that bloom for weeks and make a great cut flower. Hummingbirds and pollinators love the flowers. Strawberry foxglove is the result of an interspecific cross made almost 200 years ago and is not invasive like the wild types…
Heliopsis helianthoides var. scabra. Perennial in zones 3-9. Fiery yellow 2-3″ daisy-like flowers with red centers sit atop dark purple foliage. When planted in blocks, Burning Hearts creates a sizable and beautiful seasonal hedge that dies back in the winter. A reliable perennial that grows to 4.5′ tall and 18″ wide. Pollinators, butterflies, and other…
Hyssopus officinalis. Perennial in zones 4-10. Easy to grow, True Hyssop is a useful ornamental herb that easily fits in a perennial or medicinal herb garden. Small (12-18”), evergreen, drought resistant plants would make a good short hedge and do well in containers. Plants will flower in the first year and in subsequent seasons, will…
Leonotis nepetaefolia. 60 days. Delightfully unique tubular orange flowers appear on spiky pincushion-like spheres that form at intervals up stems. Klip Dagga is very easy to grow and absolutely stunning in late summer waving in the breeze. Plants grow 8-12′ tall and may require staking late in the season and in high wind areas. All…
Tagetes patula. 65 days. We have been growing this stunning heritage marigold since 2007 and are excited to have enough harvested and cleaned to share. Ildkongen is not your average marigold. While other marigolds are short, Ildkongen forms tall bushy plants that grow to 4′ and produce lots of flowers right up until frost. Bloom…
Tagetes erecta. 60-70 days. Orange flowers have been selected to be the most vibrant, vivid orange color possible. Kees’ Orange marigold is an “African” marigold (aka, Mexican marigold) that is a great choice for cut flower production. Plants grow 3-4′ tall and produce many 3” wide double petaled blooms. Marigold flowers are well known for…
Tagetes tenuifolia. 60-65 days. Tiny, orange, edible, marigold flowers form on dwarf plants that do well in containers. A cheerful little bedding plant, looks great when planted densely. Blooms all summer long right up until frost, and is highly attractive to pollinators and other beneficial insects. Lovely citrusy scent is fun to experiment with in…
Tithonia rotundifolia. 75 days. A great summer bloomer with bright orange flowers that attract butterflies. Thrives on neglect, turning into bushy shrubs by the end of summer. This strain lacks the dwarf nature and muted colors of the newer varieties, Torch and Aztec Sun. We prefer this larger Mexican Sunflower as we, and our pollinators,…
Setaria italica. Foxtail millet. Foxtail millet is the type used for bird food. Small seeds have yellow hulls that must be removed before humans can eat it (not an easy task). Very easy to grow, but difficult to save seed from unless you have zero birds in your garden (but who would want that?!). Try…
Setaria italica. Foxtail millet. This is an awesome foxtail millet. Beautiful, dense, fingery heads are a reddish brown, leaves and stalks are purplestreaked green. Tolerates cooler summers. Very productive, easy to hand harvest (if you can get to it before the birds) and gorgeous in flower arrangements. Plants grow to 6′ tall. From Don Kluever…
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