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STOP! Read! Plant!

3/23/2023

Those "wildflower", "bee friendly", "meadow mix" seed packets may do more harm than good. Before you purchase seed or plant that giveaway packet of flowers you received, take some time to make sure it is appropriate for our ecosystem and doesn't contain any invasive species.

Here are some things to consider

Native? To where? Seed packets and mixes may use the term "native" very broadly and include species that are simply native to North America. Species that are not native to Indiana may not actually be providing the food that OUR pollinators need. These mixes could even contain species that are not just not native to Indiana but actually invasive here.
Where were the seeds collected? Seeds collected in other countries or other parts of the US won't be well suited to our climate and growing conditions making them less likely to thrive.
What's in there? Cheap seed mixes often have filler species that are undesirable or downright bad! A study evaluating 19 packet mixes found 13 invasive species and 8 of the packets had noxious weed seeds. A few species (not comprehensive) to look out for as indicators are baby's breath, bachelors buttons, common tansy, oxeye daisy.

What you can do

Double check the species listed. If scientific names aren't listed, that is a red flag -- destroy the seeds. Check the scientific names against Indiana native species lists. The Indiana Native Plant Society's online "Native Plant Finder" is a great start.
Purchase from a reputable vendor. Native plant nurseries located in the Midwest are going to be your best bet. We keep a list of great sources for native plants and seed on our website. Look for vendors from Indiana or nearby states. Quality vendors will have information about what "native" means to them on their website and likely information about invasive species and/or noxious weeds too. There will probably be information about how their seeds or plants are sourced and grown, what chemicals they may or may not be treated with, and other information. They may also have resources related to planting and maintaining native gardens and even consulting services. In addition to our webpage, Indiana Native Plant Society maintains a list of Grow Indiana Native vendors who sell native plants and no invasives and the Xerces Society has an online plant and seed vendor directory.
Plant them right and be patient. Unfortunately, you can't just throw native seeds down and expect a beautiful garden. You must prep your planting area, plant the seeds properly (not too deep), and maintain your planting. Our prairie booklet is a great resource in all three areas and covers seed and plug planting for both large and small areas. Remember to have patience as well. Some native seeds require cold stratification which means you may need to stratify them yourself (learn more here) or allow them to stratify naturally over the winter before they germinate the next year. Have patience.
It's too late! I have invasive species!
Don't worry, you are not alone. Our Hamilton County Invasives Partnership (HIP) has a variety of resources available to you to help determine what invasive species you have and how to eradicate them. We also have a variety of volunteer opportunities called Weed Wrangles where you can help remove invasive species from local parks and natural areas.
Learn more on the HIP website.

Free Native Seed Packets for Hamilton County Residents
The SWCD has free packets of a quality 4 species native mix available at our office (limit 2 per person). Learn more about the packets here: https://www.hamiltonswcd.org/seedpack.html

Our seed packets include:

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Bloom: June-August
Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)
Bloom: June-August
Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
Bloom: June-September
Smooth Blue Aster (Symphyotrichum laeve)
Bloom: September- October

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