Illinois bundleflower appears to be an easy wildflower to start from seed.

Hardy perennial, zones 3 - 9. Attracts butterflies. Most sources suggest that this plant is a high protein wildlife and livestock forage. In addition, it's also a nitrogen fixing legume.

Illinois Bundleflower (Desmanthus illinoensis)

One successful method:

Pour very hot (but not boiling) water over seed and allow to soak overnight. Seed germinates almost immediately with this treatment. Seeds can show sprouts by the third day.


[Commercial seed used in this trial]

The seed are eating by some birds also.

Any ideas on seedling hardiness? It's a bit early for me to have seedlings indoors - they'll suffer from low-light levels before they can be moved outside. I'm thinking of planting the seeds that have recently germinated indoors outside in 20 degree (average) weather. What are the chances that they'll survive and continue to grow once the weather warms?

I'm eventually going to add these plants to the wildflower meadow, so it's a wonderful bonus that they'll also feed the birds.

Chelle, why don't you winter sow them.
I did. I pour hot boiled water over them and soaked them for a week, changing the water everyday (just tapwater), until the seeds were twice as big.

I did winter sow half of the soaked seed, but still have some remaining indoors. I guess I'll just put those out as well.

Thanks!

They have germinated already? If so, the seedlings will not survive sub-freezing temperatures.

That's what I was wondering. Thanks so much, Kent.

They were all moved outdoors to the cold greenhouse today and planted, but I've extra seed if the worst happens. Right now we're not even dropping below freezing, so we'll have a good opportunity to find out. I'm sure we'll go below freezing again before winter's over.

I have never planted mine, they are all volunteers, lucky me!!

Volunteers are great! I've never seen any of these in this area yet; I'm hoping to change that.

[seedlings germinated inside, then moved outdoors]

We've had ice on the water buckets in the unheated GH the last two nights and the bundleflower seedlings still appear to be okay. It'll be interesting to see just how much of the wildly fluctuating temps in there they can actually handle. It was sunny all day yesterday, and nearly 90 degrees by mid-afternoon in the GH. If they survive, they should be some really healthy and sturdy plants!

The one set of leaves that were showing were blackened in a hard freeze last night. It remains to be seen if there will be any survivors. If not, I'll start some more.

Did you have to start more?

I had winter sown some as well, just to cover the bases...and they're up now.

The ones I started indoors and then moved out, do appear to be dead.