9 Native Plant Seeds to Collect Now

With regional native plant seeds in your personal collection, you’ll have a guaranteed supply of local species for your garden next year. Native plants start focusing on spreading their progeny seedlings after flowering ceases, and most ripen seeds during the fall. Autumn is an ideal time to go out and collect native seeds before they drop to the ground and sprout!

Some plants like to sprout in the fall, while others germinate during spring. Sow fall germinating species in the fall and spring ones after winter. Others require cold stratification, meaning they need a few weeks or months of temperatures below 40-45°F (4-7°C) to sprout in spring. Sow these during the fall, so they naturally undergo this chilling process.

Purple Coneflower

Purple coneflowers grow in pocket meadows and grasslands throughout the Great Plains. Their flowers have spiky, hard centers and purple petals around the centers. They bloom all summer long and lure pollinating insects in. When the flowers’ ovules receive pollen, they morph from cells into seeds. 

In some regions with mild winters, these will bloom through fall. But if you live in an area where coneflowers are already going to seed, collect some by brushing the flower heads with your finger when they’re brown and dry. They should pop out. If they don’t come out, snip off the seed heads and leave them inside a brown bag indoors. The seeds will drop to the bottom of the bag within a week or two. 

Save purple coneflower seeds for early spring sowing, or plant them at least two months before your first fall frost date. They’ll germinate after warm temperatures and long days arrive. Leave some seed heads on their plants to feed songbirds through winter.

Black-Eyed Susan

Another Midwest thriving perennial, black-eyed Susans look similar to coneflowers but have yellow petals and black blossom centers. They similarly attract pollinating insects by the dozens, boosting biodiversity wherever they grow. Black-eyed susans are perennial from hardiness zones 3 through 7 but unreliably so. They often die during freezing weather and must sprout anew from seeds they sow in fall.

This is good news for us gardeners, as it means we can reliably collect seeds every autumn from black-eyed Susan plants. Locate dry seed heads from August through September, and brush them off into a glass jar or plastic container. If they are wet, let them dry on a kitchen countertop before storing them long-term. Remember, if you live in an area with a long fall season, these will likely bloom again.

Start black-eyed Susan seedlings by sowing in the spring two to four weeks before your last frost date. If it’s early in autumn, you can also sow them at least two months before your first frost date.

Common Yarrow

There’s nothing ordinary about common yarrow—it’s one of the hardiest native wildflowers in North America, and it thrives across the U.S. Yarrow is highly beneficial in the garden. Butterflies, bees, moths, and beetles flock to its flower pads throughout summer and feast on nectar and pollen. By autumn, the white flowers will turn brown and form small, black seeds. 

Collect them by snipping the flower pads and hanging them in a brown paper bag. The ripe seeds will drop into the bag, and you can collect them for long-term storage. In long fall seasons, these will bloom again. Keep them in a cool, dark place in a dry and airtight container; they’ll remain viable for three to five years under these optimal conditions.

Start seedlings a month or two before the first frost or two to four weeks before your last average frost. Keep the area moist but not soggy, and they will germinate as the days lengthen and warm in late winter through early spring.

Farewell To Spring

Farewell to spring plants are annuals from western North America. They sprout cheery, paper-thin flower blossoms in colors like pink, purple, and magenta. They attract specialist and generalist bees to the site, as both prefer this wildflower’s nectar and pollen. Generalist bees eat from various flowers, while specialists require individual species. 

Farewell to spring annuals form seedheads by summer’s end in preparation for another bloom cycle in fall. Their name is perfect, as they bloom during mid to late summer, and they seem to be saying, “Goodbye spring!” as they dance and waft in the wind. The flowers bloom and fade into long, thin seed pods. They’re green at first but dry to brown. When fully dry, they explode seeds in multiple directions.

Collect farewell to spring pods early in fall before they dry fully and expel throughout your garden. They’ll be light green, changing to yellowish-brown. Place them inside a bag and seal the top, then wait for them to explode the ripe seeds below for easy collecting.

Milkweed

A handful of milkweed species thrive across the U.S.—some appreciate wet, boggy locations, while others prefer sunny meadows. All native milkweeds provide valuable habitat space, edible foliage, and nectar-rich flowers for Monarch butterflies and their larvae. Grow a few to boost these animals’ survival chances—you’ll enjoy the colorful, fragrant blossoms as beautiful butterflies flock to your space. 

Eastern U.S. gardeners have a few milkweeds to choose from. Try butterfly weed, or swamp and common milkweed. West Coast gardeners should try showy or narrowleaf milkweed, as they’re native to the western U.S. Select local milkweeds, as they survive better in your local environment than non-native ones. 

Milkweed sprouts fluffy, white hairs that help them float to new locations, and they grow out of thick, strong pods. The seeds are flat and brown, with a dark mark in their center. Collect entire pods before they open when they’re dry and brown, and separate the fluff. Then, store them in an airtight container in a cool, dry, and dark location. In temperate fall regions, expect another flowering period.

American Asters

Some asters were previously in the Aster genus but now exist in their own genus, Symphyotrichum. They still go by the common name “aster,” which means you can avoid having to say their long, scientific name. American asters range across the U.S., from the Pacific Northwest south to Mexico, east to Florida, and north through Maine.

Most American asters have light lavender flower petals with yellow centers. They sprout composite flowers like sunflowers, meaning the single blossom contains many smaller flowers in the yellow center. These tiny blossoms morph into seeds when they collect ample pollen.

American asters form fluffy, small seeds that congregate in clusters. To obtain a supply of asters, simply pluck them and store them. If they don’t pluck easily, cut entire stems and hang them to dry in a paper bag. They’ll fall to the bottom for easy collecting when they dry fully. 

Many asters specifically bloom in fall, so prepare to enjoy them through the season until the first frost.

Goldenrod

Goldenrods are hardy perennials that thrive worldwide. Our regions are home to dozens of native goldenrod species, from the Canada goldenrod to the seaside one. They bloom long, slender flower spikes filled with yellow blooms from late summer through fall. These bright blossoms lure butterflies, moths, beetles, bees, and pollinating flies to your yard.

West Coast gardeners can choose from Canada, the West Coast, or giant goldenrod. East Coast and Southwest growers should try seaside, showy, or rough goldenrod. Select species that grow in wild spaces near you, and they’ll most likely thrive in your yard. 

Goldenrod seeds are light and fluffy, with white feathery plumes on them. Collect them when most yellow flowers fade and form white fluff. Pick them off the flower heads and place them in a jar for safekeeping. You can start goldenrod seedlings two months before your first frost or after your last frost in spring. 

Phacelia

Phacelia wildflowers are a longtime favorite of American gardeners. They offer nectar and pollen for pollinating insects, their seeds feed birds, and they’re incredibly beneficial in pollinator gardens, as cover crops, and among vegetables. With dozens of native species, there are sure to be phacelias you can grow and collect from.

Southwest desert growers should try bluebell phacelia, an annual drought-tolerant herb with dark purple blooms. Pacific Northwest growers may sow lacey phacelia, and Eastern U.S. folks can use Miami mist. There are dozens more cultivars, but these work as good starting species if you’re new to phacelia.

Collect phacelia seeds from late summer through autumn after they ripen. These annuals sprout curly flower spikes that grow brown and dry with time. They curl upwards, with smallholders hanging on to their progeny. Strip the spikes of the holders and place them inside a paper bag. After drying fully, they’ll pop seeds out so you can easily collect them. 

Blazing Star

Blazing stars add purple, white, or pink hues to pollinator gardens, wild landscapes, and Midwestern grasslands. They’re perennial wildflowers with natural resources for pollinators and birds, and they provide valuable habitat space while they thrive in summer. Plant a few with your favorite color flowers for endless annual blooms.

Blazing stars flower throughout summer and through fall in some zones before forming ripe seedheads at the season’s end.

Blazing star seeds ripen on the flower stalks, hanging out in clusters with feathery plumes that stick out of the spent flowers. Gather them with your fingers, picking them by the plumes. Separate the feathery parts and store them in a jar until you’re ready to sow them. Ensure you’re collecting brown, dry seeds as opposed to currently flowering blazing star.