Idaho Plant Materials Technical Note No. 24

Fireweed
Chamerion angustifolium
Fireweed is a native perennial forb with a rapid upright growth rate to 2-4 feet tall. It is an excellent pollinator species
with pink to purple flowers that are attractive to bees in June-September. Average seeds/ft 2 at 1 lb. rate is 149. Pure
stand seeding rate is 0.5 lb/ac. It is recommended as component in pollinator seed mixtures. It is normally less than
10% of the seed mixture.
Flax, Blue
Linum perenne
An introduced, perennial, semi-evergreen, blue-flowered forb that prefers well-drained soils that range from moderately
basic to weakly acidic. It prefers growing in the open, but does have some shade tolerance. It is intolerant of poor
drainage, flooding and high water tables. This species grows well in 10-18 inch annual precipitation areas including all
three big sagebrush types, juniper and mountain brush communities. It has been successfully seeded in the salt desert
shrub type. Blue flax does well seeded in mixtures with other species. It can be surface seeded on a disturbed seedbed
and should not be seeded deeper than 1/8 inch. This semi-evergreen forb is eaten readily by big game especially during
spring and winter and upland game and songbirds relish seeds. It is a good pollinator species and blooms in spring into
early summer. This species does well when seeded on disturbed sites. 'Appar' was released for its superior forage and
seed production and palatability to livestock and wildlife. Recent research has identified 'Appar' as introduced from
European origins. Average seeds/ft 2 at 1 lb. rate is 8. Pure stand seeding rate is 4 lb/ac. Not recommended in pure
stands.
Flax, Lewis
Linum lewisii
A native, perennial, semi-evergreen, blue to white flowered forb that prefers well-drained soils that range from
moderately basic to weakly acidic. It prefers growing in the open, but does have some shade tolerance. It is intolerant
of poor drainage, flooding and high water tables. This species grows well in 10-18 inch annual precipitation areas
including all three big sagebrush types, juniper and mountain brush communities. It has been successfully seeded in
the salt desert shrub type. Lewis flax does well in seed mixtures with other species. It can be surface seeded on a
disturbed seedbed and should not be seeded deeper than 1/8 inch. This semi-evergreen forb is eaten readily by big
game especially during spring and winter and upland game and songbirds relish seeds. It is a good pollinator species
and blooms in spring into early summer. This species does well when seeded on disturbed sites. Maple Grove Selected
class germplasm (Linum lewisii) is a native release by the Forest Service and NRCS Aberdeen PMC. Average seeds/ft 2
at 1 lb. rate is 5. Pure stand seeding rate is 5 lb/ac. Not recommended in pure stands.
Fleabane (Daisy) spp.
Erigeron species
Fleabane or Daisy species are upright native forbs with slow growth rates that grow from 4-32 inches tall. They are
considered good pollinator species for bees and butterflies. They generally flower early from April-July. Average
seeds/ft 2 at 1 lb. rate is 1. Seeding rates vary, but are generally 1-4 lb/ac. Not recommended in pure stands.
Gayfeather, Dotted
Liatri punctata
Dotted gayfeather is a long-lived native forbs that grow from 8-48 inches tall. It requires at least 18 inches of annual
rainfall. Flowering stems are single or in clusters from a woody base. They are considered good pollinator species and
attract bees and butterflies. The rose-purple to pink to white flowers bloom from late spring to fall depending on
species. Average seeds/ft 2 at 1 lb. rate is 3. Pure stand seeding rate is 8 lb/ac. Not recommended in pure stands.
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