What are Wildflowers?

What are Wildflowers and where should we grow them?

The simplest answer to the question 'what are Wildflowers?' is to say they are flower species that are found growing naturally in the wild. Most garden species that are sold commercially are from cultivated plant species that may originate from all over the world. They will have been cultivated to have the colours and foliage of the plant enhanced. Wildflowers, on the other hand, are originally sourced from wild stock in the country of origin. They are then multiplied up so that you can plant what nature has developed. Wildflowers fall broadly into two categories.

Annual Wildflowers

These are species such as Field Poppy (Papaver Rhoeas), Cornflower (Centaurea Cyanus), Corn Marigold (Chryanthemum Segetum) etc. They are sometimes called Cornfield Annuals. These flowers are generally very colourful but they only last one year. Historically, they would have appeared in arable fields where the farmer would have ploughed the field, bringing new seeds up to the top. For an annual to grow back, the seed should fall on bare or cultivated soil so they can germinate again. They can be planted in spring or autumn. In the spring they take about 8 to 12 weeks from sowing to flowering depending on the species.

Perennial Wildflowers

These are fundamentally different from annuals, in that once planted they will grow back again each year. The idea being that you would cut them down in early autumn, then the following summer the plant grows back. In the UK there are 100s of native species growing in meadows, in woodland areas by the water’s edge etc. Commercially there are fewer than 200 species that are grown on and available with fewer than 50 species making up most of the available seed. A wider range is generally available in the form of plug plants. Species can vary from Meadow Buttercup and Ox eye daisy; to woodland species such as Red Campion & Wild Foxglove; or by water’s edge such as Yellow Flag Iris & Purple Loosestrife.

Whilst colourful and attractive, the perennials are not as striking as the annuals. Their natural habitat is in amongst grass, so the grass is the back drop for the flowers. They are slower to establish, but once established will come back year after year.

Wildflowers will grow in fertile conditions but the species you do not want will use the fertility better and often the wildflowers can be out-competed in this situation. Perennial Wildflowers do best on poorer soil where it is more of a level playing field. They do best then where they can be left to grow out and where a natural, wild look is required. Over the summer you will then see wildflowers in bloom amongst the grass as you would see in the wild.

There are other types such as Biennial wildflowers which grow back every year, but only flower every other year.