Siberian Wallflower

Hardy biennial, blooms the first year. Charming bright orange spice-scented phlox-like 4-petaled blossoms are anything but shy, glowing profusely from early summer into fall. The first week of October bumblebees were still flocking to this one, along with garden gawkers who couldn’t resist a mid-fall splash of color. Once a wallflower self-sowed in the peach orchard from a nearby meadow where the year before we broadcast Northeast Wildflower Mix. This single plant, thriving in a wood chip mulch, grew to a bushy 12" tall, flopped in a heavy rain and then sent up dozens of vertical shoots that blossomed profusely, creating a dense orange mass—our new favorite orchard companion. This volunteer was going strong more than 100 days after arrival and a few hard autumn frosts. Sow outdoors in early spring, or start indoors and transplant out. Germination takes 7–20 days. 9–12". About 600 seeds/g.