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SEEDS

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                    SPECIES   

                                TRAITS OF SPECIES  

This table includes information on bloom time, flower color, plant height, moisture regime, and notes.  Links to photos of many species are also provided.


 

                                PRICE LIST (PDF file)  

                    MIXTURES 

FEATURES OF EARTHSKIN'S SEEDS:

CENTRAL ILLINOIS ECOTYPES                             Foundation Seed Collection Area in Illinois

    Our seeds are produced from foundation seed collected by Lou Nelms from native  prairies  located within or closely bordering the Grand Prairie Division of central Illinois.   Remnant prairie communities in the Grand Prairie division are especially rare since their fate was doomed  by the richness of the soils they created over thousands of years following the Wisconsonian glaciation (green area on map).    Planting progeny seed from these remnants  helps to preserve these nearly vanished ecotypes.  

    Our target market is primarily Illinois.  Persons living in other states are encouraged to contact native plant nurseries that offer local ecotypes in their areas.  

    Many "wildflowers" that are sold in Illinois are natives of the western U.S. and some are of  European origin.   Some of these species can become invasive aliens, disrupting native plant communities.  If you are thinking of planting wildflowers, please consider using Illinois natives.  

CLEAN SEEDS!

  •     Beginning in 2005, all of our seeds, including forbs and grasses, will be sold on a Pure Live Seed (PLS) basis.

  •     Our seeds meet the highest standards for purity and viability.  High purity assures that you are not buying a lot of chaff, leaves, stems, and plant parts other than seed.  High viability means that a high percentage of the seeds are actually alive and have the potential of establishing plants.  From 1997 thru 2001 our tested seed averaged 98% purity and 92% viability (mean of 60 samples submitted to the Wisconsin Crop Improvement Assn. Seed Lab and Hulsey Seed Lab).  Seed test data are available upon request.  

  •     We thoroughly control weeds in our nursery to minimize weed seed contamination.       

  •     All of the fluffy seeded species are defluffed.  That is, we remove the pappus or seed dispersal structure (wind blown) from species such as the blazing stars and asters.  Likewise, hulls are removed from all of the legume species.  Removing structures that are not essential for germination increases the seed count per unit weight,  increases the percentage of viable seed, and improves the ability of some seed to germinate.

  

   

   

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CONTACT:  Lou Nelms 217-482-3524, cell 217-737-6783  

       FOR EMAIL ADDRESS: Download Catalog PDF