The mentzelia plant also known as
mentzelia blazing star is a showy annual with fragrant, star-shaped blooms that
open in the evening. The mentzelia plant has satiny, sweet-smelling flowers that
bloom profusely from mid spring to early autumn. Continue reading to learn more
about blazing star flowers and how to grow them.
Information about Mentzelia Plant
The mentzelia plants grow in open,
sunny areas, primarily sagebrush-steppe, mountain brush, and dry, rocky areas
in some western states. The mentzelia plants are found east of the Cascade
Mountains in Oregon and Washington, and in California, Arizona, and New Mexico,
among others. The mentzelia plants is a tough, adaptable plant that grows in USDA
plant hardiness zones three through ten. The mentzelia plants is also known as
stickleaf, a well-deserved nickname for the barbed stem hairs that don’t hurt
but adhere to socks, pants, and sleeves like glue. The Mentzelia plants are
highly attractive to important pollinators like native bees and butterflies.
Growing Mentzelia Blazing Star
The Mentzelia plants are nearly impossible to
grow by division, due to the plant’s ultra-long taproots. If you want to try
your hand in growing Mentzelia plants, the plant seeds provide the best chance
of success. If you have access to a healthy stand of mentzelia blazing star,
you can harvest a few seeds. However, be sure not to trample the ground around
the mentzelia blazing star plants, and never harvest more than you need. Be
sure not to harvest the mentzelia blazing star seeds from protected areas
either. For best result, purchase the mentzelia blazing star seeds from a
greenhouse or nursery that actually specialize in native plants or wildflowers.
Scatter the mentzelia blazing star seeds outdoors in loose, sandy or rocky soil
as soon as the weather warms in spring. Cover the mentzelia blazing star seeds
with a very thin layer of soil, and then keep the soil consistently moist until
the mentzelia blazing star seeds sprout. Thin the plants to a distance of about
fifteen to eighteen inches when the seedlings are about two to three inches
tall. Once the mentzelia blazing star plants are established, the plant
tolerates dry soil, extreme heat, and poor soil. However, the plant benefits
from regular irrigation during the blooming season. For a long-lasting display
you can easily cut the flowers down to about two inches after the first flush
of blooms. The mentzelia blazing star plants are annuals, so save a small number
of seeds late in the blooming season for planting next year. On the other hand,
if you are lucky the mentzelia blazing star plant may self-seed.
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