SEED ORDERS OVER $100 SHIP FREE!

Short & Showy Seed Mix

$43.00 - $2,481.00

500 sq ft
$43.00
1000 sq ft
$75.00
1/8 acre
$321.00
1/4 acre
$621.00
1/2 acre
$1,241.00
1 Acre
$2,481.00

NEW! For Medium-Dry Soils and Full Sun
Not too sure about the wild growth seen in many native gardens – or are nosey next-door neighbors overly involved in what’s growing on your property? Many other customers are in the same boat. In fact, some of the most frequently requested prairie seed mix designs we get are for plants that grow less than 2’ tall but still have an abundance of blooms. 

We understand that not every gardener has the property or interest in supporting a tallgrass (or even a shortgrass) native planting. We hope this 'gateway' mix will be the best of both worlds. The Short & Showy is an approachable native seed mix showcasing a fusion of diverse wildflowers and grasses which benefit pollinators, while still maintaining a more controlled, "conventional landscape" appearance.  

The species in the Short & Showy mix reach a 2' maximum growing height, with just a few that may have airy seedheads floating up to 3' tall in richer soils. This is a great mix to plant along driveways, sidewalks, and other locations where visibility is a concern. These species thrive in well-drained sites that receive at least 6 hours of sunlight. Several natives included  in this mix are quick to germinate and flower; we wanted to ensure some instant gratification appeal!  But expect about 5 years to see the full extent of diversity within this seed mix. Some natives are slow to start from seed, so it is imperative to have a clean site; one where the existing vegetation and potential weed seed bank has been removed. Learn more about best practices in site prep here

Although some of the native plants in this seed mix have ranges that extend beyond zones 3-7, the majority will do best in this zone range.  For more detailed information please see the RANGE MAP for each species. View the complete species list, including % by weight, under COMPONENTS.

For seed mixes of 1/8 acre or less, we include a temporary cover crop at no additional charge.  ReGreen is a sterile, short-lived perennial wheat hybrid that can be planted spring or fall.

Add a Seed Mix Enhancement for that extra splash of color!

All mixes are subject to change without notice depending on availability of species.

Short & Showy Seed Mix

by Prairie Moon® Nursery

14.17 lbs per acre | 263 Seeds per sq/ft

(FILTER PLANTS IN THIS SEED MIX)

WILDFLOWERS

Botanical Name (Common Name)

% by wt.

Agastache foeniculum (Anise Hyssop)

0.88

Allium stellatum (Prairie Onion)

2.21

Antennaria neglecta (Prairie Pussytoes)

0.44

Aquilegia canadensis (Columbine)

0.44

Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Weed)

2.65

Asclepias verticillata (Whorled Milkweed)

0.88

Asclepias viridis (Spider Milkweed)

0.66

Baptisia bracteata (Cream Wild Indigo)

0.66

Callirhoe bushii (Bush's Poppy Mallow)

0.88

Camassia scilloides (Wild Hyacinth)

0.88

Chamaecrista fasciculata (Partridge Pea)

10.59

Coreopsis lanceolata (Lance-leaf Coreopsis)

3.53

Dalea candida (White Prairie Clover)

3.53

Dalea purpurea (Purple Prairie Clover)

6.62

Dodecatheon meadia (Midland Shooting Star)

0.35

Echinacea angustifolia (Narrow-leaved Coneflower)

3.97

Gentiana flavida (Cream Gentian)

0.44

Heuchera richardsonii (Prairie Alumroot)

0.33

Liatris scariosa var. nieuwlandii (Northern Blazing Star)

1.76

Lupinus perennis subsp. perennis (Sundial Lupine)

2.21

Monarda punctata (Spotted Bee Balm)

0.79

Pedicularis canadensis (Wood Betony)

0.44

Penstemon grandiflorus (Large-flowered Beardtongue)

1.32

Penstemon hirsutus (Hairy Beardtongue)

0.35

Phlox pilosa (Prairie Phlox)

0.35

Pycnanthemum verticillatum var. pilosum (Hairy Mountain Mint)

0.22

Rudbeckia hirta (Black-eyed Susan)

5.29

Ruellia humilis (Wild Petunia)

0.88

Solidago nemoralis (Old Field Goldenrod)

0.44

Symphyotrichum oblongifolium (Aromatic Aster)

0.53

Symphyotrichum turbinellum (Prairie Aster)

0.88

Tradescantia ohiensis (Ohio Spiderwort)

1.32

Verbena stricta (Hoary Vervain)

1.76

Zizia aptera (Heart-leaf Golden Alexanders)

1.76

Total of WILDFLOWERS:

60.29 %

GRASSES, SEDGES & RUSHES

Botanical Name (Common Name)

% by wt.

Bouteloua curtipendula (Side-oats Grama)

10.59

Bouteloua gracilis (Blue Grama)

6.18

Bromus kalmii (Prairie Brome)

5.29

Carex brevior (Plains Oval Sedge)

5.29

Eragrostis spectabilis (Purple Love Grass)

0.44

Juncus dudleyi (Dudley's Rush)

0.88

Koeleria macrantha (June Grass)

1.32

Schizachyrium scoparium (Little Bluestem)

7.06

Sporobolus heterolepis (Prairie Dropseed)

2.65

Totals of GRASSES, SEDGES & RUSHES:

39.71 %

(FILTER PLANTS IN THIS SEED MIX)

Last updated 10/3/24

1 Question asked on Short & Showy Seed Mix

Does this come pre-mixed and ready to sow?
Hello Robert, This mix will come with the large seeds mixed and packaged together as well as any small seeds packaged together. They would need to be mixed together with a seed filler material such as our rice hulls or untreated sawdust that would be available at any local farm or home supply stores. Once you have it all mixed together with a few dashes of water, then you can hand broadcast that mixture on to the prepped site. The water in the mixture will help to tact the seeds to your filler material so that broadcasting the mix will have a greater distribution rate. I hope this helps!

Native plant communities provide the inspiration for our seed-mix designs. All our mixes feature high seeding rates and a diverse balance of native species, which, when mature, will provide blossoms throughout the year. No matter what you want from a seed mix, you will need to make sure it fits the soil-moisture holding capacity and sun conditions of your site.

Establishment of the diverse native-plant communities represented in our seed mixes can take three to five years. The most critical process before planting is preparing the site by removing unwanted species and working to deplete the soil’s weed seed bank. Find detailed site prep, planting and care instructions for our seed mixes through the following links:

ESTABLISHING A NATIVE SEED MIX - 3 YEAR PLAN

PLANTING INSTRUCTIONS FOR HAND SOWING A NATIVE SEED MIX

*PLEASE NOTE: we are a mail order nursery and have no retail facilities, but you may pick up your order if prior arrangements are made. Pick up orders are subject to **MN Sales Tax.

US Shipping & Handling Charges

SEED $100.00 and under: $5.00
Retail SEED orders over $100.00 ship free!

Custom seed mixes or discounted seed sales over $100, add 5% of the total seed cost
(for orders over $1,000 a package signature may be required)

BARE ROOT and POTTED PLANTS $50.00 and under: $9.00
over $50.00: 18% of the total plant cost. (For orders over $1,000 a package signature may be required.)

TOOLS and BOOKS have the shipping fee included in the cost of the product (within the contiguous US).

**We are required to collect state sales tax in certain states. Your state's eligibility and % will be calculated at checkout. MN State Sales Tax of 7.375% is applied for orders picked up at our MN location. Shipping & handling charges are also subject to the sales tax.

Shipping Season

SEED, TOOLS and BOOKS are sent year-round. Most orders ship within 1-3 business days.

BARE ROOT PLANTS are shipped during optimal transplanting time: Spring (April-May) and Fall (Oct). Some ephemeral species are also available for summer shipping. Since our plants are field-grown, Nature sets the schedule each year as to when our season will begin and end. We fill all orders, on a first-come, first-serve basis, to the best of our ability depending on weather conditions beyond our control.

POTTED PLANTS (Trays of 32/38/50 plugs and 3-packs) typically begin shipping early May and go into June; shipping time is heavily dependent on all the species in your order being well-rooted. If winter-spring greenhouse growing conditions are favorable and all species are well-rooted at once, then we ship by order date (first come, first serve). We are a Midwest greenhouse, and due to the challenges of getting all the species in the Mix & Match and Pre-Designed Garden Kits transit-ready at the same time, we typically can't ship before early May. Earlier shipment requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

*We are unable to ship PLANTS (bare root or potted) outside the contiguous US or to CALIFORNIA due to regulations.

Delivery

We ship using USPS, UPS and Spee Dee. UPS and Spee Dee are often used for expediting plant orders; they will not deliver to Post Office Box numbers, so please also include your street address if ordering plants. We send tracking numbers to your email address so please include it when you order.

FOR MORE DETAILED SHIPPING INFORMATION, INCLUDING CANADA SHIPPING RATES (SEED ONLY), PLEASE SEE 'SHIPPING' AT THE FOOTER OF THIS WEBSITE.

Details

Lbs/Acre
14.17
Seeds/Sq.Ft.
263
Sun Exposure
Full
Soil Moisture
Medium-Dry
Advantages
Pollinator Favorite: butterflies, moths, bees, wasps, beetles
Highly recommended for home landscaping
USDA Zones
3-7
Catalog Code
SHOW