Grow Flagstaff Seed Library

08/30/2026

Yarrow thrives in Flagstaff's challenging high-altitude environment. Whether you choose native or non-native varieties, yarrow is a great choice if you are looking for a pollinator-friendly and drought-resistant plant for your yard.

08/28/2026

Salvia comes in a wide variety of colors, including purple, blue, red and pink! Many varieties have long-lasting blooms. Deadheading or cutting back after the first flush of flowers can encourage salvia to rebloom, giving you another round of beautiful blooms later in the season.

Fall is a great time to plant perennial salvia varieties, giving them time to establish before winter arrives.

08/28/2026

Agastache (also known as hummingbird mint or anise hyssop) is a great choice for Flagstaff gardens. It comes in dozens of different varieties, often blooming in mid- to late-summer.

08/25/2026

Mexican Hat plants (also known as upright prairie coneflowers) do not require a lot of water or fertilizer to thrive. This plant is super easy to grow from seed. Pollinators love the flowers, and many birds savor the dried seed heads. A great choice for gardens!

08/25/2026

Did you know?

08/25/2026

See a beautiful garden, pick some flowers and learn how this Master Gardener creates such a beautiful environment!

The Garden House on Butterfly Lane will host a You-Pick this Thursday. I’ll supply a basket and snips, you choose the flowers you’d like to take home.
Stop by and slow down, enjoy the gardens, and take home a bouquet of joy.
11930 Butterfly Lane, Timberline

08/23/2026

Love Indian Paintbrush and want to grow it in your yard?

Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja chromosa) is beautiful—but it can be a little tricky to grow. That’s because it’s a hemiparasitic plant. It can germinate on its own, but to really thrive, it forms delicate root connections with nearby host plants to obtain additional water and nutrients.

🌱 Skip the nursery transplant.
You aren't likely to find Indian Paintbrush as a potted plant at a standard nursery, and transplanting an established plant is rarely successful. Moving it can sever the delicate connections it has made with its host plant. (Most nurseries do not carry Indian Paintbrush seeds either, but they can be purchased online)

🌱 Growing from seed is your best bet.
The seeds are tiny—almost dust-like—and can be challenging to germinate. They often benefit from a period of cold, moist conditions over winter.

🌱 Give it a host plant.
When sowing Indian Paintbrush, choose a location where it can grow alongside potential host plants such as Blue Grama or Buffalo Grass. Direct sowing into a yard, flowerbed or other planting area can give the seedlings access to a variety of potential hosts.

🌱 Plant in fall.
Fall sowing allows the seeds to experience the cold, moist conditions they may need before they germinate in spring. Once temperatures warm and moisture is available, the seeds can sprout.

🌱 Let nature do some of the work.
Depending on the species and conditions, Indian Paintbrush grows like an annual, biennial, or short-lived perennial. If you want it to return each year, let the seed heads dry and drop their seeds naturally, leaving some mature seed in the soil for the following season.

Growing Indian Paintbrush from seed takes patience, but creating the right conditions can give this beautiful native wildflower a chance to establish and thrive.

08/21/2026

Mark your calendars! FREE garden festivals and events coming up in in September. More to come!

Harvest Festival at Colton Garden at the Museum of Northern Arizona (September 13)
https://musnaz.org/event/harvest-festival-and-indigenous-farmers-market-at-colton-garden/

Fall Plant Sale at the The Arboretum at Flagstaff (September 12)
https://thearb.org/event/plant-sale-september-7/

Seeds, Fruits and Roots at Willow Bend Environmental Education Center (September 19)
https://www.willowbendcenter.org/events/fruitsandroots

NACA Fall Harvest Celebration (September 26)
https://www.facebook.com/NACAflagstaff/posts/celebrate-the-bounty-of-the-autumn-season-with-us-nacas-life-program-in-partners/1480934597395800/

08/19/2026

Looking for a plant that can handle Flagstaff’s sunny, dry climate? Meet Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia)! With striking torch-shaped blooms in fiery shades of red, orange, and yellow, these tough perennials bring color - and pollinators - to your yard and garden.

While you can grow Red Hot Poker plants from seed, division—separating established clumps into smaller plants—is often easier. Ask a neighbor or friend who has Red Hot Pokers if you can dig up a portion of their established plant. Gently separate the clump into smaller sections, making sure each division has healthy roots and several shoots.

Replant the divisions in a sunny spot with well-draining soil, and keep them watered regularly while they get established. Once settled in, Red Hot Pokers are drought tolerant and well suited to Flagstaff’s high-desert climate.

08/19/2026

Enjoy a free tour of the Moore Medicinal Garden at the Museum of Northern Arizona August 29 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am! This incredible garden features 80 species of native and regional medicinal plants. Register here:

Step through the gate and discover a hidden gem at the Museum of Northern Arizona—the Moore Medicinal Garden. Tucked between MNA’s administration and anthropology buildings on the east side of Highway…