Mentzelia laevicaulis-Giant blazingstar

Description The common name giant blazingstar just about says it all. This is a very tall wildflower with an extremely showy and elegant flower! Giant blazingstar lights up the often harsh, sandy, rocky, dry and often disturbed environments that it thrives in. The brilliant yellow, star-shaped flower has five long, narrow, and pointed petals, with think yellow sepals in between. The flower center has many long, spectacular yellow stamens that make the flower look like an exploding firecracker. Blooms July-August. The whitish plant stem rises from a basal rosette of leaves that to some have a weedy appearance, however, the showy flowers make up for it. Giant blazingstar is well-suited for rock gardens and other dry, sun-baked, locations with poor soil and good drainage. It is a biennial or short-lived perennial with a deep taproot. Typically grows 2′-4′ tall. Grows in most western states. Giant blazingstar flowers are a source of nectar and pollen for native bees, butterflies and moths. Deer resistant. Giant blazingstar (Mentzelia laevicaulis) seed packets contain approximately 75 seeds per packet. Seed Germination Instructions This species requires 60-90 days cold-moist stratification. If you live in an area with cold enough winters you can simply sow the seeds outside in fall to early spring and let nature do the work, or if you live in an area with mild winters, you can use artificial methods for stratification. For more information about cold-stratification and seed germination, read more on our website here.