Pheasant's Eye

I purchased this plant as seeds from an online heritage seed catalogue called "The Cottage Gardener".

It was very easy t...Read Moreo start by planting directly into the garden and spacing out the plants, once they were about 6 inches tall.

It has been an absolutely delightful addition to the border in front of my deck. The flowers look like miniature carmine red poppies with black centers and the foliage is soft and fern-like. It's foliage is nice and full, held up on strong stems, which fill in nicely between other border plants or perennials that are past their prime and are beginning to die back.

The plant is very hardy, having been transplanted into the border in mid July, when we had an extended period of drought in North Central Ontario. It's now the second week of November and the plants are still going strong, even after several very hard frosts.

The seed pods resemble little corn cobs with pointed kernals, which are just beginning to turn brown and allow themselves to be removed from the stem, by rolling the seed head between the thumb and fingers.

This new find will be a permanent addition to my garden.

Pheasant's Eye, Adonis aestivalis, is Naturalized in Texas and other States.

Maybe it was the long rainy spring, maybe I 've treated the seedlings not well, maybe I should have sown them in situ...but the flowers s...Read Moretayed very small...smaller as I've expected. Well I won't deadhead these...maybe if selfsowing they'll show a better performance next year.

In Netherlands we call it 'Kooltje Vuur'...means 'little glowing (char)coal' ..this fits its well. Though small..but not to overlook because of its burning red presance.

This plant is poisonous to horses. It also inhibits the growth of plants next to it, especially legumes. If you want the weeds next to ...Read Moreit to grow poorly, this may not be a bad attribute.