Prairie Smoke, Old Man's Whiskers
Three-flowered Avens is a small hairy plant (4-16 in) with 3 nodding, reddish-pink, bell-like flowers on long stalks. Fern-like dark green leaves grow from the base of the plant.
Three-flowered Avens often grows in large patches. It can be found on the prairies and sagebrush plains of western North America and flowers from May to June.
The purple-gray seed head is composed of long (1.5 in) feathery strands and looks like a feather duster - hence the plant's alternate names of Prairie Smoke and Old Man's Whiskers.
Did you know? Three-flowered Avens is an important source of food for insects coming out of hibernation as it flowers in early spring.
Easy - numerous and usually easy to spot
in the habitats listed at the appropriate time of
year.
Grasslands are large open areas covered with
grasses. They have very few trees or shrubs.
This habitat includes prairies and tundra.