Prairie Smoke, Old Man's Whiskers
Three-flowered Avens are small hairy plants (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 plants.
Three-flowered Avens often grow in large patches. They can be found on the prairies and sagebrush plains of western North America and flower from May to June.
The purple-gray seed heads are composed of long (1.5 in) feathery strands and looks like feather dusters - hence the plants' alternate names of Prairie Smoke and Old Man's Whiskers.
Did you know? Three-flowered Avens are an important source of food for insects coming out of hibernation as they flower 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.