Mesa Verde Stickseed: A Rare Colorado Native Worth Protecting
If you’re passionate about native plants and conservation, you might be intrigued by Mesa Verde stickseed (Hackelia gracilenta), one of Colorado’s rarest botanical treasures. This little-known perennial forb represents something truly special in the world of native gardening – a chance to help preserve a species that’s hanging on by a thread in the wild.
What Makes Mesa Verde Stickseed Special?
Mesa Verde stickseed is a perennial forb native exclusively to Colorado, making it what botanists call an endemic species. As a forb, it’s a non-woody plant that dies back to the ground each winter and returns from its roots in spring. While it may not be the showiest plant in your garden, it carries the irreplaceable genetic heritage of Colorado’s unique ecosystems.
Where Does It Grow?
This rare native is found only in Colorado, with its distribution centered around the Mesa Verde region – hence its common name. Its extremely limited range is part of what makes it so vulnerable to extinction.
A Critical Conservation Concern
Here’s where things get serious: Mesa Verde stickseed has a Global Conservation Status of S1, meaning it’s Critically Imperiled. This designation indicates that there are typically only five or fewer known populations, or fewer than 1,000 individual plants remaining in the wild. In plant conservation terms, this species is in the botanical equivalent of the emergency room.
Should You Grow Mesa Verde Stickseed?
The short answer is: only if you can source it responsibly. Given its critically imperiled status, you should never collect seeds or plants from wild populations. Instead, if you’re interested in growing this rare beauty, work only with:
- Specialized native plant nurseries that propagate from ethically sourced material
- Conservation organizations with proper permits
- Botanical gardens or institutions involved in species recovery efforts
Growing this species isn’t just about adding something unique to your garden – it’s about participating in conservation efforts to prevent extinction.
What Does It Look Like?
While detailed descriptions of Mesa Verde stickseed’s appearance are limited due to its rarity, it belongs to the Hackelia genus, which typically features small white to blue flowers and distinctive bristly fruits that easily stick to clothing or animal fur (hence the stickseed name). These bristly fruits are actually the plant’s clever way of spreading its seeds.
Growing Conditions and Care
Because of its extreme rarity, detailed cultivation information for Mesa Verde stickseed is limited. However, based on its Colorado origins and the growing requirements of related species, it likely prefers:
- Well-draining soil
- Full sun to partial shade
- Semi-arid conditions typical of Colorado’s climate
- USDA hardiness zones 5-7
If you’re fortunate enough to obtain responsibly sourced plants or seeds, treat them with the care befitting such a rare species. Provide excellent drainage, avoid overwatering, and consider growing them in a protected area of your garden where you can monitor their progress closely.
Benefits to Wildlife
While specific wildlife benefits of Mesa Verde stickseed aren’t well-documented, plants in the Hackelia genus typically attract small native bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. By growing rare native species like this one, you’re helping maintain the intricate web of relationships between plants and wildlife that evolved over thousands of years.
The Bigger Picture
Growing Mesa Verde stickseed isn’t just about gardening – it’s about conservation action. Every responsibly grown plant represents hope for a species’ survival and contributes to our understanding of how to help rare plants thrive. If you’re interested in conservation gardening, consider reaching out to local botanical gardens, universities, or native plant societies to learn about legitimate opportunities to help with rare plant conservation efforts.
Remember, when it comes to critically imperiled species like Mesa Verde stickseed, our role as gardeners expands beyond aesthetics to become stewards of biodiversity. Whether or not you ever grow this particular species, supporting conservation efforts and choosing native plants for your landscape helps protect the incredible botanical diversity that makes places like Colorado so special.
