Crossflower: A Small but Mighty Annual That’s Made Itself at Home
If you’ve ever spotted tiny purple flowers forming perfect crosses in your garden or along roadsides, you’ve likely encountered crossflower (Chorispora tenella). This diminutive annual has quite the story – it’s traveled far from its native home to become a familiar sight across much of North America, though it flies under the radar for most gardeners.
What Exactly Is Crossflower?
Crossflower is a small annual forb, meaning it’s an herbaceous plant that completes its entire life cycle in one growing season. Don’t let its size fool you – this little plant packs character into its compact frame. The name crossflower comes from its distinctive four-petaled blooms that form perfect little crosses, typically in shades of purple, pink, or occasionally white.
As a non-native species, crossflower originally hails from Central Asia but has established itself across a remarkably wide range in North America. It’s classified as a waif in Canada, meaning it appears temporarily but doesn’t persistently naturalize, while in the lower 48 states, it reproduces on its own and tends to stick around.
Where You’ll Find Crossflower
This adaptable little plant has made itself comfortable across an impressive geographic range, growing in Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and dozens of U.S. states including Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Should You Grow Crossflower in Your Garden?
Here’s where crossflower gets interesting – it’s one of those plants that’s more likely to find you than the other way around. Most gardeners encounter it as a volunteer rather than something they’ve intentionally planted. While it’s not considered invasive, it’s also not native to North America, so the decision to encourage or discourage it depends on your gardening philosophy.
The Case for Crossflower:
- Requires absolutely zero maintenance once established
- Provides early season color when few other flowers are blooming
- Attracts small pollinators like flies and tiny bees
- Thrives in poor soils where other plants struggle
- Self-seeds readily for continuous populations
Things to Consider:
- As a non-native species, it doesn’t support native wildlife as effectively as indigenous plants
- Can self-seed aggressively in ideal conditions
- Very small flowers may not provide significant visual impact
Growing Conditions and Care
If crossflower has appeared in your garden or you’re curious about growing it, you’ll find it refreshingly low-maintenance. This hardy annual thrives in USDA zones 3-9 and prefers full sun with well-drained soil. In fact, it’s quite content in poor, sandy, or rocky soils that would challenge more finicky plants.
Crossflower typically germinates in cool weather and blooms in spring, making it one of the earlier flowers of the season. It’s drought-tolerant once established and requires virtually no supplemental watering or fertilizing – qualities that make it both a blessing and a potential concern for gardeners.
Native Alternatives to Consider
If you appreciate crossflower’s early blooms and low-maintenance nature but prefer supporting native ecosystems, consider these indigenous alternatives:
- Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) for purple blooms and pollinator appeal
- Prairie phlox (Phlox pilosa) for early spring color
- Wild lupine (Lupinus perennis) for distinctive flowers and specialized wildlife support
- Early buttercup (Ranunculus fascicularis) for bright early blooms
The Bottom Line on Crossflower
Crossflower represents that interesting category of plants that aren’t quite weeds but aren’t exactly garden stars either. If it’s already growing in your space and you enjoy its cheerful early blooms, there’s no urgent need to remove it. However, if you’re planning new plantings, considering native alternatives will better support local ecosystems while providing similar aesthetic benefits.
Whether you embrace crossflower as a charming volunteer or choose to replace it with native options, understanding this small but widespread plant helps you make informed decisions about your garden’s ecological impact. Sometimes the most interesting garden stories come from the smallest, most unexpected players.
