Stickseed (Lappula): The Clingy Wildflower You Might Want to Think Twice About
If you’ve ever taken a walk through a field or along a country road and found tiny, spiky seeds clinging stubbornly to your clothes, you’ve likely made the acquaintance of stickseed. This aptly named plant has mastered the art of hitchhiking, using unsuspecting passersby to spread its seeds far and wide.
What is Stickseed?
Stickseed (Lappula) is an annual or biennial forb – essentially a non-woody flowering plant that completes its life cycle in one to two years. Unlike shrubs or trees, these plants don’t develop significant woody tissue above ground, instead putting their energy into producing flowers, seeds, and that notorious sticking mechanism that gives them their common name.
Where Does Stickseed Grow?
This is one well-traveled plant! Stickseed has established itself across an impressive range of North American territories and states, from the frozen reaches of Alaska and Canada’s northern territories down to states like Arizona, Texas, and South Carolina. You’ll find it growing everywhere from Alberta to Wyoming, and from Newfoundland to Nevada.
While stickseed grows in all these locations, its native status remains somewhat unclear across different regions, making it a bit of a botanical mystery when it comes to determining where it truly belongs.
Should You Plant Stickseed in Your Garden?
Here’s where things get interesting – and where most gardeners might want to pause and consider their options. Stickseed isn’t typically the kind of plant you’d find at your local garden center, and there’s a good reason for that.
The Case Against Stickseed
- Those pesky seeds: The plant’s claim to fame – its clingy, bur-like seeds – can become a real nuisance in a managed garden setting
- Weedy nature: Stickseed tends to pop up in disturbed areas and can spread readily
- Limited ornamental value: While it does produce small blue flowers, they’re not particularly showy compared to other native wildflowers
The Case For Stickseed
- Pollinator support: Those small blue flowers do provide nectar for bees, flies, and other small pollinators
- Hardy and adaptable: If you’re looking for something that can handle tough conditions, stickseed is remarkably resilient
- Wildlife interest: Birds may feed on the seeds (though they’ll have to work for them!)
Growing Conditions and Care
If you’re determined to include stickseed in your landscape – perhaps in a wild garden or naturalized area – here’s what you need to know:
Preferred Conditions
- Soil: Adaptable to various soil types, often thriving in disturbed or poor soils
- Sunlight: Generally prefers full sun to partial shade
- Water: Drought tolerant once established
- Hardiness: Extremely cold hardy, suitable for very cold climates
Planting and Maintenance
Stickseed is one of those plants that doesn’t need much help from gardeners. It readily self-sows and can establish in areas where many other plants struggle. If you choose to grow it, simply scatter seeds in fall or early spring and let nature take its course. Be prepared for it to spread – those sticky seeds are remarkably effective at finding new places to grow!
Better Native Alternatives
Before committing to stickseed, consider these more garden-friendly native alternatives that offer similar benefits without the clingy complications:
- Wild bergamot – Excellent for pollinators with showy purple flowers
- Purple coneflower – Beautiful, long-blooming, and beloved by butterflies
- Black-eyed Susan – Bright, cheerful flowers that birds love for their seeds
- Wild lupine – Striking blue flower spikes and important for specialized butterflies
The Bottom Line
Stickseed is one of those plants that’s better appreciated from a distance – or at least in someone else’s garden! While it’s not invasive or harmful, its aggressive seed dispersal and weedy nature make it a questionable choice for most home landscapes. If you’re drawn to supporting native pollinators and wildlife, there are plenty of better-behaved native plants that will give you more bang for your buck without leaving you picking seeds off your clothes every time you walk through the garden.
Sometimes the most interesting plants in nature aren’t necessarily the ones we want to invite home – and stickseed might just be one of them!
