How to Collect Native Plant Seeds
Native plants reseed readily when they’re thriving. Collect some seeds to spread them where you’d like! That way you’ll have native plants in every corner of your garden. Learn how to best collect and germinate these seeds alongside native plant gardener Jerad Bryant.
Contents
Seeds are treasures—these tiny structures contain all the necessary tools to form big, resilient plants. With water, soil, and sunlight, any seed becomes a full-grown plant that makes more! Collect them to spread—sowing is one way of inviting disappearing species back into our urban and suburban spaces.
Before the days of large-scale gardening companies, most growers found seeds themselves, grew them, or got them from a friend. Learning how to collect seeds, especially from native species, gives you control over your backyard. You’ll rely less on big box nurseries for new specimens since you can grow pricey varieties yourself!
Some species have toxic parts—we’ll address the most common ones. Always use caution when touching them, as they cause rashes or allergic reactions. Most native species are touchable without issue; first, identify the varieties you’re collecting and avoid later medical issues.
Start collecting once you know which ones you’re propagating. Gather from your local environment, and leave wild native plants alone. Instead, collect only from your yard or friends’ yards. Native plant populations are declining in many states—leaving their seeds in the wild allows them to spread to their fullest extent. Here’s how to do collect from your own property instead.
Identify Native Species
Annuals, perennials, trees, and shrubs all produce seeds—which type you’re collecting determines the tools you’ll need. Annual and perennial herbaceous species are easy to collect from, as they often grow low to the ground. Trees may require additional materials, like a ladder or a fruit harvester on a stick for reaching nuts high up in the canopy.
Your local environment already contains native plants; hiking around, you’ll find how they grow and which environments they prefer. Use this knowledge to help you decide which ones to plant near your home. It’s also smart to choose species originating from other areas of North America, so long as they’re not invasive. Sunflowers, black-eyed Susans, and blue thimble flowers look stunning no matter where they grow.
These are some common natives with seeds you can collect easily. This is by no means an exhaustive list, as there are hundreds of native species in each of our ecosystems—use it to get started!
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Ecoregion of Origin |
| Fleabane | Erigeron annuus | Northern Forests |
| Western Springbeauty | Claytonia lanceolata | Northwestern Forested Mountains |
| Western Buttercup | Ranunculus occidentalis | Marine West Coast Forest |
| New England Aster | Symphyotrichum novae-angliae | Eastern Temperate Forests |
| Purple Coneflower | Echinacea purpurea | Great Plains |
| Bush Mint | Poliomintha incana | North American Deserts |
| West Coast Canada Goldenrod | Solidago elongata | Mediterranean California |
| Cowpen Daisy | Verbesina encelioides | Southern Semi-Arid Highlands |
| Camphorweed | Heterotheca subaxillaris | Temperate Sierras |
| Coastal Plain Tickseed | Coreopsis gladiata | Tropical Wet Forests |
Ecoregions help you identify the right picks for your backyard. If your soil is wet, look for species that live in bogs or swamps. Got lots of sunlight and not a lot of water? Look in the North American deserts for inspiration. No matter where you live, there are endemic species you can propagate.
Leave Wild Populations Alone
Collecting from wild plants isn’t as ethical as you might think—although you’re spreading plants, you’re also removing viable propagation material from their local environment. Many declining populations rely on them to spread into new areas.
Native plant nurseries sell local species, both online and in person. Purchase plants once, and you’ll have access to them for life. You can exponentially multiply your stock using this method. Some sprout dozens of seeds annually, like sunflowers, meaning you can go from one plant to dozens in a season.
It might be okay to collect from native species when local universities or government agencies approve it. Some programs allow a limited amount of seed collection depending on the species. Always ask land owners, both public and private, before gathering.
Native Plant Conservation
Are you interested in collecting native plant seeds to spread them in the wild? Consider native plant conservation! There are plant societies throughout all states with expert members that promote conservation and ecological well-being. Join one and you’ll find friends with similar interests, plus plenty of information about plants growing locally.
Plant conservation is also a career! There are programs in multiple universities that teach about ecosystems—they show how plants and animals work together, making healthy, cohesive environments. Oregon State University, UC Berkeley, and UW Madison are but a few of many with comprehensive programs.
The easiest way to start learning is by planting endemic species in your yard. Spread them where you live, and you’re actively helping your local ecosystem. Start with a few today and see where they take you—you’ll notice more birds, pollinators, and animals the more native species you grow.
Gather at the Right Time
Seeds mature during specific seasons—some are ready by early spring, while others mature in summer. Notice the life cycles so you’ll be ready to collect when it’s time. Most spring-blooming annuals and perennials have viable seeds by midsummer. Late bloomers like asters, sunflowers, and coneflowers may not be ready until fall.
They are ready when they’re fully mature and when their flowers have faded. You’ll notice annuals starting to die back and brown. Perennials may die back, or they’ll sprout a last round of new growth before the season’s end.
Trees and shrubs typically finish production near the end of summer unless they’re early bloomers like witch hazel. Look for birds or squirrels in frenzies—they’re always in the know when nuts are ripe, as they rely on them for food. If you’ve got plenty of hungry critters in your yard, chances are your native trees are dropping their nuts.
Some plants, like western buttercup, have seed pods that disintegrate when you touch them. Notice when they start turning brown to avoid leaving them on too long. Wait too long, and they’ll drop to the ground!
Watch for Toxic Native Species
A few species use toxins to ward off danger. They’ll cause skin rashes or allergic reactions on bare skin. Some are more severe, like spotted water hemlock, causing hospitalization when they enter the body.
Wear gloves and avoid brushing up against them with your legs or arms. Use extreme caution, and reconsider planting these if you have young children or pets. Here is a partial list of common toxic species:
| Common Name | Scientific Name |
| Cow Parsnip | Heracleum maximum |
| Spotted Water Hemlock | Cicuta maculata |
| Poison Oak | Toxicodendron pubescens, T. diversilobum |
| Poison Ivy | Toxicodendron radicans |
| Poison Sumac | Toxicodendron vernix |
Snip or Shake, Don’t Pull!
Before you collect, you might want to gather some equipment. Herbal snips help cut entire seed pods. You won’t need much, but a few tools keep seed collecting simple. Gloves are always a plus, as they protect your precious hands from pricks or cuts. They’re necessary if gathering from toxic plants.
You’ll need a ladder and pruners if you’re gathering nuts from tall trees or shrubs. Their branches are thick, and herbal snips may not work as well as pruners. You’ll also want something to store native seeds in for the journey home. I always forget this step and have to dig them out of my pockets. A glass jar, paper bag, or small container works well.
Poppies and plants in the pea family Fabaceae form pods. Snip the structures at their base to collect them whole. Other pods, like onions’, open at the top. Carefully snip these with your container below them, or shake pods into a bag.
Others simply fall off when dry, without a pod-like structure. Watch these species closely, as seeds lose their storage capacity once they touch the soil. Catch them before they fall to capture pods at their ripest and driest.
Pulling native perennials can uproot the plants or damage healthy stems. Use sharp snips instead to cut cleanly. Leave sensitive roots alone by leaving plants where they grow and carefully harvesting without damaging sensitive plants.
Storage
Store seeds long-term if you want to sow them later. Most native plant species, especially annual ones, reseed seasonally. The best time to sow them is when they naturally fall to the ground, as nature intends.
Follow the seasons, and you’ll have plenty of successfully germinating seedlings by spring. Where winters freeze, many seeds need cold stratification to germinate. Cold stratification is a chilly, frosty period that tells them when to sprout. Sow during autumn, and they’ll cold stratify outside independently.
When spring-sowing native plant species, look first to see if they require cold stratification. You can mimic these conditions in your refrigerator—store them in your fridge for one to three months before spring sowing them.
If you’d like to store seeds longer than a year, put them in an airtight container. Make sure they’re dry, and remove any of their extra plant material. Put sealed containers in a cool, dark place until you’re ready to sow.
Collect Annually
Repeat these steps annually if you run out of viable stock. Having propagation material on hand means you have backup plants if your existing ones die. You’ll always have a backlog of future plants, saving you time and money in the long run.
As you collect more, you may have too many! Consider donating extras to seed saver organizations, exchanges, or local conservationists. Seeds are valuable resources, and many people can benefit from them. Treat yours carefully, as they hold future plants for the next generations.
Key Takeaways
- Never collect native species from wild spaces without a permit. Begin your seed-saving journey in your backyard.
- Look to the seasons to know when pods or heads ripen—most are ready from midsummer through autumn.
- Don’t pull stems when you harvest, as this can damage them. Instead, snip or shake to gather.
- Store seeds in sealed containers in cool, dark locations. Pantries, closets, and basements work well.
