Wildflower seeds are being planted at a large, oblong, detention pond adjacent to Dartmouth’s Class of 1978 Life Sciences Center. The area is nearly 3,000 square feet, located at the corner of College Street and Dewey Field Road. This location is very visible to the public and is being planted with a combination of annuals and perennials.
Total Area Planted = 2,994 sq. ft
# of Annual Species Planted = 26
# of Perennial Species Planted = 15
Pounds of Seed (annual/perennial) = 1.75 / 2 (3.75 total)
Pounds of Carrying Agent (sand) = 30
Initial Planting Date – 4/25/2022
This planting is a joint effort between Dartmouth’s Facilities, Operations & Management, Dartmouth’s Class of 1989, and student volunteers from the Sustainability Action Program in Dartmouth’s Sustainability Office.
The non-native annuals should quickly stabilize the area and prevent severe weed infestations.
The flowering annuals should also provide a wide variety of color and plant sizes — providing a significant benefit for pollinators and being very appealing to the eye.
The native perennial wildflowers will take a little longer to establish themselves. Some should start to appear in late summer, but most won’t start to thrive until the Spring of 2023.
The wildflowers that were planted include:
Botanical Name | Common Name | Life Cycle | Color | Height | Bloom Season | |
Aquilegia canadensis | Eastern Red Columbine | Perennial | Red | 24″ | Summer | |
Asclepias incarnata | Swamp Milkweed | Perennial | Pink | 48″ | Summer | |
Asclepias tuberosa | Butterfly Weed | Perennial | Orange | 36″ | Summer | |
Aster novae angliae | New England Aster | Perennial | Purple | 48″ | Summer, Fall | |
Chamaecrista fasciculata | Partridge Pea | Annual | Yellow | 36″ | Spring | |
Coreopsis lanceolata | Lance-Leaf Coreopsis | Perennial | Yellow | 48″ | Summer, Fall | |
Eupatorium maculatum | Spotted Joe Pye Weed | Perennial | Pink | 96″ | Summer, Fall | |
Gaillardia pulchella | Indian Blanket | Annual | Red, Yellow | 24″ | Summer | |
Heliopsis helianthoides | Ox-Eye Sunflower | Perennial | Yellow | 72″ | Summer | |
Liatris spicata | Blazing Star or Gayfeather | Perennial | Purple | 48″ | Summer, Fall | |
Lupinus perennis | Wild Lupine | Perennial | Blue | 36″ | Spring, Summer | |
Monarda fistulosa | Wild Bergamot | Perennial | Pink | 48″ | Summer, Fall | |
Oenothera biennis | Evening Primrose | Biennial | Yellow | 48″ | Summer | |
Penstemon digitalis | Beard Tongue | Perennial | White | 36″ | Spring | |
Rudbeckia hirta | Black-eyed Susan | Perennial | Yellow, Orange | 30″ | Summer, Fall | |
Rudbeckia submentosa | Sweet Black Eyed Susan | Perennial | Yellow, Orange | 30″ | Summer, Fall | |
Rudbeckia triloba | Brown-eyed Susan | Annual | Yellow | 60″ | Fall | |
Solidago rigida | Rigid Goldenrod | Perennial | Yellow | 60″ | Summer |