Gilia capitata, Globe Gilia seed
Globe gilia. Annual with globe-shaped blue-purple flowers. Loved by pollinators, reseeds readily. Covers 5 sq ft.
From Northwest Meadowscape's website:
One of the easiest and most reliable showy annuals.We love globe gilia for its ease of establishment. When sown in the fall on well prepared soil (cleared of competing weeds), this species is a reliable and fast germinating colonizer.
By May it begins bursting upwards with multiple cheerful bright blue flower stems on each plant. In normal years, these blooms can continue into July, after many other spring wildflowers start to fade. Its visual appeal is endearing enough that globe gilia has been transported far and wide, even becoming a common garden plant in some European cities, although its native range is from Baja California to southern British Columbia. While it is increasingly rare in the Northwest, we are glad to be bringing it back.
Globe gilia is very attractive to honey bees, and we also see great numbers of small ground-nesting sweat bees showing up on it, especially on warm mornings. The Propertius duskywing butterfly (Erynnis propertius), and various skipper butterflies are a few other insect visitors we’ve seen on this great plant.
Under natural conditions you would find this plant on poor quality soils such as dry gravel, sandy loam, or on dry sunny hillsides. That said it is adaptable to a broad range of soil conditions. Gilia tends to stay about knee-high, but in very rich soils we’ve seen it climb to almost 5 feet in height.
How to Use Your Cover Crop & Native Seed Packets
Each seed packet is measured to cover 25 sq ft or 100 sq ft, depending on the size you chose.
Sowing Instructions
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When to sow: Fall is ideal in Portland. The soil is still warm for germination, and fall rains keep seedlings watered. Some seeds (like meadowfoam or clovers) can also be spring-sown.
How to sow:
- Rake the soil lightly to create good seed-to-soil contact.
- Scatter the contents of the packet evenly over the area (don’t worry about perfect spacing).
- Gently press or rake seeds in so they make contact with the soil. Do not bury deeply — most native and cover crop seeds need light to germinate.
- Water: Fall rains usually do the job, but water lightly if the weather turns dry.
What to Expect
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Traditional Cover Crops (rye, peas, fava, daikon, crimson clover, buckwheat, mustard): Grow quickly, protect soil, and build fertility. In spring, chop them down or mow before they set seed. Some (like rye) can also be crimped into a mulch.
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Living Mulches (red fescue, dwarf yarrow, creeping thyme, low clovers): These stay low and provide long-term weed suppression and ground cover. Shear lightly as needed, but they don’t require replanting every year.
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Pollinator Wildflowers (Clarkia, poppy, gilia, flax, meadowfoam, coneflower, blanketflower): Not classic cover crops, but they add beauty and attract bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects. Many reseed naturally.
Spring & Summer Management
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Chop-and-drop: Cut plants at the base and leave them as mulch (peas, fava, clovers).
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Mow: Use on ryegrass or cereals to turn them into quick mulch.
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Crimp: Flatten tall rye or grains at flowering to create a long-lasting weed barrier.
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Shear perennials: Yarrow, thyme, and sedges can be trimmed back after bloom.
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Self-seeders: Flowers like poppy, clarkia, and meadowfoam will often reseed themselves. Leave some seed heads if you want them back next year.
Quick Tips
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Cover crops = soil builders.
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Living mulches = weed suppressors.
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Wildflowers = pollinator magnets.
Tulle or row cover can protect young seedlings from birds and slugs until established.
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