Rhinanthus minor (Yellow Rattle) Wildflower Seed for a Healthy Meadow
50 freshly collected seeds per packet. Rhinanthus minor (Yellow Rattle) is a native annual producing spikes of yellow, tube-like flowers from March to July, which protrude from an inflated calyx. When the flowers of yellow-rattle fade, the brown calyxes in which the seeds ripen can be seen and heard - they give a distinctive 'rattle', hence the common name.
It is a very useful semi-parasitic plant for a wildflower meadow as it draws out the nutrients from dominant grass species and weakens them, maintaining a healthy environment in which other wildflowers can grow. While Bumble bees adore this species, farmers don't as it indicates poor grassland and can cut the production of hay by 50%!
This seed is responsibly harvested from our meadow and any profits from its sale will go back into managing the land.
Seeds will only germinate on grass. Scarify the grass and sow the seeds directly where they are to grow from autumn to very early spring on moist soil and tread them in well (seeds need a long cold period in order to germinate).