Sea Blush (Plectritis congesta) is native to western North America, especially coastal regions from California to British Columbia. It can be found in a variety of habitats such as meadows, open woodlands, and coastal prairies and bluffs. Often amassed together in dense colonies, the many clusters of tiny flowers create great swaths of long-lasting solid pink or fuchsia in the coastal spring landscape.
 
Typically blooming from late spring to early summer, with the flowers reaching their peak during the warmer months. The flowers provide a remarkably long bloom season and valuable source of nectar. Sea Blush has a strong relationship with native solitary bees and small woodland bumblebees, which are its primary pollinators. Sea Blush flowers have a unique mechanism to maximize pollination. The flowers are "buzz pollinated," which means they release pollen when vibrated at a specific frequency. This is most reliably accomplished by bumblebees, which can vibrate their wings at the right frequency to dislodge the pollen. Other small pollinators such as hoverflies and a few butterflies may also visit the flowers, while the seeds are foraged by songbirds.
 
Sea Blush thrives in a variety of soil types, including sandy or loamy soils. For germination, Sea Blush seeds can be sown directly onto prepared soil in the fall or late winter. Plants will perform best if sown in fall, overwintering the impressively hardy seedlings.
 
Sea Blush is a variable species, with coastal populations often growing in short, dense colonies with occasionally much deeper flower color. Sea Blush also produces dimorphic seeds on separate plants; some plants produce seeds that are pale “winged’ husks, while others produce a small, simple grain. While most commercial sources provide only the winged form of Plectritis congesta, we additionally offer a smooth-grain isolation of the more compact coastal variety.