Yellow Rattle - wildflower -  Average 125 seeds 0.5g - Fresh seed from July 2023

Yellow Rattle (Rhinanthus minor) is also known as Hay Rattle or Cockscomb. This attractive, yellow wild flower has toothed leaves and papery seed pods that rattle, hence the name. It is an annual, completing its life cycle in one year. Known as "the meadow maker" or "nature's lawnmower", yellow rattle is the single most important plant that you need to establish when creating a wildflower meadow. Without it, vigorous grasses grow unchecked and smother the flowers you want to encourage.

The flowers of yellow rattle are pollinated by large bees (especially bumblebees) and are followed by large, inflated seed pods. When these ripen and dry (see picture), the seed inside rattles around; in former times, farmers used this sound as their cue to cut the hay. One of the fastest growing of all wild flowers, and will produce a colourful, lush meadow in next to no time and help other wildflowers establish quicker in grassland. It grows to approximately 50cm (20in).

In early spring the seeds germinate and grow quickly (Pictures show seedlings 24.02.24 growing in pots of grass). As their roots develop underground they seek out the roots of plants growing nearby, especially grasses. Once contact is made the yellow rattle draws water and nutrients from them, suppressing the growth of grasses by as much as 60%. In the resulting space, other flowers have room to grow. It can be cultivated by scarifying the surface of the ground with a fork or similar then sowing onto short grass. 0.5g of seed per square metre is a reasonable guide. Yellow rattle seed is short lived and should always be sown in the autumn using seed harvested that year. This is because it requires vernalisation (a period of cold to break its dormancy for germination) but it should not be planted out too early, August to December being recommended. Then, keep grass short for beginning of March when the seeds germinate and seedlings establish. As their roots develop underground they seek out the roots of plants growing nearby, especially grasses. Thereafter, the grass should not be cut until the end of July to allow the yellow rattle to flower and go to seed, then cut short.

All orders are normally dispatched by the next working day. For multiple seed orders, seeds maybe combined in one pack unless Individual 0.5g packs are requested. This is to reduce unnecessary packaging. Please also see other wildflower species, mixes and orchid seed that are listed all with free postage.