The Wildflower Seed Farm of New York
Every autumn, NY4P distributes hundreds of thousands of free daffodil bulbs to New Yorkers across all five boroughs. We plant them before the first frost—in parks, tree pits, community gardens, schoolyards, and more. By March, yellow daffodils bloom as the city’s first signs of spring: a living memorial to 9/11 and COVID-19, and a symbol of our collective resilience.
My neighbors and I joined the bulb distribution event in 2023 and planted the bulbs in the tree wells in front of our building.
In 2024, NY4P partnered with NYC Parks’ Plant Ecology Center to add something new to the mix: native wildflower seeds. I signed up on behalf of our block to collect both bulbs and seeds this fall. But while I waited eagerly for the season to arrive, I thought—why not visit the farm and see where these seeds come from?
The farm sits in a remote corner of Staten Island—3808 Victory Boulevard. It took nearly two hours and several bus transfers to get there, but the moment I set foot on the land, I knew it was worth the trip.
Formerly known as the Greenbelt Native Plant Center, it now goes by PECaN—short for Plant Ecology Center and Nursery. It’s a hub of seed conservation and native plant cultivation, operated by NYC Parks. Here, staff collect plant specimens from within a small radius of the city to study, document, and grow. The seeds and saplings they produce are then distributed to public spaces throughout New York.
Field with volunteers at work
On the day I visited, I joined the staff and a few other volunteers to harvest seeds from Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea), a bright yellow wildflower with delicate umbrella-shaped blooms—what botanists call an “umbel.”
It was a hot July day. The Zizia had already finished its seasonal cycle and dried into crunchy brown stalks. Honestly, I probably wouldn’t have noticed it otherwise—my eyes were drawn to all the other blooming flowers nearby. But thanks to this event, I learned to look closer. Five of us, pruners in hand, spent a couple of hours clipping the dried umbels. We ended up filling two large barrels.
Seed separation machine
Back inside, Paul—one of the staff—showed us the machine used to separate seeds from stems, and the temperature-controlled room where the seeds are stored. These are the same seeds we received last autumn through NY4P! Seeing their full journey made them feel even more special.
A cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) blooming at the farm. These vibrant red flowers rely on hummingbirds for pollination, who can reach into the long tubes to sip nectar.
Native wildflowers have become a hot topic among gardeners lately—not just because they’re beautiful (though they are), but because they attract native pollinators: bees, butterflies, hummingbirds. These pollinators are essential to the ecosystems we all depend on.
Why does that matter?
Imagine planting a flashy, exotic flower from a nursery catalog. It looks great, but to a local bee, it’s like plastic food—no nectar, no recognizable pollen, no reason to stay. Multiply that across a city block, and native pollinators—who evolved alongside native plants—lose the resources they need to survive. Without them, fruits don’t form, seeds don’t spread, and birds lose their food. It's like pulling one thread from a sweater and watching the whole thing unravel.
Restoring an ecosystem means putting those threads back where they belong.
Traditional landscaping—much like traditional gardening—often focuses on standalone plants chosen for their visual appeal: how they “pop” next to a walkway or complement the mulch. But this piecemeal approach treats plants as decoration, not as participants in a living, breathing system.
Some imported species become invasive, outcompeting native plants for space and nutrients. They may look lush and fast-growing, but they’re ecological freeloaders—offering nothing to local wildlife and actively pushing out the plants that do. As native flora disappear, so does the life it supports.
Other imports aren’t invasive, just high-maintenance. They need constant watering, fertilizing, pruning, and pest control to survive in a climate they never evolved in. Over time, this kind of upkeep doesn’t just cost more—it wears down the soil itself. The more we fight nature to preserve a specific look, the more fragile our landscapes become.
A regenerative landscape works with nature, not against it. Native plants thrive in local conditions. They nourish the soil, support the pollinators above and the microbes and mycelium below. When the soil is alive, the whole system becomes more resilient. It holds moisture in drought, absorbs runoff during floods, and rebounds faster from disruption. And it does all this while asking less of us—not more.
Restoring urban ecosystems doesn’t mean giving up beauty. It means reimagining it. A garden can be colorful and buzzing with native bees. A park can be peaceful and flood-resistant. A yard can be full of butterflies and cost less to maintain.
That’s not just sustainable—it’s smart.
Curious to learn more or get involved?
Explore NYC Parks’ work in seed conservation, native plant restoration, and ecosystem resilience here:
👉 https://www.nycgovparks.org/pecan/program-areas
