Mystery Seedlings in Spokane: Sunflowers from Bird Feeders?

Identifying a Mass of Unknown Seedlings

A Spokane, Washington gardener found a dense carpet of small, fuzzy plants with broad, rounded leaves covering a front flowerbed. The plants reached about 4 inches tall, had multiple leaves on a single stalk, and showed no flowers. Initially suspected to be reseeded wave petunias, they were clearly different from nearby petunia and foxglove seedlings.

Expert Guess: Sunflower Seedlings

The expert suggested a likely culprit: sunflower seedlings sprouting from seeds dropped by a bird feeder. This is a common occurrence—sunflower seeds from feeders often germinate en masse in garden beds. The description matches young sunflowers: fuzzy, broad leaves and dense growth.

Next Steps

If a bird feeder is present nearby, that's almost certainly the source. If not, the gardener was invited to email a photo for further identification. The expert recommended sending images to ExoticPlants@comcast.net for a definitive answer.

This scenario highlights how bird feeders can inadvertently seed gardens with volunteer plants, sometimes creating surprising "mystery" beds.