Three-Flowered Avens, also known as Prairie Smoke or Old Man's Whiskers, is a low-growing perennial admired for its nodding, pinkish-red flowers that transition into feathery, plume-like seed heads. As one of the earliest spring bloomers, its bell-shaped flowers attract early-season pollinators, while the distinctive seed heads provide visual interest into summer and may serve as a food source for seed-eating birds. Its finely divided, fern-like foliage remains lush green throughout the season, often turning red and bronze in the fall.

Thriving in well-drained soils, Three-Flowered Avens is an excellent choice for urban and rural gardens, rock gardens, and dry meadow plantings, where it forms small, tidy clumps without becoming invasive. Its aromatic roots and slightly hairy foliage deter most herbivores, while its fibrous root system helps stabilize dry soils.