Three-Flowered Avens (Geum triflorum) Named for its 3 drooping flowers held aloft on a stalk that rises to about 30 cm, three-flowered avens is another early bloomer. In May the flowers open, though they seem to be only in bud. Later, wispy, hair-like awns stretch out from the developing seeds to wave in the breezes by late June. Another name for this plant, prairie smoke, derives from the "smoky"appearance of large patches of these plumed seed heads. Three-flowered avens grows from stout rhizomes and has dense rosettes of flattened leaves that push aside other plants.