VERNONIA noveboracensis 'White Lightning'

Description

Vernonia noveboracensis 'White Lightning'

Height x Spread: 180cm x 100cm 

This rarely seen in cultivation, herbaceous perennial, deserves to be grown more widely as it produces unusual pollen and nectar rich flowers at the end of the season, when they are really needed. 

Hailing from the eastern USA, this plant thrives in sun to part shade. Happy to grow in clay soils, as well as any other loamy conditions that are moist but well drained.

The globular flower heads are made up of many creamy white, small tubular flowers that open at the tip into a five-pointed white star. The flowers are produced on tall, branched stems with dark green lanceolate leaves from August to November.

Of particular interest to butterflies and moths, this plant will attract all kinds of pollinators. Dead head to produce more flowering stems but leave the last stems in position as they will provide attractive seed heads for the winter. 

Fully hardy in the UK. this plant will be a welcome addition to cottage and informal gardens as well as wildlife and woodland edge sites. They make excellent cut flowers.