VERNONIA angustifolia x missurica

Description

Vernonia angustifolia × missurica

Height & Spread 90 – 150cms x 90 - 120cms

Native to the central USA, this tall perennial provides not only intense late season colour, but lots of pollen and nectar for visiting bees and butterflies. It is also deer and rabbit tolerant due to its bitter taste.

The stems are stout and upright, and the leaves are lance shaped and deep green with white hairy undersides. The flowers are born in large clusters of up to 60 on each well branched head and range from rich magenta to deep purple. These disc florets that will keep flowering away until late autumn if dead-headed regularly.

The seed heads are fluffy and will be caught and distributed by the wind.

Reproducing by rhizome and seed it will make a good-sized patch, but is not invasive. Seeds will require a period of cold stratification to break their dormancy.

This plant likes rich soils that range from moist but well drained to moisture retentive, and will even tolerate periodic flooding, so is ideal for heavy clay soils that do not dry out and crack in summer. They have no preference for any particular pH so will do well in almost any sunny, clay or clay loam patch. They are perfect for the back of the border.

Vernonia work well in prairie, cottage, informal, wildlife, bog and waterside gardens and will ensure you have lots of bumblebees and late season butterflies coming to visit. Cut back very tall plants in Spring.