Vernonia Species, Gray Narrowleaf Ironweed

Great perennial once established; fine texture looks like amsonia. Winter dried foliage and seed heads look very attractive and hold up m...Read Moreost of the winter. Protect from rabbits for the first year.

This not well-know perennial comes from Oklahoma and Arkansas that is also called Threadleaf Ironweed. Does well in southeast PA and prob...Read Moreably does well over much of the East and Midwest in any good quality soil or in rough, sandy, infertile, dry soils, sort of acid to sort of alkaline. Handsome perennial with fine texture and fuzzy purple flowers in late summer and early fall that are good for pollinators. In nature it was found growing on gravel bars and in cracks on rocks in river drainage areas. Scientific name refers to George Letterman, a botanist who lived in a cabin, west of St Louis, Missouri, and looked for rare plants in his region.