Ironweed 'Summer's Swan Song'
Family: Asteraceae (Aster
Family)
.jpg)
·
Hardiness Zones: 4-9
·
Height: 30-36 inches
·
Spread: 30-40 inches
·
Bloom Time: late summer to mid fall
·
Bloom: abundant 1/3 to 1/2 inch fluffy purple flowerheads on
flowering branches; each blooms consists of a cluster of 50 or more deep purple
tubular florets enclosed by leafy bracts
·
Light: full sun
·
Soil: average, well-drained, moist to
semi-dry
·
Moisture: moderate; somewhat drought
tolerant once established; intolerant of prolonged saturated soils
·
Use: singular or massed in perennial
or mixed beds and borders, pollinator gardens, and as mid-sized perennial near
water features
·
Care: deadhead flowers to reduce
self-seeding; seed heads can provide winter interest; cut back to 1-3 inches
tall at the end of the growing season or in early spring; mulch only in drier
conditions
·
Concerns: no serious insect or disease
problems; rust and powdery mildew may occur in prolonged periods of high
humidity or wet conditions
·
Native to: species from south-central Canada
to central and eastern United States
·
Notes: noted for its compact, rounded,
dense, and bushy habit and exceptional resistance to rust an powdery mildew;
interlocking network of longer, branching stems hold plant upright ,even in
strong winds; a narrow-leaf ironweed hybrid; purple-tinged olive green leaves
(5 inches or more in length and less than 1/4 inch wide) on deep wine-red
stems; attracts birds; important late season nectar source for bees,
butterflies, and wasps; deer and rabbit resistant
·
Supplier: Landscape Designs, Inc.
·
Teaching Garden
Location & Code: Naturalistic Garden H165
Content
produced through:
Dane County
UWEX Master Gardener Volunteer Program
Questions?
Dane County UWEX Horticulture
Program
