When you garden with ecology in mind, choosing plants becomes less about you and more about the local birds, mammals, and invertebrates that could benefit from your latest addition. Learn more about frostweed, one of Amy Galloway Medley’s favorite underappreciated native plants to grow.
Watch: Super Cool Plants Podcast | Underappreciated Native Plants
Frostweed
- Name: Verbesina virginica
- Zones: 6–9
- Size: 3 to 7 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide
- Conditions: Partial to full shade; average to dry, well-drained soil
- Native range: Central, Eastern, and Southern United States
I believe there are misconceptions about this plant because of the word “weed” in its name. Some people might see frostweed as a woodland plant that should stay in the wild and does not belong in cultivated gardens, but I wholeheartedly disagree. It grows about 6 feet tall, making it a good choice for the back of a border, but you can also control the stature by cutting it back in spring.
A woodland plant worth making space for
Along with the height it can bring to your designs, frostweed produces clusters of gorgeous white blooms from late summer through fall. It also has large, interesting leaves, and the stems have winglike flanges that run down their length. These sturdy stems put on another show after a frost.
The plant gets its name because a hard freeze will sometimes make the stems split, causing the moisture inside to erupt out in sheets of ice that look like cotton candy. I’ve heard that a cutback just before the first hard freeze will cause ice spirals to come out of the tops of the stems, but I have not yet managed to get the timing right on my plants.
Where to grow frostweed
In the wild, you’ll find frostweed underneath big shade trees, and it is highly drought tolerant. In a cultivated garden with supplemental water, it can also grow in full sun, making it adaptable to a range of conditions. Frostweed’s most valuable characteristic, however, is its benefit to pollinators and wildlife. When planted in sun, it quickly attracts an array of pollinators. The winged stems are also perfect for certain species of bees and other stem-nesting insects. Leave it standing in winter and birds will feast on its seeds.
Learn more from Amy about this plant on Fine Gardening’s podcast, Super Cool Plants, or watch the episode on our YouTube channel!
Amy Galloway Medley is the lead horticulturist at Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the University of Texas at Austin.
All photos courtesy of the author.
See More:
Best Native Plants for Your Region
See More Super Cool Plants Podcast Episodes
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