Vernonia x ‘Summer’s End’ – Ironweed – 1-Quart

The third hybrid Ironweed created by Jim Ault at the Chicago Botanic Garden, this one a cross of  Narrowleaf Ironweed (V. lettermannii ‘Iron Butterfly’) from the Ozark Mountains and Larsen’s Ironweed (V. larseniae) from southwest Texas. This is a very strictly upright plant – no lodging problems here. Inflorescences are abundant and form a mass of flowers that consistently attract pollinators – monarch butterflies in particular really seem to go for this variety. ‘Summer’s End’ prefers a consistently moist soil but is also drought tolerant and disease resistant and should provide a vibrant, lively presence to any garden late in the growing season.