Late Summer Color

Last Spring, Wildwood ordered a handful of new [to us] perennials to experiment with.  Mainly, we wanted to plant them in full sun and see if they would survive.

Vernonia altissima has definitely passed the test, and with flying colors.  This east coast native grew from a baby stick to a four foot tall bush.  On the top of each stem, there are bright purple flowers that surpass quite a few annuals in showiness.  The picture shows Joe Pye Weed in the background which has similar shaped pink red flowers.  They're a great combination.

We're ordering more Vernonia to plant along our highway frontage.  After all, most gardens need more late season purple!