I've been meaning to photograph my Vernonia lettermanii 'Iron Butterfly' for months. I didn't get around to cutting it back, and I'm glad I didn't. I've found that I like it more in the winter garden than I did in the summer. Sure, the small purple flowers do attract butterflies, and it has done very well in the brutal heat and dryness of a small bed surrounded by house, driveway, and sidewalk near the front door of my home. But its real charm has been the very persistent fluffy seeds that replaced the flowers as autumn eased into the very mild winter we have had. It's native to some pretty tough habitats in Oklahoma and Arkansas, and its performance confirms my belief that we need to make greater use of our native flora in our gardens. I think Allan Armitage selected the cultivar from the species, and its just one of many great heat tolerant plants he has introduced.
The most remarkable thing about this plant is the persistence of the fluffy seed heads. They have been there since early December, and even in 50 mile per hour winds last week, most are still there. That's a long season of ornamental interest. How do they manage to stay on the plant?
Today I've also pondered the blessings of an unseasonably warm winter. Maybe I'm not the only gardener thinking about the coming growing season, hoping that the pattern of above normal temperatures will break before we get into June. But my years of experience have taught me that I must adapt and learn to use plants like this one that can thrive in brutal heat and give months of enjoyment. It's definitely on the list to be divided and spread around the garden.
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