Local Ecotype
Perennial
Part shade to full sun
Moist to medium soil
3-6’, forms small clumps
Blooms late summer to early fall
There’s nothing like strolling around the garden on a frosty, late fall morning to catch Frostweed putting on its unique show: delicately sculpted ribbons of ice adorning its lower stems. This interesting interaction between fluid trapped in the stem and freezing temperatures may occur several times in a season. Frostweed is a pollinator powerhouse, producing corymbs of white flowers flecked with black in late summer to early fall, this blooming period coincides with Monarch fall migration, and Frostweed is a standout Monarch favorite. The flowers are also equally adored by other butterflies, beetles, flies, bees, and wasps.
Frostweed is an adaptable perennial of open woodlands, forest edges, and mesic prairies, so it will thrive in a variety of exposures, provided that the area stays moderately moist. Frostweed is tolerant of most soil types but generally grows best in a loam-based soil. Frostweed ranges in height from about 3 feet in drier or heavily shaded sites, to nearly 8 feet in open plantings with rich soil.
Local Ecotype
Perennial
Part shade to full sun
Moist to medium soil
3-6’, forms small clumps
Blooms late summer to early fall
There’s nothing like strolling around the garden on a frosty, late fall morning to catch Frostweed putting on its unique show: delicately sculpted ribbons of ice adorning its lower stems. This interesting interaction between fluid trapped in the stem and freezing temperatures may occur several times in a season. Frostweed is a pollinator powerhouse, producing corymbs of white flowers flecked with black in late summer to early fall, this blooming period coincides with Monarch fall migration, and Frostweed is a standout Monarch favorite. The flowers are also equally adored by other butterflies, beetles, flies, bees, and wasps.
Frostweed is an adaptable perennial of open woodlands, forest edges, and mesic prairies, so it will thrive in a variety of exposures, provided that the area stays moderately moist. Frostweed is tolerant of most soil types but generally grows best in a loam-based soil. Frostweed ranges in height from about 3 feet in drier or heavily shaded sites, to nearly 8 feet in open plantings with rich soil.