The bright blossoms with their bright gold stamens atop tall stems grace my garden during late summer and last until fall. The simple elegance of the plants is perfect in an intimate setting so that the flowers can be enjoyed up close. The flowers are preceded in spring by attractive rich green foliage that looks like grape leaves. The plants stand about 12” tall and form a beautiful ground cover. They have been vigorous growers in both my Annapolis and North Carolina gardens and I have had to pull out handfuls of them in the course of the summer to give the neighboring plants and chance to grow. They are easy to remove, well worth the effort, and I would not be without these beautiful and useful plants.
Type: Herbaceous perennial.
Bloom: White, 2-3” flowers from late summer until fall.
Size: 3-4’ H x 36’ W.
Light: Partial shade to full sun.
Soil: Average, moist, well drained, humusy soil with neutral pH; tolerates heavy clay soil as long as it is moist.
Fertilizer: Apply flower fertilizer in May.
Hardiness: Zones 4-8.
Care: Apply 2″ organic mulch annually to conserve moisture and add nutrients. Deadhead by snipping the stems at their base.
Pests and Diseases: None of importance.
Propagation: Divide fibrous rooted clumps in spring or all; root cuttings can be taken in fall.
Companion plants: Ferns, coleus, hosta “Patriot’, azure monkshood (Aconitum carmichaelii).
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I love this flower. I’ve seen it in the wild, too. A nice late-summer perennial.
Jackie,
I grow both white and pink cultivars in my secret garden and love both of them.
Karen
I have a two pink ones but would like a white. I don’t seem to have any pure white flowers in the garden at the moment, apart from Cyclamen.
My white ones seem to bloom later than the pink ones, at least in my garden. I have both colors in my secret garden but the pink get more sun (and warmth/heat) so perhaps that is why.
Karen