Veronicastrum virginicum (Culver's Root)
Veronicastrum virginicum provides a beautiful backdrop to cottage gardens with tall plumes of white flowers. Faintly fragrant they are a magnet for pollinators, it performs well at woodland edges with room to grow.
Veronicastrum virginicum can take a few years to establish but is well worth the wait. It needs some space to fill out as it can grow up to 6’ tall, but since it can flop over in shade or rich soils, some nearby support can be helpful. This perennial wildflower can be found at moist woodland edges or wet meadows in full sun, although its deep roots can tolerate dry soils when established. It is also a great choice for rain gardens. The unusual whorled leaves on tall stalks give it a unique appearance when in bloom, and it can be a profuse bloomer - producing tall spikes from late spring until the end of summer, sometimes reblooming in fall. It has a slight fragrance and a delicate beauty up close. While somewhat resistant to deer, the tall stature and profuse vegetation make it tolerant of herbivores. A great choice for any landscape.
Veronicastrum virginicum is one of those garden flowers that always seems to have a bee or butterfly on every plume. It is a boon to pollinators, attracting not just a wide range of bee species, but also beneficial insect predators and parasitoids like flower flies and wasps. It is a great for small butterflies and moths, but it is also a host plant for insect herbivores, including the only species in the Southern Appalachians for the Metallic Coleophora Moth. These insect associations can also feed nesting songbirds like wood warblers, and the tall stalks are great for sheltering wildlife, particularly in open meadows. If you love pollinator bugs, try Veronicastrum virginicum!
Pollinators: bumblebees, halictid bees, leafcutter and resin bees, long-horned bees, mason bees, honey bees, butterflies, syrphid flies, tachinid flies, thick-headed flies, wasps
Host Plant for Butterflies/Moths: 2 Lepidoptera species
Dependent Species: Metallic Coleophora Moth (Coleophora mayrella)
Wildlife Value: Songbirds, Wood Warblers, shelter
Deer Resistance: Good
Native Region: Appalachian Mountains, Piedmont
Seed Origin: USA
USDA Zones: 3-8
States found in our region: AL, DE, GA, KY, MD, NC, PA, SC, TN, VA, WV
Other states found: AR, CT, FL, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, NE, NJ, NY, ND, OH, OK, SD, TX, VT, WI
