Vernonia lettermannii 'Iron Butterfly'

'Iron Butterfly' is a fantastic perennial with a great name and feathery foliage to three feet topped with clusters of warm purple flowers that are attractive to butterflies. A compact, well-branched and vigorous plant. Blooms in late summer. Found in rocky flood plains,Vernonia lettermannii is very tolerant of hot dry locations, yet can withstand brief periods of inundation.

In mid to late summer large clusters of frilly deep purple flowers sit atop short sturdy stems that are covered in fine dark green narrow foliage giving this tough as nails perennial as soft pleasing texture even when not in flower. Iron Butterfly Ironweed is as tough as its name implies, even though this is a selection of a rare species, it can tolerate short periods of drought or periodic inundation with ease. A nice tightly clump forming perennial from the works of Dr. Allen Armitage and the UGA horticulture program. The flowers provide much needed late summer fodder for bees, butterflies, and other garden beneficials.

When I first laid eyes on this native in full, glorious, finely cut, grass green foliage, I didn't care if it bloomed or not, it was that beautiful. But it does bloom, and in fall it is dotted all over with brilliant violet-purple tufted flowers. Valuable late food source for butterflies too.

Fine, needle-like green foliage forms a compact, vigorous mound. In late summer to fall it is covered in spritzes of purple, crinkled blooms loved by butterflies. 3'x3'"George W. Letterman, aged 72, a recluse and botanist, died in poverty and attended only by a neighbor in his little cabin at Allenton, thirty miles west of St. Louis, last night. Throughout his long stay in Allenton the botanist lived alone in his one-room cabin, spending most of his time in the woods in search of rare plants and trees. Many distinguished American and European scientists made pilgrimages to his cabin and went on excursions with him through his beloved woods along the Meramec. Many rare plants which he discovered were named after him. Harvard professorships twice were offered to Mr. Letterman, but he waved them aside as temptations, preferring the woods to halls of learning." Some of the genera containing species named for him are Vernonia, Poa, Stipa, and Crataegus. It does not appear that he ever published anything." Torreya (Vol. 13, p. 170)Minimum temperature: -30?F

V. ‘Iron Butterfly’ – Unique needle-like foliage resembles Amsonia hubrictii. Plants typically reach 18”+ and bloom late in September with fuschia purple flattened clusters. Mature plants will measure around 18”+ wide too. Prefers well drained soil but tolerates moisture. Full sun is best.

Purple butterfly-magnets top this vigorous, well-branched 24-30" Dr. Armitage selection of a lovely fine-foliaged wildflower in late summer; from rocky flood plains it tolerates both hot and dry and some wet. S/M-D-W

Becoming better known, and deservedly so, this selection of Ironweed, a native of Arkansas, has excellent form and foliage. It is a compact growing, only reaching 2' tall by 2' wide, with fine textured linear foliage and displays clusters of purple flowers in late August and September. A must have plant just to attract late season butterflies, it grows in dry or average soils.