Common Ironweed

If supporting pollinators is on your list, native Common Ironweed is a top pick. Clusters of magenta-purple flowers top the branches from mid-summer to fall and it is a pollinator magnet. In fact, the Xerces Society identified it as a special value plant for native bees. It is also the host plant for the American Painted Lady Butterfly. A resilient plant, it’s a good choice for rain gardens, too. Deadhead flowers to reduce self-seeding and to encourage more flowers. In fall, fluffy brown seeds follow spent flowers. Easy to grow, this low-care native species requires only a mostly sunny spot, average soil, and moderate moisture. Cut back by half in spring if a shorter height is desired.