Autumn Joy Says It All
One of my favorite performance perennials, this flower offers something for everyone. Honeybees swarm to it when it blooms, providing abundant nectar just when they need it most, and it has provided a handy hideout for some of my Monarch caterpillars to start their transformations, too. We gardeners love its ability to ‘anchor’ a perennial border into fall, when many plants are petering out, as its flower heads transition from pale green to pink to burgundy. I leave its seed heads in place all winter, as they provide a little texture even in the snow, and feed the birds as well.