Spotlight: Fall Wildflowers

Whereas many of the spring wildflowers are woodland plants, the show now is out in the open, sunny locations. Late bloomers also tend to be tall, robust plants catching attention with bright colors. As an added bonus they are also magnets for the late season butterflies, especially the migrating Monarchs.

Many of these are great garden plants and are available at local nurseries as well as mail order sources. For example you will find a number of named varieties of Joe-Pye-weed, goldenrod and blackeyed Susans. Here are a few of the more common fall flowers:

• Joe-Pye-weed; Eupatorium fistulosum; pinkish flowers, to 10 ft.
• Ironweed; Vernonia novaboracensis; purple flower, 4 to 6 ft.
• New England Aster; Aster Novae-angliae; purple
• Goldenrods; Solidago; species mostly bright yellow
• Black-eyed Susans; Rudbeckia fulgida; golden yellow, dark center
• Blazing star; Liatris spicata; purple, 3 to 4 ft.
• Boneset; Eupatorium perfiliatum; white
• Sunflowers; Helianthus tomentosus; yellow, 4 to 8 ft.

For more information, call Buncombe County Cooperative Extension at 255-5522.