Texas Natives – October, 2007

Along with fall asters and salvias, hardy ageratum (Conoclinium coelestinum) is a native perennial that blooms forth into a profusion of sky-blue flowers from September through November. Hardy ageratum grows best in moist, well-drained soil in sun or partial shade. Plants grow from 1 to 3 feet tall, sometimes requiring staking or pruning back in summer to keep plants bushy. Many butterflies, particularly migrating Monarch butterflies, are attracted to the flowers. As an extra garden lure for Monarch butterflies, plant hardy ageratum with Mexican bush sage (Salvia leucantha) and the Monarch host plant Mexican milkweed (Asclepias curassavica).

For more on this plant, and to see what’s happening at Texas Discovery Gardens this month, go to

http://www.texasdiscoverygardens.org/texasnatives.htm.

About the author: Tina Dombrowski is the Director of Horticulture at Texas Discovery Gardens at Fair Park, Dallas. She has a particular interest in Texas native plants, butterflies, pollinating insects and their interconnected histories.