Verbesina virginica
Frostweed is such a cool plant with distinct, winged stems, beautiful white flowers, and big leafy foliage. And once the temperature freezes, the plant's stems split open and exude moisture, creating pretty ice formations.
Frostweed, a member of the Asteraceae family, is also great in other ways. As a native plant, it’s a wonderful and low-maintenance addition to the garden ecosystem. It has big leafy foliage, tall flower stalks that bloom from late fall until the first freeze, and its pretty white flowers attract pollinators like bees and butterflies.
It’s also drought tolerant once established, it can grow in a range of soil types, and it seems to appreciate growing in shaded areas or places with dappled sunlight. We often see frostweed in wooded areas and along hiking trails. It makes a great understory plant. We tucked some in under our live oak tree and it’s been very happy there, freezing down in the winter and returning from the base in the spring.
Frostweed also has a long history of use in medicine and ceremony, though we haven’t personally worked with it in that way.