Parthenium integrifolium

Rare and unusual, this is a gorgeous native plant with everything one could want in a garden perennial: upright form, excellent foliage, a long bloom time, and resistance to insects and disease. Typically found in the openings of oak-hickory woodlands, clearings, powerlines, and roadsides, it adapts well to disturbance, heat, and drought. The dense clusters of pure white pearl-like flowerheads, which appear in early summer and can often last through fall, attract an array of pollinators. These include halictine bees, wasps, flies, and beetles. The beetles usually feed on the pollen, while the other insects rely on it for mid-season nectar. While not the most showy bloom, its compact clusters of dome-shaped flowers offer a different texture to the landscape. The rough leaves have been used medicinally by Native Americans for tea in order to reduce fevers, earning its other common name Feverfew. Tolerates dry sites and is cited as deer resistant. Having undergone habitat loss due to agriculture over the past few decades, you can help reestablish a population on your property!