This erect, herbaceous perennial is often found in the dappled shade of trees. Clusters of small, white flowers bloom from August to November, offering nectar for migrating monarchs when very few plants are consistently in bloom; in fact, the flower heads are awash in pollinators as a large variety of insect species take advantage of the late-season nutrition. The white blooms are a refreshing sight amid the yellows, oranges, and browns of autumn. During summer, frostweed adds lush texture to the garden with its generous supply of large, crinkly leaves. It adjust to a wide range of soil and light conditions; it typically grows 3 to 6 feet tall, although it can grow up to 8 feet in wetter soils. Planting frostweed in dryer conditions with exposure to more sun results in smaller, more compact plants with additional blooms. It spreads by rhizomes to form large colonies and is happy in part to full shade, which makes this an excellent prospect for naturalizing informal landscapes and shady areas. Deer rarely browse the plant. Frostweed is found from Pennsylvania to Texas and south to Florida.

Don't despair if flowers don't bloom the first year, because frostweed takes its time developing roots. Leave the stems through winter for bee habitat as some solitary bees, such as leaf cutters, can burrow and make their nests inside.

But why the frosty common names--ice fingers, ice filaments, ice leaves, frost flowers, frost freaks, frost beards, and frost castles, to name a few--for this fall-blooming member of the Asteraceae family? According to climatologist Glen Conner (https://shorturl.at/qHS98), frost shapes form along some of the stems when the soil is still moist but unfrozen, the air temperature is freezing, and the stem has not been previously frozen. Water in the plant's stem is drawn upward by capillary action from the ground. It expands as it begins to freeze, splitting the stem vertically and freezing on contact with the air. The water forms thin layers of ice as it extrudes from the split stem. The length of the split determines if the frosty formation is a narrow or wide ribbon of ice, which curls unpredictably as it forms spectacular shapes. The fragile sculptures melt once the temperature rises.

Native habitats include moist forest edges.

Use as a background plant in a wildflower garden or as a mass planting along a forest edge.

Plant Characteristics:

Grows 3-6' tall or up to 8' in wetter conditions.

Grows in part shade.

Prefers dry to moist well-drained soils, including sandy, loamy, and clay. Doesn't tolerate extremely dry conditions.

Clusters (3-6" wide) of white ray florets and white disk florets with contrasting purplish-black anthers appear July or August through November or December.

Opposite, dark green leaves have rough surfaces and toothed margins.

Young stems are light green and pubescent and become light brown as they mature. Many stems have soft, fleshy, green flanges running longitudinally down their lengths.

Reproductive System: male and female parts appear on each flower (monoecious).

Wildlife Value:

Host plant for larvae of 17 species of Lepidoptera, including pearl crescent, Harris' checkerspot, and specialists gold moth and goldenrod stowaway. Has special value for native bees.

Medicinal, Edible, and Other Uses:

Frostweed has been used as a gastrointestinal aid, a urinary aid, a laxative, an emitic, and an eye medicine.

The leaves are dried and used as tobacco by some indigenous peoples.

Resources:

Florida Wildflower Foundation

https://www.flawildflowers.org/flower-friday-verbesina-virginica/

FNPS Plant Database

https://www.fnps.org/plant/verbesina-virginica#gsc.tab=0

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=vevi3

National Wildlife Federation

https://nativeplantfinder.nwf.org/Plants/3443