Gregg’s Mist Flower for Monarch Butterflies
Conoclinium greggii: Gregg’s mist flower, Palm-leaf mistflower, Palmleaf thoroughwort, Eupatorium greggii (former botanical name)
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Plant Specs:
- Perennial: USDA hardiness zones 7a-10b (lows -17.7 °C or -0 °F)
- Native to Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas
- Full sun to part shade
- Height: 2 to 3 ft feet
- Spacing: 2 to 3 feet
- Flowers: light purple, violet
- Summer, early autumn
Plant Propagation:
- Sow seeds directly after final frost
- Softwood or semi-hardwood cuttings in Summer or Fall
Pros:
- Long flowering period- flowers more in cooler weather
- Adds a splash of late-summer and fall color to the garden
- A short “filler” plant that works well between some of your showier flowers
- Nice filler for fall flower arrangements
- Care-free plant
- Drought tolerant once established
- Favorite nectar source of monarchs and queens
- Outperforms other ageratum by a monarch mile
- Provides migration energy for masses of monarchs
Cons:
- Can be invasive in warmer regions
- Not considered by many to be an attractive plant
- Less cold hardy compared to eastern native Conoclinium coelestinum aka wild ageratum or blue mistflower (USDA hardiness zones 5-10) found in nurseries
- Can spread invasively through underground rhizomes- but not like ‘coelestinum’
Mistflower Growing Tips:
- Propagate with soft cuttings or direct sow in fall
- Untreated seeds germinate between 1 and 2 weeks if temperature between 68-86 degrees F. This range can be easily maintained indoors with a
