Culver’s Root Veronicastrum virginicum

Brighten your summer garden with culver’s root, known botanically as Veronicastrum virginicum. Its spikes of tiny white flowers, often with a purple hue, add vertical interest to perennial and natural gardens.

This native can be found growing in moist to wet meadows and prairies. It is hardy in zones 3 to 8 and prefers to grow in full to partial sun and tolerates sand, loam and clay soils.

This stately plant grows 3 to 6 feet tall and combines nicely with native grasses, and other wildflowers such as asters, bee balm, swamp milkweed, goldenrods and ironweed.

Culver’s root is a clump-forming perennial that is not overly aggressive. This makes it suitable for both small and large gardens.

Watch for butterflies, moths, honeybees, mason bees, bumblebees and other native bees that visit the flowers. Insect pests and most mammals tend to leave this plant be.

A bit more information: You can start culver’s root from seeds planted in fall or early spring, divisions or stem cuttings. Be patient as it grows slowly the first year, but starts putting on more growth the second year and beyond.