Perennial to Zone 4. These 3–4' showy native wildflowers are an important part of the wild habitat. The leaves are the main food source for Monarch butterfly caterpillars, and 450 other insects are known to feed on some part of the plant as well. Can be toxic to some other critters, and the bitter taste will prevent voracity unless there is nothing else to eat. For humans, the flower buds battered and fried as tempura are a treat. Buds open to large balls of sweetly fragrant pink flowers. When the pods split open in the fall, seeds fly by impossibly soft silks. Prefers full sun. Needs periodic disturbance in order to compete with surrounding vegetation. 170 seeds/g.
ships year-round
